Category: Custom software

The year 2017 has been eventful for digital transformation, with technologies such as Big Data coming of age. Digital transformation promises to be more disruptive in the coming years, as evident from the following predictions.

1. IoT Becoming Mainstream

The much-hyped IoT will walk its talk fully in the future. About 8.4 million “things” are already part of the IoT ecosystem, a 30% increase from last year’s levels.  Enterprises will start using IoT to deliver better products, services, and insights. IoT will permeate to the masses, and become mainstream and commonplace.

Among specific sectors, IoT will revolutionize analytics in a big way, driving new smart solutions. A few possibilities include hyper-efficient fleet operations, intelligent traffic signals, and more. Tech giants such as Microsoft, IBM, SAS, and SAP are all heavily investing in IoT Analytics, offering a portent of the things to come.

2. Edge Computing Offers Effective Real-Time Processing Solution

The cloud and Big Data analytics analyze tons of data seamlessly. However, the sheer volume and velocity of data create time lag and some inefficiency. For instance, the cloud, for all its advantages, is not viable for IoT powered smart drones, autonomous vehicles, and other AI-powered smart devices. These devices need real-time and instantaneous data processing. Sending data from these devices “all the way” to the cloud is an inefficient and impractical method of processing data.

Edge computing, which performs data processing at the edge of the network, near the source of the data, promises effective solutions to the shortcomings or limitations of the cloud and big data. Edge computing, for instance, allows IoT powered devices to connect and communicate instantly and seamlessly.

Industry biggies, such as HPE and CISCO have already rolled out hardware and software to actualize Edge computing. IDC predicts 40% of all computing to happen at the edge in the next couple of years.

3. Enter the 5G Network

4G or fourth-generation wireless, synonymous with LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology, went mainstream in 2017. 5G of fifth-generation wireless will go gain ground in coming years. The need for hyper-connectivity and IoT propels the need for 5G.

The Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance defines 5G as “an end-to-end ecosystem to enable a fully mobile and connected society.” 5G is not an incremental upgrade over 4G or LTE.

While the 4G focus is on raw bandwidth, 5G focuses on pervasive connectivity and super-dense network, enabling even faster and resilient access to the Internet even from the remotest caves or desolate hills. Unlike the hitherto monolith networks entities such as 2G, 3G or 4G, 5G co-opts a combination of technologies, including 2G, 3G, LTE/4G, LTE-A, Wi-Fi, and more. While emerging technologies and solutions, such as IoT, connected wearables, augmented reality and immersive gaming places a great strain on incumbent networks, 5G will run these technologies seamlessly.

Industry majors such as Sony and Samsung are investing in Gigabit LTE, the stepping stone between the incumbent LTE and 5G. The already well-entrenched Qualcomm Snapdragon technology powers Gigabit LTE. However, 5G will become a household technology only after a few years.

4. Blockchain finds Its Way

Blockchain, the secure transaction ledger system distributed across a network of computers, rather than under any single entity, will finally become mainstream by 2018. The financial industry has already started to embrace blockchain in a big way. The healthcare, entertainment, and hospitality sectors are on the verge of embracing it in a big way. Dubai is rapidly moving toward becoming the world’s first-ever blockchain-powered government by 2020.

5. Artificial Intelligence Becomes Mainstream

The market size for AI is set to double up from $2420 million in 2017 to $4066 million by 2018.

Solutions powered by Artificial Intelligence are already popular. Artificial Intelligence already powers many popular solutions, such as Alexa, Siri, Salesforce Einstein CRM, IBM Watson, SAP Leonardo, Netflix, Amazon AI, Cortana Intelligence Suite, and various customer service chatbots.

Companies will continue to roll out cutting-edge solutions based on Artificial Intelligence, especially to implement smarter and cheaper automation. The scope of artificial intelligence would expand to encompass everything from emails and content generation and from industrial manufacturing to smart grids. In fact, major companies will embed Artificial Intelligence into their core operations.  Fueling the growth of Artificial Intelligence is the spread of open-source solutions. Artificial Intelligence cannot easily be integrated into closed systems.

With more investments being made betting on Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality is losing the race significantly because Artificial Intelligence offers whatever Virtual Reality offers, in a much cheaper and better way. For instance, companies can apply 3-D visualization to train, pitch, and envision new products in a much better way than what Virtual Reality offers.

