In today’s rapidly evolving retail landscape, telecommunications companies face unique challenges as consumers increasingly migrate to digital channels. At ZohoDay 2025, I had the opportunity to speak with TELUS executives Chris Smith and Lisa Richardson about how this Canadian telecommunications giant is reimagining its retail strategy through strategic implementation of Zoho’s CRM solutions.
Watch ZohoDay 2025 Fireside Chat with Telus Execs Chris Smith and Lisa Richardson here:
Beyond Mobility: TELUS’s Diverse Service Portfolio
While many consumers know TELUS for its mobility services, the company offers a considerably more extensive range of products and solutions. During our conversation, the TELUS executives emphasized that one of their primary goals was to leverage customer interaction points to showcase their full spectrum of offerings.
“We’re not just a mobility provider,” explained Chris Smith. “TELUS offers a comprehensive suite of services from home security to healthcare solutions, and we needed a platform that would help us communicate these additional value propositions to our customers at the right time.”
This business challenge required a solution that could manage complex, multi-service customer relationships while delivering personalized communications across various touchpoints.
Why Zoho: Active Outbound Campaign Management
The primary use case that drove TELUS to select Zoho was its robust active outbound campaign management capabilities. Lisa Richardson detailed how prior to implementing Zoho, TELUS faced challenges in creating cohesive, personalized outreach to existing customers about complementary services.
“Zoho gave us the ability to orchestrate sophisticated campaigns that recognize where customers are in their journey with us,” Richardson noted. “This wasn’t just about sending more emails — it was about sending the right message about relevant services at moments when customers would be most receptive.”
The Zoho platform’s campaign management tools allow TELUS to segment their customer base with precision, identifying opportunities for cross-selling and upselling based on existing service relationships, usage patterns, and customer preferences.
Increasing Value Through Strategic Upselling
A significant business objective for TELUS when opting to integrate Zoho into operations was to identify opportunities to introduce customers to additional services that would provide genuine value — creating win-win scenarios for both customers and the company.
Chris and Lisa shared that Zoho’s analytics and automation capabilities have been instrumental in identifying which customers might benefit from specific complementary services. For instance, a residential internet customer might receive information about TELUS’s home security solutions at a relevant moment in their customer journey.
“What’s been particularly valuable is our ability to now identify natural connection points between services,” Smith explained. “We can demonstrate to customers how bundling certain services not only provides cost savings but also creates a more seamless experience.”
Integration and Implementation Success Factors
My conversation with Chris and Lisa highlighted several factors that contributed to TELUS’s successful implementation of the Zoho platform:
Ease of integration. The solution’s ability to integrate with existing systems and data sources, creating a more unified view of customer relationships
Customizability. Customizable workflows that accommodate TELUS’s specific business processes
Scalability. The platform’s scalability supports TELUS’s diverse and growing service portfolio and can expand as the company’s needs expand.
Richardson emphasized the importance of this integration: “Having customer data and campaign management in one ecosystem gives us the agility we need to respond to market changes and customer needs much more efficiently.”
Measuring Success: Beyond Traditional Metrics
When asked about measuring the success of their Zoho implementation, Chris and Lisa pointed to metrics beyond simple conversion rates. They’ve developed a sophisticated approach to evaluating success that includes:
- Increased customer lifetime value
- Higher adoption rates of complementary services
- Improved customer satisfaction scores
- Enhanced efficiency in marketing operations
“We’re seeing tangible results in how customers are responding to more relevant, timely information about services that genuinely complement what they already have with us,” noted Smith.
“It’s empowering for the stores. It’s empowering for the reps. It’s a win for the business. It’s a win for the customer,” Richardson summarized.
Looking Forward: Expanding Capabilities
As our conversation concluded, both Lisa and Chris expressed enthusiasm about expanding their use of Zoho’s capabilities as TELUS continues to evolve its service offerings and customer engagement strategies.
The partnership between TELUS and Zoho illustrates how technology platforms can do more than simply automate marketing functions — they can fundamentally transform how companies engage with customers and deliver value across diverse service portfolios.
What I also find personally appealing about this particular use case is the added value it provides to retail field workers in terms of enhanced job responsibilities. Let’s face it, a retail job can sometimes be transactional and perhaps even a bit boring. The addition of the Zoho CRM platform capabilities into the equation also upskills retail workers, teaching them how to create relationships beyond the one-and-done retail transactions to which they are accustomed. Those relationships, in many instances, lead to increased customer loyalty, upsell opportunities, and deeper and more fulfilling work for retail workers, delivering better, more personalized service to their customers. It also likely results in less churn in those retail positions, as jobs become more fulfilling personally and financially. That’s a win all the way around.
This post was originally published on LinkedIn.
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