Top Technologies Used to Develop Mobile App
Businesses need modern technology to survive today’s ever-evolving market. The right enterprise software solution can help businesses thrive. However, not all businesses might have the necessary in-house skills to develop one, and let’s be honest, off-the-shelf software does not fit all needs. Thanks to custom software development vendors, enterprises can access technology experts on the go to build customized technology solutions that cater to their unique business needs.
According to a survey by Deloitte, 79% of U.S. executives currently outsource software development. However, any business application is only as good as the developer who creates it. Choosing the right software development partner is a crucial responsibility.
If your business plans to hire an app development partner, here’s a quick checklist that can help. But before we get started, let’s look at why you need to choose the best software development vendor.
Organizations rely on app development partners to:
You can easily unlock these advantages by choosing the right software development vendor. But what happens if you choose the wrong app development partner? Here are the risks!
Wrong software vendor selection can leave a lasting impact on your company.
How can you avoid these risks? Ace software development vendor selection by using our checklist (below).
The first step to finding the right developer is identifying your goals. Why do companies seek to build customized software? Some of the common reasons are:
A good discernment of your objectives and business needs will allow you to proceed to the next steps more efficiently.
Defining your goals should help you prepare a detailed budget. At this stage, it is important to determine the capital, expenditures, and forecasted return on investment (ROI).
Assess the factors that impact the cost of your software development project:
Any business’s priority is to produce high-quality software. However, keeping the project within budget is vital for business success.
Research potential software development vendors. Assess the selected app development partners based on the following factors:
Choosing from hundreds of service providers can be overwhelming. Once you do the research and specify your requirements, you can start shortlisting the options you find appealing.
Here are a few ways to narrow down your list:
A direct conversation with the software development vendor gives you a fair idea of their services and expertise.
Before meeting a vendor, prepare a set of questions that will help you gauge their work:
Above all, it’s crucial to identify if the potential vendor’s way of operating and objectives align with your requirements.
A direct conversation with each vendor should help you narrow your choices between two or three developers.
Your business software needs to handle confidential company data. Is your software development partner capable of protecting your application from cyber threats?
Along with analyzing the vendor’s cybersecurity offerings, you also need to verify:
Choosing the right software development partner requires careful planning. It’s indeed a very tricky job to pick out the right one from a huge list of potential vendors. The checklist aims to make the job simple for you.
What is the difference between a freelancer and a software development company?
How does working with a software development company help your business?
The best software development vendor:
Since 2003, Fingent has been a reliable and capable software development partner for leading global brands, including several Fortune 500 companies.
Build scalable and robust applications by partnering with a professional custom software vendor. Contact us to get an extended consultation.
Organizations are enhancing their competitiveness by prioritizing digital transformation as the global marketplace becomes increasingly crowded and interconnected.
Broadly speaking, the concept of digital transformation involves the systematic evolution of core and auxiliary business processes to take advantage of advances in computing and software systems to increase efficiencies.
However, no digital transformation initiative will be effective unless it involves an app modernization component.
Also referred to as “application modernization,” app modernization enables organizations to transform effectively, increase their competitiveness, and differentiate themselves within their respective industries.
A “legacy” system uses outdated software or computing hardware to deliver important organizational capabilities but cannot interact with other systems or be updated effectively. App modernization is the process of addressing known issues in outdated legacy software. The issues may include:
Commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) may not provide source code access, preventing an organization from addressing software issues. When pursuing app modernization for software for which source code is available, your organization can choose between one of three approaches:
Organizations that choose to revitalize old applications will be updating existing software with new capabilities and features. This may also include refactoring (editing the software to do the same things better).
Read more: Why choose custom software over commercial off-the-shelf solutions?
Other companies may elect to get rid of aging technology to replace it with new, custom-built solutions or with a COTS solution.
In some instances, though, to achieve performance improvements, you may just need to move your existing application onto a more powerful computing engine, typically today on a modern, cloud-based infrastructure — a process known as rehosting or re-platforming.
How do you know which is the best app modernization option for your needs?
Particularly old or antiquated legacy technology will need to be replaced, whereas newer solutions might be suitable for repurposing or retrofitting. Rehosting is the most pragmatic approach if an application still meets your business’s needs but is negatively impacted by your current infrastructure.
When updating existing software, your app modernization team will need to rewrite code to add new features to your solutions. While this can be a tedious and time-consuming process, it may be more efficient than rebuilding a new solution from the ground up.
Opting for the more labor-intensive choice of modernizing by replacing legacy systems may provide more substantial long-term benefits altogether, especially if the landscape of your industry has changed significantly since you installed your current technology suite. Proper planning will control how the migration to a new system occurs and to what extent a legacy system needs to be operational during the transition.
In order to determine which approach is most appropriate for your business, you should first consider whether your current application effectively meets your company’s needs. If it doesn’t, you will need to either repurpose or replace your technology, but if it does, a simple rehosting might be the most practical option.
Application modernization is a core component of digital transformation. If your company’s current applications do not effectively meet its needs or promote efficiency, you will never be able to meet your digital transformation goals. In a 2019 IBM-Forrester survey, 40% of developers reported being more productive when on the cloud in a digital transformation.
Instead, you will always be working from a disadvantage, which could allow your competitors to encroach on your market share within your respective industry.
App modernization will not only enable you to fulfill your digital transformation goals, but it will also empower your business to operate more efficiently, enhancing the customer experience, paving the way for future growth, and boosting revenue.
Read more: Why Top Companies Are Investing in Application Modernization
You cannot approach app modernization haphazardly, or you could experience significant and potentially prolonged disruptions to your company’s operations.
Remember, app modernization efforts will impact the functionality and performance of your company’s core software solutions, such as your customer relationship management platform and accounting software, so with that in mind, you must gauge the costs of an app modernization initiative.
