Zoho SalesIQ Summer '26 - what's new?
The Zoho SalesIQ summer update introduces changes across several areas simultaneously: more advanced AI bots and Zia Agents, improved WhatsApp support, new integrations with CRM and Zoho Desk, no-code workflows, and native video calls and meeting scheduling directly within SalesIQ.
What does this mean for businesses?
Zoho SalesIQ Summer '26 primarily means less manual work on both sides – for the customer and the team. The bot learns from existing company content, workflows can be built without IT involvement, and conversation data flows into CRM and Desk without manual entry. When an issue requires human intervention, the system transfers the conversation with preserved context – the customer doesn't have to start over.
For businesses with more complex requirements, something significant emerges: the ability to choose an AI provider instead of relying on a single option. This is crucial where data security, cost, or the quality of responses in a specific language or industry are important.
Details below.
AI bot learning from website content
One of the more significant changes is simpler AI bot training. Instead of manually creating a large FAQ database, you can paste a website URL for the Answer Bot to learn from existing company content: service descriptions, price lists, documentation, or help sections. SalesIQ also enables automatic translation of the knowledge base into user languages. If a customer's question goes beyond the company's knowledge base, the AI bot can also respond within a broader industry context. The classic FAQ takes on a more conversational form: the user types a question into the chat window and receives a specific answer.
Zia Agents: AI agents in Zoho SalesIQ
Summer '26 introduces Zia Agents, which are AI agents operating within Zoho SalesIQ. They can independently handle selected conversations and issues that do not require a consultant's involvement. Zia Agents can utilize data from records, webhooks, uploaded files, databases, Zoho applications, and external company systems. This allows responses to be based on real information available within the organization. If an issue requires human contact, the agent can transfer the conversation to an operator while preserving the context.
Bring your own AI to Zoho
Zoho SalesIQ uses Zoho's AI solutions, including Zia AI, but the new update offers greater flexibility in choosing an artificial intelligence provider. In addition to native integration with OpenAI, SalesIQ now supports Anthropic, Google AI, and DeepSeek. It's also possible to connect with other LLM providers, such as Perplexity, Grok, or with a self-hosted model. This is important for companies with their own requirements regarding security, costs, response quality, or regulatory compliance.
New and expanded integrations
Summer '26 expands SalesIQ's integrations with other tools. Within the Zoho ecosystem, new or expanded connections appear with Zoho Projects, Zoho Survey, and Zoho Cliq. Integrations with Zoho CRM and Zoho Desk have also been enhanced. SalesIQ can synchronize conversation summaries and tags, giving sales and customer service teams access to context without manually re-entering information. Integration with Zoho Bookings now supports payments, group bookings, and custom fields. Among external integrations, DeepL Translate appears, which can support more accurate chat conversation translations.
Smart conversation routing
Not every conversation should be fully handled by a bot. SalesIQ introduces an AI-powered Criteria Router that analyzes conversations in real-time for customer sentiment, intent, and topic. Based on this, the system can route the conversation to the right person or team. For the customer, this means less repetition of information, and for the team, better-matched inquiries.
No-code Workflow Builder and Zobot updates
The Workflow Builder is becoming a no-code tool. Workflows can be created and modified without writing any code. Pre-deployment workflow previews and a log history showing the process flow are also being introduced. Zobot also receives updates. Extended logs allow tracking bot activity and quickly identifying areas for improvement. Zobot also gains automatic translation, making it easier to implement a single scenario for customers speaking different languages. Another new feature is the ability to transfer chats to operators via calls.
WhatsApp in SalesIQ without prior restrictions
Zoho is expanding WhatsApp capabilities in SalesIQ. From now on, you can initiate a conversation by entering the recipient's number directly in SalesIQ. The same WhatsApp number can also be used across various Zoho products. WhatsApp message templates are becoming multilingual, so the team doesn't have to create the same campaign separately for each language. Template messages can also be triggered from Zobot via the Channel Message card. Zoho is also adding reports for outbound broadcast campaigns, including delivery status, open rate, response rate, and conversation outcomes. This allows WhatsApp activities to be optimized based on data.
Native video calls and meeting scheduling
SalesIQ also gains native video calls. This is useful where chat or audio calls alone are insufficient – for example, during consultations, presentations, technical support, or more complex sales inquiries. A follow-up meeting can be scheduled directly from an active chat. Meetings can also be created independently of a specific conversation if the service or sales process requires it.
How SalesIQ can support work in Zoho CRM
For many companies, website chat is one of the first points of contact with a potential customer. This is where questions about offers, prices, deadlines, service availability, or cooperation terms arise.
Thanks to SalesIQ's integration with Zoho CRM, such conversations don't have to remain solely in the chat history. Contact details, conversation summaries, tags, and inquiry context can support sales representatives directly within the CRM. In practice, a salesperson can quickly see what a lead was interested in, what questions they asked, and at what stage of the purchasing decision they might be. This facilitates follow-up, shortens response time, and reduces the risk of losing a valuable inquiry.
Summary
Zoho SalesIQ Summer ’26 expands automation, communication, and customer engagement capabilities. AI bots, Zia Agents, WhatsApp, integrations, no-code workflows, and video calls can help companies better manage conversations across various channels.
If your company uses Zoho SalesIQ or is considering its implementation, we can help analyze which features will be most useful, streamline sales, marketing, and service processes, and support the implementation of appropriate solutions within Zoho.
