Zapier has quietly been revolutionizing the way businesses design their workflows since the company’s launch in 2011, but, while the popularity of the service has been skyrocketing in recent years, it’s still not as well known as it deserves to be. So, what is Zapier? Simply put, it’s a platform that offers the ability to take completely different pieces of software and to intertwine them so that they work together seamlessly, and, in most cases, automatically. To quote the company itself, Zapier is “the glue” that ties your favorite apps together, offering a truly unique and extremely productive new approach to workflow. Best of all, Zapier is now fully integrated with IRIS CRM, taking the already industry-leading customer resource management platform and making it even more powerful.
How Does Zapier Work?
Zapier connects with partner applications using an application programming interface (API) that then seamlessly integrates the full functionality of those apps with Zapier and, in turn, the other apps it connects to. Once an app has been integrated with Zapier, it can be combined with any other Zapier app to create connected, automated workflows. In Zapier parlance, those workflows are called Zaps. Zaps are initiated by preset events, called Triggers, that launch the workflow automation. The example Zapier uses to explain the system is integrating Gmail and Dropbox to automatically save email attachments to the cloud. The receipt of an email with an attachment would act as the trigger, which would then launch the automated workflow, automatically pulling the attachment from Gmail and saving it to Dropbox. That second part of the equation is known as an Action, which is any step that completes a Zap.
What Apps Can Be Integrated Using Zapier?
Zapier currently connects over 1,500 web-based applications, including many of the most popular apps from some of the largest software companies in the world. Some of the biggest names you might be familiar with include the full Microsoft Office 365 suite, Slack, the full suite of Google tools, Dropbox, Stripe, YouTube, Pinterest, Quickbooks, LinkedIn, Mailchimp, and many more. Zapier offers apps covering everything from document handling to transcription to security, project management, online learning, human resources, gaming, and dozens of other verticals. There is almost no business task that Zapier doesn’t offer a tool for, making it an incredibly powerful platform.
How Does Zapier Fit into the IRIS CRM Environment?
IRIS CRM’s partnership with Zapier means that IRIS CRM is now one of the fully integrated applications alongside those from giants like Microsoft, Google, and others. As a result, once your Zapier account is created, you can integrate IRIS CRM with many of the popular applications your team is already using, right out of the box. IRIS CRM is already an extremely feature-rich platform, offering tools to improve and streamline essentially every area of your operations. But now, with the powerful external integrations or Zaps, IRIS CRM is truly a one-stop solution ready to handle all of your company’s workflows without ever having to leave the platform. That centralization supercharges your team’s efficiency and empowers your employees to reclaim lost time.
For more information on how IRIS CRM can help you tie your favorite apps into our already feature-rich CRM platform, contact us today!