6. Anything as a Service

XaaS or “Anything as a Service” is now within the realms of possibility. The cloud-based services market now encompasses software, infrastructure, and everything else. The latest to enter the “as a service” market is a framework!  Framework-as-a-Service (FaaS), which falls between SaaS and PaaS is a customizable cloud-based platform. Users may indulge in rapid prototyping, visualization, and other fast fail methods to discover whether a concept or strategy will work or not. Companies get to know the result of their initiative, without having to spend time and effort, doing it the hard way.

Side-by-side with FaaS, workplace-as-a-service (WaaS) and unified-communications-as-a-service (UaaS) will also become mainstream in the future. Remote workplaces, powered by WaaS, will rise in a big way in the future.

7. Low Code Platforms to Soar in Popularity

Low code development platforms (LCDP) will net a total revenue of $6.1 billion by 2018, and over $10 billion by 2019. These figures are impressive when compared with the total revenue in 2015 which was just $1.7 billion.

LCDPs allow creating apps through a configuration of functions, and intuitive drag-and-drop options, rather than by hand coding. The obvious advantage is ease of development and accelerated delivery of business applications. Acute shortage of talented programmers fuels the growth of LCDPs.

Some popular LCDPs, as of now, are Appian, Mendix, Google App maker, and Zoho Creator. The growing popularity of such low-code development platforms will spur ‘citizen development’.

Technology is always fluid. Companies who embrace the latest technology head-on to deliver better solutions for its customers stand to reap dividends. Companies who do not change will surely be swept away into obsolescence.

Technology has helped retailers to reach people globally and provide services that were never possible through the traditional brick and mortar store operations. Such massive shifts in technology have engaged even the least encouraged shopping enthusiast into acquiring items of their interest. With the advent of smart technology, shopping is just going to get more fun, engaging, and exciting. Here are a few top technologies that will completely change the way you shop.

1. Smart Shelves

Stores can now embed sensors on their shelves and turn them into a smart shelf that detects the stock remaining, the pricing changes, and alerts the staff accordingly. Many times customers find their favorite product out-of-stock. Smart shelves offer a real-time update regarding the inventory of the product and detect if it is running low. It gives retailers the power to change the price of products in real time. Retailers can plan their stocks and discounts based on the customer’s interest.

2. Retailing Apps

Smartphones are a great way to reach your audience and retailers can create their custom apps to sell their goods easily. These apps provide information about stock, alert customers about offers and work to understand the customer behavior. With Big Data analytics on the rise, retailers can figure out what sells more and even personalize the app as per the customer interest to entice them for shopping. The apps are also a great way to test new products and check if they really generate interest from the customers. If yes, the products can be launched and if no, a survey will help to understand what changes would work better.

3. Interactive dressing rooms

Major retailers such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Rebecca Minkoff are driving an interactive technology in their flagship stores. An interactive mirror is set up in the trial rooms or fitting areas where shoppers get to analyze a 360-degree view of the outfit they are trying. It allows them to compare other outfits in similar design or color alongside. Customers can send the entire video to friends right away to get an opinion about it. Shoppers have the freedom to ask for a different size or color right from the dressing room. This saves time and increases customer satisfaction as well.

4. Smart stores

Customers who shy away from stores due to long lines at the billing counter can breathe a sigh of relief. Smart stores are not a thing of future anymore since Amazon is opening a Self-Checkout store soon. The customer simply has to walk into the store, pick what they want from the shelves, and walk out of the store. The items picked will be added to the app itself and charged on the mode of payment selected by the consumer. Another smart technology that stores can utilize is having a Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Walk Throughs to provide a personalized experience. Such a technology works best at places that sell furniture, paint, and home improvement items.  

5. Mobile Payments

The use of Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology for making payments is available with all latest mobile phones. Such a payment method makes it easy for customers to purchase items without carrying their credit card or cash along. It is far more convenient and easier to manage not just for the customer but even for the retailers.

Technology is on the rise and retailers are not staying behind to use it. If you are a retailer, it is not too late to join the race and get ahead with smarter technology and solutions. And if you have set your mind on a certain technology, look no further than us to develop it.

