RingCentral is one of the most dependable telephony platforms when used with Zoho’s suite (CRM, Desk, Recruit, Zoho One). This guide walks you through the features, pricing considerations, integration paths, and user experience—so you can make informed decisions and maximize your telephony setup.
Why Use RingCentral with Zoho?
- Proven reliability: Strong VOIP/telephony system with high uptime (“five‑nines”) and a rock‑solid base.
- Feature richness: Beyond calling, includes messaging, video (via Zoom licensing), contact center features such as call queues, wait times, automatic redial, etc.
- Cross‑platform availability: Apps for desktop, browser, mobile (iOS/Android), plus softphone support helps remote or field‑based teams.
Pricing & Plan Considerations
- RingCentral’s plans vary: standard, premium, etc. Key: Zoho integrations are included starting at the Standard edition (for some plans), not just premium.
- Paying annually generally offers significant discounts over monthly billing.
- Enterprise or larger customers may negotiate better deals, multi‑year contracts, or bundled services.
Integration Paths by Zoho Application
| Zoho Product | Integration Entry Point | Key Setup Steps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho One | Zoho One dashboard → Admin → Marketplace → Telephony | Enable PhoneBridge, select RingCentral, authenticate users | Not all providers support all apps—RingCentral does |
| Zoho CRM | CRM Settings → Channels → Telephony → “Click to Configure” | Choose provider, assign credentials, set call method | CRM supports most functionality |
| Zoho Desk | Desk Settings → Phone section | Select provider, enable call flow | Only 23 providers supported in Desk |
| Zoho Recruit | Recruit Settings → Telephony / Phone Bridge / SMS gateway | Set up user lines, enable SMS, test flows | Most limited; only ≈ 20 providers supported |
User Experience & Workflow
- Admin enables integration; users authenticate RingCentral themselves (email, phone, password).
- Users choose how to make/receive calls: browser, softphone, “ring out” to phone, or desk phone.
- Inside Zoho apps, users click the phone icon next to a contact to make calls.
- After calls, users can log notes, create follow-up tasks or events.
- All activities are logged automatically (duration, call type, contact).
- Incoming calls trigger popups and can open the contact’s record automatically.
- Users can switch calling methods anytime.
SMS & Extended Features
- RingCentral supports SMS but is limited—no message threads or response tracking natively.
- For full two-way SMS/MMS inside Zoho, use third-party extensions like:
- RingCentral SMS for Zoho
- Twilio SMS from Catalyst
- Jeremy Nagel’s SMS tool (deluge-based)
- Twilio spoofing can be used to mimic RingCentral numbers.
- Costs: ~$1/month for a Twilio number, less than $0.01/SMS.
Best Practices & Tips
Consider emergency compliance—set accurate addresses per user.
Check if your provider supports all Zoho apps you plan to use (Desk, Recruit, etc.).
Pilot integrations with test users before a full rollout.
Train staff on how to log calls, dispositions, and schedule follow-ups.
Run VOIP quality tests to ensure internet and hardware can support calls.