Published May 22nd, 2010 by Kevin
So you’ve probably heard talks of “Web Apps” all over the news. The big story is that more and more traditional software titles are making the switch to online web-based applications which users can take wherever they go. Using a simple login, they can edit files on the fly without having to have their laptop or home computer in front of them.
What this means for the industry is that people are going to be more and more connected to the Internet on a day to day basis and will come to expect better website experiences from companies they work with.
For example:
You order widgets from ABC Company. Normally you have to call or fax in your order and then you have to call to confirm receipt and when the item will be shipped. They likely do not provide order tracking while they are compiling the order for you, and you may have to call several times to check on the order status.. Suddenly parts get back-ordered and you are stuck in a waiting game. We hear it all the time.
The future is as follows:
ABC Company creates a Web App that lets you track your orders online. You can see stock levels, estimated wait times and you can see the shipping tracking number once the order is on its way. Your time is no longer wasted following up on orders and you may automatically get an email or SMS text message from ABC Company confirming when the order is shipped or when the expected arrival is.
Web Apps will not only allow you to track things, they will let you alter your order or information in real time. Already we’re seeing Google Apps take the world by storm, allowing you to edit documents wherever you may be. Microsoft this week launched Office Web Apps, providing their powerful Word, Excel and Powerpoint programs as fully functional programs that exist on the Web, and all you have to do is log in to access them. No more carrying around your laptop or worrying about getting files saved to a CD or emailed to you.
What does this mean for businesses?
Cost Savings.
Instead of spending thousands of dollars in software licenses and traditional computers, companies will move towards Cloud Computing which puts files, programs and data on a remote server that everyone in the office can use from wherever they are.
Less Headaches.
No more transferring files by hand, investing in internal procedures for file storage and naming and worrying about permissions. Cloud based systems will handle all of this.
Automation.
When programs are built under the open platforms of HTML5, Javascript and CSS, software will connect to each other seamlessly. When you make a change in one program, another program that confirms with your boss that the task is done will automatically run. You won’t have task lists that get lost, human error that can occur with manual data re-entry and you’ll be more efficient as a business as you focus on your product and not your procedures.
Better Customer Service.
Having web based applications in use at a company can help you deal better with customer requests, providing faster results without any drama. Your staff can access things on the go but without feeling burdened because answering a question can be easy as a couple of clicks instead of 30 minute phone calls or longer. Even better is if you can create an application that helps your customers do things themselves, such as put in their food orders online or track their order status. In the end you get happy customers and happy results.
Some Examples of Web Apps
Office Web Apps
Windows Live – Docs, Spaces, SkyDrive
Google Apps – Docs, Calendar
Amazon S3 Cloud Services
Qless Queue Management
FreshBooks – Billing, Invoicing
Flickr – Photo Storage, Organization
Mobile Me – Email, Storage, Photos
Keep an eye out for this hot trend to continue in 2010. Could your business build the next “web app” for your industry and stay on top?