Mobile technology is being used and applied in every business sector and the use of mobile devices is on an all-time rise. It has become necessary for the organizations to ensure that the applications and systems are compatible with the mobile devices. There are several techniques followed for this purpose and mobile-first is one such approach. Mobile first is a design approach in which the website or an application is designed for the mobile platforms first. It may then be scaled up for desktop and other larger devices.  

Learning Management System (LMS) is defined as a software application used to plan, implement, track, report, assess and deliver a particular learning process. There are several learning management systems that are available in the market. The business units need to enhance and provide the mobile-based learning for their employees and stakeholders. These learning systems are also high on demand in the educational institutions. A “mobile first” design approach should be followed for such LMSs and there are a set of key considerations to be incorporated.

• Multi-Device

  Mobile devices do not refer to the Smartphones only. There are numerous other mobile devices, such as tablets, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) etc. that must be considered while designing the Learning Management Solutions using mobile-first approach.

• Responsive Design

  The design of the learning management system needs to be responsive to attain maximum user satisfaction. It will allow the system to have excellent performance on a wide range of devices and make the activities associated with maintenance and development easier.

• Performance v/s Content

  There is a limited screen space on the mobile devices that take away the freedom to put additional content on the screen, unlike desktop applications. The designers must ensure that only the salient information is present on the screens of the LMS. The designer must keep a balance between the content and the performance of the system layout, navigation, scrolling, and usability.

• Acceptance & Change Management

  The demand of the market and customers is to access the websites and applications on the mobile platforms. The business units must accept this change and make sure that they fulfill the user demands and expectations accordingly. A majority of the users prefer m-learning instead of desktop-based learning systems. It is essential to understand the difference in the design principles and methodologies between the two platforms.

• Sequential Screening

  There may be scenarios wherein the users may switch between the mobile devices while accessing the same LMS. These devices may vary in terms of screen size and resolution. The LMSs’ backend must be capable of adapting to such transitions without any adverse impact on the performance and network connectivity. For instance, an employee may access a particular LMS on an Android-based tablet provided by the organization. The same employee may choose to access the system on the personal iPhone after office hours.

• Integration with Latest Technologies

  Learning Management Systems need to use data in unified and cohesive manner. There are Big Data applications developed for better organization and management of the data sets. LMS developed with mobile-first approach should have the ability to be integrated with external tools and applications, such as Big Data and Business Intelligence tools. Security is also one of the prime areas of concern for the mobile-based applications. There are security tools, such as anti-malware tools, intrusion detection tools, and anti-denial tools etc. developed for enhancement of security. LMS needs to be capable of being integrated with such tools and applications.

Mobile applications and websites have succeeded in gaining a lot of popularity among the users. The learning management systems developed by the business units and educational institutes must also consider and abide by the shift in the user expectations. There are many differences between the desktop based applications and the ones designed for mobile platforms. These considerations in terms of screen size, layout, design principles, set of priorities, integration, compatibility (with other tools) and security features must reflect in the final design. There are certain system qualities provided with a higher priority in LMSs designed with a mobile-first approach. These qualities include application performance, usability, security, availability, and reliability.

Hordes of app release every single day and most of them carry important user information. These apps are vulnerable to hacker attacks that look for weaknesses in apps, tap into them and phish user information or implant a malware. However, according to studies, the number of malware detections has dropped by 40% compared to 2017.

To ensure users really benefit from your app and at the same time are not left vulnerable, every mobile app development company needs to tackle these 8 security issues.

1. Picking up codes written by hackers

Many hackers create codes hoping that app developers will pick them up to use their idea. Many people do not seek to build apps from the ground up. Instead, they utilize easy frameworks and ready-made codes to customize them into their own app. A mobile app development company should not trust these third-party codes without verification, especially if the app deals with sensitive user information.

Related Reading: Check out the top technologies used to develop mobile apps.

2. Leaving the cache unchecked

Mobiles are known to be more susceptible to security breaches since it is easy to access the cached information inside them. Develop an app that utilizes a smart cache cleaning cycle that works automatically or requires a password for use.

