How Assist ME streamlined mobility equipment delivery with Zoho Creator

The company

Assist ME is a nonprofit organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina, committed to improving healthcare access for underserved individuals by providing free, medically necessary mobility equipment. Operating at the intersection of healthcare and community services, the organization refurbishes and distributes items such as wheelchairs, transfer benches, and rollators to uninsured and underinsured residents across Mecklenburg County.

Founded in 2014, Assist ME is a volunteer-driven organization powered by an active working board, committed volunteers, and strong community partnerships. Together, they’ve advanced health equity across the region and positively impacted the lives of more than 6,000 individuals.

The problem

Before implementing Zoho Creator, Assist ME relied heavily on spreadsheets to manage equipment inventory, applications, and internal workflows. On the surface, these spreadsheets worked, but as demand doubled within two years, the cracks became impossible to ignore. Tracking incoming and outgoing equipment manually became time-consuming and error-prone. Sometimes it was discovered late in the process that an item marked “in stock” was actually unavailable. This added unnecessary follow-up and slowed down the entire workflow.

This inefficiency not only slowed the team down but also affected client experience. Some approved orders were never picked up, because internal visibility wasn’t strong enough to track next steps. Manual reporting also took hours each month, taking time from other important tasks.

After evaluating off-the-shelf software, Assist ME realized that none of them matched the nuances of their workflows. They needed a system that was structured but flexible enough to adapt to medical requirements, variable inventory, and community-driven operations. This set the stage for Assist ME’s adoption of Zoho Creator and their collaboration with Clean Community Inc., whom Jack met at a community event.

The solution

Assist ME designed a custom Zoho Creator application that automated every step, from intake to equipment assignment and fulfilment. Built in three months, the application now serves as the organization’s internal operations hub.

Key features include:

Application intake

Client requests submitted on the Assist ME website are automatically captured in Zoho Creator. This eliminates manual entry and ensures that every application begins its journey in a structured, trackable environment. Once submitted, the client’s part is complete, and the internal team takes over.

Initial review and status management

Every new application enters with a default “New” status. Staff then update the status based on documentation and equipment needs, such as "Awaiting CMN", "Awaiting Doctor’s Note", or "Equipment Assigned". This clear visibility helps staff handle each case with confidence and track documentation seamlessly across the workflow.

Automated equipment assignment

This module checks equipment availability in real time. If an item is in stock, the application automatically moves to “Equipment Successfully Assigned.” If not, the system marks it as “Out of Stock” without manual verification. This reduces human error and speeds up decision-making.

Fulfilment processing

Once an item is assigned, the case moves to the Fulfilment dashboard, where it progresses through statuses such as "Ready for Pickup", "Delivered to Patient", or "Equipment Removed". This module ensures no approved request stalls in the system.

Each status change triggers an instant email to the team, keeping everyone in sync without manual communication. This ensures follow-ups never fall through the cracks.

Inventory module with barcode tracking

The inventory module provides real-time visibility into stock levels, assigned equipment, and available items. The system generates and prints barcodes based on SKU and product name, helping the team track each item through intake, assignment, fulfilment, and return.

Donation dashboard

Because Assist ME relies heavily on community contributions, a dedicated dashboard tracks donors, donated items, and distribution history.

Financial dashboard

This dashboard centralizes cost, donation value, and reimbursements—giving managers clarity on financial health and helping improve budgeting decisions.

Zoho Forms serves as the primary data collection layer. All submissions feed directly into Creator, reducing administrative workload and ensuring data accuracy. Together, these modules form a comprehensive, automated workflow tailored to Assist ME’s unique needs.

Benefits and ROI

Zoho Creator delivered immediate, measurable improvements across operations, with faster turnaround times, smoother communication, and a reduction in manual oversight.

They now rely on real-time dashboards for reporting, planning, and performance monitoring, saving hours of administrative time each week. Overall, the organization has increased its capacity to serve more patients without increasing staff workload.

Key results include:

• Centralized data, eliminating scattered spreadsheets and chats
• Accurate inventory tracking, resulting in fewer out-of-stock surprises
• Improved team coordination, as every request is now traceable end-to-end

Looking forward

For Assist ME, this is only the beginning. The organization plans to expand its application with analytics and increased integration with other applications.

When asked whether he would recommend Zoho Creator, Jack's answer is immediate: "Absolutely". The flexibility, scalability, and speed of development have allowed Assist ME to redesign its operations without the cost or complexity of traditional software development. His advice to other nonprofits: "Start small, understand your process, and build iteratively.