3. Not performing security testing thoroughly

It is the duty of an app developer to go through proper security testing and take appropriate measures to fix vulnerabilities. Many developers get sloppy and release their apps in beta modes that leave users at risk. This not only affects the customer’s data, but also results in negative brand publicity that will hurt your app. So test your app properly, check every aspect including the camera, GPS, and sensors. Also, disable NSLog statement on iOS that stores the debug information in case of an app crash. For Android users, the log is generally cleared when the device reboots.

Related Reading: Find why wireframing is important for app development.

4. Weak or no encryption

Encryption algorithms are the first line of defense when it comes to blocking hackers from attacking user phones and even the servers. But remember that with the rise in technology, these encryptions also need to be upgraded. There have been apps that stored user information in simple language and were hacked too easily.

5. Lack of server-side security

Many app developers may provide better security for their apps, but their server-side security is susceptible to attack. Such negligence can cause loss of sensitive data such as credit card information, personal identification information, and more. If you deal with collecting big data of users, get a certified Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and avoid using low-grade security encryption to avoid leaks of your analytics and advertising information.

6. Slow upgrades and patching

Once you launch your app, hackers start working on exploiting the weakness of your app. Once these are exposed, it is imperative that you start plugging the holes and update the users with immediate patches to restore the app’s functioning as well as the faith of the users. Remember, there is no margin of error if you deal with sensitive information. A lack or delayed fixing of issues might make your app obsolete too.

7. Protecting the device with Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)

An EMM solution will work great at protecting the device from getting a jailbreak or being rooted. This avoids the removal of built-in security that a mobile operating system offers to keep the data safe for long. Using an EMM will also provide a way to authenticate users before launching an app and can be used to apply various security policies to prevent data hacking.

8. No plan to obstruct physical breaches

A mobile application development company should think beyond the digital realm. Chances are that the device is lost or stolen. Apps can be made to implement session timeouts weekly or monthly to clear the device of stored passwords.

Related Reading: Find how to balance between security and usability in enterprise app development.

If you have a mobile application idea, it is always better to seek professional developers and companies to make them for you instead of trying free third-party codes and make your app vulnerable.  

Read More: Mobile App Development : 4 Tips To Consider

This video is made using InVideo.io

Learning Management System or LMS has been a powerful tool used in the Human Resource (HR) and Learning & Development (L&D) departments since decades. This digital system that administers, documents, tracks, and reports activity of each employee grew phenomenally with over ten-billion-dollar of industry spends. Although such learning management content system plays a vital role in updating the employees, the system is touted to be the downfall. The question is whether LMS is really fading into obscurity or is there more than meets the eye.

Where Does the Problem Lie?

LMS is a total desktop solution that offers not just e-learning solution, but even manage enrollments, instructor-led training, offer classroom resources and keep track of individual performances as per compliances. After the digital boom, LMS systems stayed their course and the rest of the world evolved around them. The underlying problem was that the system got rigid while the learning ecosystem changed completely.

Need to Rehash

With every changing trend, Learning Management System will have to adapt and modify to ensure that it doesn’t go out of the window. The lack of integration and less degree of customization options has until now hampered the growth of LMS market. The idea is to consider the dramatic changes that have occurred and create an innovative, future-proof LMS.

How to Update?

LMS should be no more limited to a desktop and should be provided on multiple devices for better accessibility. This includes seamless learning via a smartphone, laptop, and tablet in addition to the desktop. The option to provide a mobile learning experience with short, manageable lessons will increase engagement. Another idea to proactively change is adding a customized system that offers a personal touch with respect to the learner’s need. Gamification of the entire content also helps in providing a better learning experience for the learners.

There are a lot of data generated via LMS that should be used to devise better strategies by the L&D department. The design of LMS should not be daunting and should have a user-friendly UI that motivates them to learn more. A well-planned design enhanced an automatic workflow is a perfect way to improve productivity, efficiency, and engage the employees to get involved. Adding some lucrative tools that are ancillary to the cause of LMS can add some weight to its worth. Also, as per its name, learning content management system should not just focus on providing learning experience but also offer all-around learning management.

How Will Learning Management System Benefit From This Change?

With cloud-based LMS’s on the rise and change in various tools that rehash the system completely, the growth of the LMS market is evident. The many advantages that it will offer are easy use, cost-efficiency, accessibility, flexibility, multi-platform support, and personalization for a successful L&D strategy.

The Future is Bright

According to a new research by Zion Market Research, LMS market is growing at a steady rate and is valued at around USD 5.19 billion in 2016 with the scope of reaching USD 19.05 billion in 2022 with a CAGR of almost 24%. The major factor for such a prediction is the requirement of information and high-quality education to stay in the market. Learning Management System that evolves with time and offers cost-effective learning in an efficient way can do very well.

With growing trend, everything is replaced or changed and Learning Management System is no different. But continuous evolution and significant changes that will connect and engage all types of users is a definite way of keeping the employees sharp. We offer such powerful e-learning tools that will enhance the scope of your company and provide an incredible way to educate your staff.

M-commerce and Application Performance Management will Reign

Nearly 179 billion mobile apps are downloaded for big and small businesses every year. Unless you live under a rock, our guess is that you may have considered developing an app to help consumers to land straight on to your responsive website. Today, the mobile app technology is being driven by consumer needs and habits. A futuristic vision is essential for successful M-commerce even if competition is slack.

The following tips will help to engage your potential consumers who are glued to their smartphones 24 x7 into your business.  We will also see why application performance management will reign in coming years.

This chart represents the guideline to create a successful biz-app.

Market Research Determines the Feasibility of the App

Apps are profitable for all businesses.

From the number of apps you have on your smartphone, its profitability can be gauzed. As biz-apps grow exponentially, they are a single platform to promote a brand/product, give an ad, offer rebates or codeshare for freebies. This mobile channel offers a fantastic range of processes. But for its success, market research and feasibility are absolutely vital. Hundreds of biz-apps are downloaded, and some fail miserably either because the consumer undermines its actual utility and relevance, or the app fails to bring anything new compared to its competitors in the market. Hence a feasibility report before developing the app is vital. Ask yourself-do people need your app? Are you fulfilling any specific need? Ground level figures will indicate if the app is worth or it needs to be tweaked to suit consumer preference.

Improvise and Innovate

If an already existing app fulfills the need, why should you still make one?

If the feasibility report reveals that you can bridge a gap (improvise) or add (innovate), then go ahead and create the app. It will answer the pain points of the consumers and they will appreciate it.

Make the App in Two Months

Although it is a long period, don’t delay further.

Let’s put it this way- apps also have a shelf life or an expiry date. If you have done a study and waited for 3 months, by then the consumer habits might have changed! They are fickle-minded and will move on to another vendor and brand who addresses their pain points better. Quickly launch the app to ensure that the reports are relevant to the research.

M-marketing is Gaining Traction

Yes, it is trending to market via apps.

In the peak season, your product will need to go public/live. Develop and launch the app a little before that and script out the marketing strategies. Align them together for best results. Ensure to make use of optimization searches.

The App Should be Smooth

Expecting a consumer to navigate is counter-productive.

Most consumers may have smartphones, but are not smart enough to use them! An easy interface and download are recommended. An easy-peasy app will be appreciated by all consumers. Not only the download but also its continuous use should be considered. No one will bother to learn how to use it. So, make your business app intuitive and progressive.

Do not Overdo Ads and Banners!

Too much of ads and banners ruin the user experience.

One of the reasons for mobile app failure is the number of ads added. A consumer can delete it anytime if he finds it is bothering his browsing experience. This is a very broad hint and not just a friendly tip!

Application Performance Management (APM)

Why is it poised to rule in the future?

The new generation of smartphones are designed to integrate various kinds of apps. The screen size, resolution, ability to navigate the content are just a few things that will drive the success of a potential app for m-commerce. A single device platform works well. Can it be transferred to another device? That will surely make it more versatile for better user experience. Thus one needs to apply mobile metrics to solve the double trouble. This is where APM is useful for the qualitative behavior of the app. The tools for its feasibility can be equally challenging as they collect the data, assist in monitoring, providing insights and then ultimately align it with the business.

So your company has recently purchased an Enterprise Software that will help the organization run. But did you check whether the technology solution provider has provided a maintenance plan along with it? Or, have you researched whether the software builders are competent when it comes to after-sales support? Like a vehicle that requires maintenance, software is no different. It is imperative to include a maintenance plan when you buy a software solution because:

Corrections and bug fixing

A fully-functional software might not display errors and bugs in the beta stage until it is put actively in the environment. A maintenance contract will ensure that these bugs and bad codes are fixed. It also covers the systems for major repairs and advanced problem solving that otherwise would cost more money and time.

Flexibility

A software solution is adaptive since it evolves with use every single day. With changes on a daily basis, your software might need an upgrade, update, and even change in modules. Plug in these changes can along with the maintenance team that knows the ins and outs of the software. It also keeps the software up-to-date and increases its lifespan in the company.

Compatibility

Since technology is growing each day, the addition of new hardware to the systems is inevitable. A maintenance contract from your software provider can help in addressing compatibility issues with this newer hardware. It would help one tackle with ease, any modification of the existing system.

Improve performance

Some vendors provide one or two free upgrades and patches in their maintenance contract that help in keeping your software on par with the latest trends. These upgrades might include some major overhaul or issues raised by other users.

Saving IT expenditure

A smart move in any business is to save money before earning the profits. Having a maintenance contract does cost a little extra but covers important bug fixes, routine upgrades, and critical problem-solving. In a way, it fixes an annual price on the IT expenditure and removes the chance of any unforeseeable expense that might occur due to the software.

Re-engineering the software

As a part of preventive maintenance, the software can be re-engineered and restructured to adapt to the changing conditions. This type of maintenance is mostly used as a preventive measure to avoid problems that might occur instead of fixing existing problems.

Staying ahead in the race

As you evolve and grow, so does your competition. Your enterprise software plays an important role when it comes to staying in forefront of the competitors or fulfilling the requirements of tech-savvy customers. A regular maintenance can help with adapting to time. Also, changes in business patterns and legal government rules can be done easily under a contract.

Remember each technology solution provider will offer various types of maintenance. You will have to first identify what are the requirements of your business and what type of maintenance will suit them. Secondly, check if the contract is worth the price with respect to the coverage and the background of the provider. See what are the different maintenance features provided. These may include the number of updates provided in a year, availability of support team in need of emergency, and turnaround time for problem-solving.

Robert Glass has a very well-written fact about maintenance that goes like this – ‘60% of software’s cost is maintenance, and about 60% of the maintenance cost is an improvement.’ Established and genuine software providers not only offer complete software solutions but also maintenance services that encompass all the said points that help run a smooth business.

Businesses in the present are making every move to ensure that they stay ahead of their competitors in the market. A rapid growth in terms of market share, revenues and customer base is desired by every business unit. One of the strategies being used by the businesses to ensure faster growth is the development and deployment of the enterprise mobility applications.

Enterprise Mobility is the trend that allows the employees of a business organization to work remotely to fulfill the business tasks and activities using mobile devices, mobile applications, and cloud-based solutions. An enterprise mobility application refers to a mobile app that is developed to target the enterprise-related problems.

Enterprise mobile applications can enhance business growth for companies in the following ways:

• Better Work-Life Balance

Every employee engaged with an organization aspires to maintain a healthy balance between the professional and personal commitments. Enterprise Mobility Applications allow the employees to experience better flexibility by allowing them to carry out business tasks from any of the remote location. 69% of the IT decision-makers support the idea of BYOD as they have witnessed positive results with the inclusion of the same. Workers in the United States on an average save 81 minutes per week with the aid of BYOD. There are 49% employees that say that they are more productive while working on their personal devices.

• Improved Workflow

Critical issues may crop up in a business environment anytime, without prior notices or hints. Enterprise mobile applications allow the employees to resolve such issues on an urgent basis irrespective of their presence and availability at the office location. Real-time interactions are also made possible with the clients that result in better customer engagement and satisfaction. The overall workflow, therefore, improves with the use of such applications.

• Reduction in Costs

Enterprise mobile apps can be made compatible and accessible on the personal devices of the staff members. It leads to the reduction in the cost of the devices and the share may be used in other significant business requirements.

• System Independence

There is a higher level of system independence provided to the employees with the use of enterprise mobility applications. It leads to the execution of the tasks from any network and the tools are installed in the devices of the employees.

• Reduced Paperwork

More paperwork leads to increase the number of risks in the business, such as loss of documents, replication of data and inefficiency in the storage and management of the documents. With the use of enterprise mobility applications, there are electronic documents that are used for sharing and transactions. These are easier to maintain and can also be processed at a faster pace as compared to the paper-based documents. The overall business speed, therefore, gets enhanced as a result.

• Customer Engagement

With the improvement of the workflow of a business and the non-stop availability of the employees, the customers feel connected with the organization. There are higher levels of transparency that can be maintained to gain customer trust and satisfaction. Rapid resolution of the defects and issues along with urgent sharing of information are some of the abilities that are made possible through the enterprise mobility applications. It leads to the better engagement with the customers and the reputation of the business organization also improves in the market.

• Empowers the Field Workers

There are several businesses that include a lot many field workers to carry out operational business activities. These field workers may experience certain issues such as difficulty in understanding a task or emergence of a conflict between two resources. Enterprise mobility applications may be used in such scenarios to contact the team heads and managers for maintaining the continuity of the operations. Also, activities such as status reporting and sharing of information can be done in a matter of seconds. All of these capabilities lead to enhancement of the processing speed of the operations resulting in faster business growth.

There are technological innovations and advancements that are being carried out with each passing day. It is required for the business organizations to remain updated with the technological changes and adapt the same to their functioning. The practice will allow the business units to achieve their goals accurately and rapidly. Enterprise mobility applications are a contribution of technology that has benefitted a lot many organizations. However, the inclusion of these applications in the business architecture may vary from one business unit to the other. Factors such as nature of the business, projects that are undertaken by the organization, customer expectations, project team members etc. shall be considered before moving on to the use of enterprise mobility applications.

A business can significantly benefit from top-of-the-line IT infrastructure that helps reduce costs and thereby increase revenue. Organizations today find it necessary to have an entire space dedicated to top data centers as opposed to few years before, when, having a few servers on premises was the norm. Enterprises demand a robust IT infrastructure model that delivers operational efficiency, high performance, minimum downtimes and maximum cost reduction.

Advocating for improved DevOps is not easy for growing organization, especially when infrastructure is not a core competency.  Let’s consider the case of our client, a manufacturing giant,  whose growth is constrained by a weak IT Infrastructure. Here, what should the world’s largest cooler manufacturing company, headquartered in Texas, the United States with over 1200 employees and over 500 different products do, – focus on their business or spend their time and resources on infrastructure and facility management?

The Client

Our client is world’s #1 cooler, drink containers and supporting accessories design and manufacturing company, shipping products to more than 250 retailers worldwide. They wanted to do away with the hassles of managing their IT infrastructure management and needed a right partner to independently manage their systems, data centers, facilities and infrastructure support.

IT Challenges Faced by the Client

In an effort to optimize ownership costs and system performance, the client transformed their IT systems from IBM mainframes to Sun SPARC servers and Oracle software. The client faced several issues after the implementation of Oracle’s Enterprise Business Suite, for which they sought Fingent’s Help.

Their core applications ran on Solaris OS upon Sparc hardware, Oracle Linux on Intel and Microsoft Windows server on Intel. To better support the applications, better synergy was needed between the OS Systems Administration and the Oracle DBAs. The client also had to relocate their data center twice, relocate several terabytes of data, and immediately implement a Disaster Recovery site at their co-location facilities.

How Fingent Helped Igloo Manage Their IT Infrastructure

The client asked Fingent to replace their previous OS Admin team to enhance their IT operations, infrastructure, upgrade technology and systems and minimize outages to have a stable and high-performance environment. We installed the latest Solaris, including Operations Center, allowing Igloo to move away from Zone virtualization to a multi-node database and application servers. With Ops Center, they are now able to move their core EBS application from one Sparc machine to another in real time – without any downtime hindering their business processes. Also, the maintenance patches are applied without any outage.

Fingent offered the following services to the client:

• Desktop Management
• Server Management
• Network Management
• Vendor Coordination and Management
• Data Center Virtualization & Relocation
• 24*7*365 Days Support for Production Environment

Solution & Technology Highlights

• Full-Scale IT planning, installation, & project management
• X86 & Sparc Server Virtualization and management using Oracle VM manager & Oracle Enterprise Manager OpsCenter with Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance resulting improved application and DB performances and increased revenue for the customer.
• Disaster Recovery Datacenter build to a new location
• Introduced Cloud Environment
• 24/7 monitoring, maintenance and supporting of entire Customer Infrastructure.
• Automation of OS deployment for Solaris, Linux and Windows Servers.
• Enabled monitoring of all hardware using Nagios for proactive support.

Business Benefits for the Client- A ROI of approximately 165% over 2 years

We ensured that the client’s IT environment ran efficiently and optimally throughout a year to ensure maximum uptime and minimal costs. Our team constantly worked to solve every challenge that the client faced in a very short span of time, and supported their future expandability and redundancy, within their budgeted cost factors. And as a result, the following benefits and results were incurred:

• 24*7*365 availability of IT infrastructure management
• Consistent increase in productivity and turnaround time
• A return on investment of approximately 165% over 2 years
• World-class infrastructure maintenance, Stable productive environment & guaranteed uptime
• Better control over existing infrastructure

Fingent’s Team was able to build trust and confidence in the client’s infrastructure, by building better speed, efficiency, and manufacturing readiness.

“ Indeed, the ultimate goals was to ensure that we guarantee a degree of quality and service to ensure that the client has no roadblocks in its growth path” says Vincy, Manager, Development and Operation- Infrastructure.

Fingent was an ideal choice for the client as their facilities management partner because of our expertise in providing top-notch IT services across various industries and landscapes. We ensured that the complete responsibility of IT infrastructure management was taken over from the client’s shoulders.

Want to get better ROI from your IT Infrastructure investments? Take a tour here or talk to us today.

In today’s digital age, a website is your business’ window to the world, irrespective of whether you are a brick and mortar establishment or an online entity. Similarly, the need for a dedicated website is not just limited to startups but is equally vital for established business. Even if your business is doing exceptionally well, investing in a well-designed and responsive website can help you reach out to a wider cross-section of the audience and increase your sales manifold.

Here is rundown on how custom website development services can turn the tide for your business:

Website Development and Its Advantages

Custom web development is one of the finest things you can do to guarantee the success of your business. In addition to improving your visibility, customized website development can help your business in the following ways:

1. Customized website development boosts your credibility and adds a certain brand authority to your business.
2. A professional-looking website can bring you big gains without an astronomical investment, thus, offering a higher return on investment (ROI) than traditional means of advertising.
3. It does not matter whether you are a newbie or a seasoned market player, there is bound to be competition in your realm of trade. A dedicated website can assist you in leveling playing field and even beating your competitors.
4. It boosts your advertising and marketing endeavors across different channels. Your social media marketing and email marketing campaigns are likely to resonate better with your audience if these lead them to a website.
5. Custom designed websites are cross-browser well-matched.
6. Custom developed websites also costs nearly same as of any template based solution. They may have little higher cost but offer numerous benefits and total control on each part and role of the website.

Specialized, clean, and well-organized online presence is essential for preserving your brand reputation. General designs can create a negative impression of the product or service quality, the reason being customers see you as no dissimilar from thousand other companies. The website represents your business in terms of superiority, quality, and individuality, so you need to have one developed skillfully.

Importance of Multiple-Channel Presence

At a time when smartphones and handheld gadgets rule the roost, the number of people accessing websites through a desktop computer is fast dwindling. Almost everyone likes to browse the internet on the go. Therefore, a website with a responsive design – that ensures your website is displayed correctly and uniformly across platforms, devices and screen sizes – is essential to stay relevant in the dynamic online landscape.

As per statistics, whopping 67 percent users are more likely to use an enlisted service or buy products on a website with a clean, responsive design. In contrast, 61 percent users are likely to exit a website with an unfriendly layout and design. The bottom line is – a potential user may bounce back from your website and move to that of your competitors if you don’t cater to a multiple-channel presence.

How Digital Marketing Can Help

Building a website from scratch is no big deal, given the user-friendly content management systems like WordPress. Even so, if you really want to make an impact with your web presence, it is advisable to use professional custom website development services because you don’t just need to build a carefully-strategized site but also work toward improving your search engine rankings to attract massive traffic. People will know that you exist, only when your website is visible in search engine results. A smart digital marketing campaign can help in bolstering your web presence to clock-in tangible gains.