Identify what goals you want to achieve, plan how long it will take to achieve those objectives, and seek the support of a third-party technology firm that will be able to provide an objective perspective and help you determine which approach to pursue when you start your journey toward app modernization.
Read more: The secrets to a successful app modernization journey.
To decide which of these approaches is most suitable for your business, you must take an objective look at the state of your technology stack. Is the version of all elements of the stack up-to-date? Are frameworks and languages still “main stream?” If your current solutions impede business growth, it is likely time to replace them or, at minimum, rewrite them.
Rehosting can be incorporated into your app modernization strategies in two ways. If you have an application that meets your needs, you can simply migrate the app from a native architecture to a cloud-based one. Additionally, you can incorporate rehosting into your rip-and-replace or rewrite app modernization process, as transitioning to the cloud will improve the performance of any application.
The entire process can feel daunting and overwhelming when you are at the precipice of your app modernization journey. Still, you can jump-start your digital transformation and app modernization efforts through the following techniques:
First off, outline why you want to modernize your applications. Defining your “why” will help you and your team stay focused once your modernization journey is underway.
Take an objective look at your in-house team and its capabilities. Are they going to be able to oversee your app modernization effectively? If not, it might be time to bring in some outside resources.
Suppose you have invested heavily in on-premises resources in the past; in that case, it might be tough to move on from these assets and transition to the cloud. But making the switch will benefit your business both now and in the long run, so you should at least consider the notion.
Finally, you need to assess the risks associated with each app modernization option. Outline the benefits of rewriting your current applications, replacing them altogether, and migrating to the cloud. Once you have calculated the costs of app modernization, choose the option that best aligns with your needs and take action.
Leveraging app modernization to enhance the efficacy of your digital transformation effort is a huge undertaking. Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate this process alone, as you can partner with a talented software development team like that of Fingent.
Fingent’s team of experts can help you apply the latest technologies to your business, including cloud-native solutions, artificial intelligence tools, and machine learning software.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist with your app modernization efforts.
The right software can serve as a growth catalyst for your business. A robust software solution can empower your team to work more efficiently, better serve your clients, and optimize business performance.
But when searching for these software solutions for your business, you’ll have to make many different decisions along the way. One of the very first choices you’ll encounter is whether you want to buy off-the-shelf software or build a custom solution.
Either route can help your organization modernize its processes, improve efficiency, and scale effectively. Which approach will produce optimal results for your organization in the short and long term is still a question.
Because your decision will significantly impact your business for years to come, it’s critical that you get it right.
With that in mind, join us as we crack the code to smart software selection decision-making by exploring the pros and cons of building and buying software.
Read more: Why Should Your Business Invest In An End-to-End Software Solution?
The buy option is relatively straightforward: You select software that aligns with your organization’s needs, purchase a license, and deploy the technology. When evaluating your options, you will encounter purpose-built solutions for your industry and more generalized options, like basic accounting software.
Conversely, custom-built software for your organization will include specific tools you need — without superfluous features that distract users and get in the way of critical business functions. It’s important to understand that you won’t be building the software unless you have an in-house team of highly experienced software engineers. Instead, you will need to partner with a talented software development firm.
Before providing a decision-making roadmap, it’s crucial to outline the pros and cons of each option.
The primary benefit of buying pre-built software is that it is already deployment-ready. As such, you can easily purchase the software and begin implementing it almost immediately. You’ll also be able to demo the product before you buy, giving you an idea of precisely what to expect. This expedited timetable is particularly appealing if your business’ current technology suite cannot keep up with your present needs.
However, some notable drawbacks exist to buying software instead of taking the custom route. First and foremost, off-the-shelf software is less likely to align perfectly with your company’s needs. After all, off-the-shelf software is designed to appeal to as broad an audience as possible, and naturally, it will include some features you don’t need. Evaluating software can be time-consuming, and applications of any complexity may be impossible to assess fully in a reasonable amount of time.
In addition, pre-built software typically has recurring license and maintenance costs that need to be considered and may change over time. There is also the risk that vendors of pre-built software may stop offering that edition or software or go out of business entirely. Pre-built software may depend upon older technologies that are no longer “leading edge,” which can lead to long-term viability concerns.
For some software categories, you may only be able even to consider a few contenders, or what you find may lack some tools or capabilities your business is looking for.
Read more: Choosing between Custom Software Solution and Commercial Off-the-Shelf Product!
Custom software is tailored to help your business meet its organizational goals and overcome its most significant growth hurdles. Every feature, tool, and capability of custom software is purpose-built for your business. As such, it can significantly impact your business more than an off-the-shelf alternative.
The two potential downsides to custom software are cost and the deployment timetable. When there is an off-the-shelf alternative, building custom software will typically require a larger upfront investment, but you will have more control over the software. That means you can change your schedule without being tied to the vendor’s schedule or priorities. If the custom software meets important business requirements, you can expect a strong return on investment.
It’s important to remember that developing and deploying a custom-built software solution will take slightly longer. Fortunately, you can streamline the build process by partnering with a highly experienced software development firm.
As you prepare to weigh your best opportunities with each approach, you can streamline your decision-making process with a refined approach.
When choosing to buy or build, the most critical question you need to ask yourself is: What do you hope to accomplish with your new technology?
Create a list of goals, objectives, and needs. In addition to providing more internal clarity, you can use this list to compare products during your search. If no single off-the-shelf solution meets your needs, it may be more pragmatic to build custom software. However, if you need the solution sooner rather than later.
Once you have created your list of goals and objectives, you can start analyzing the current ecosystem. Businesses operating in specific sectors — such as the healthcare industry — will have dozens of options when searching for off-the-shelf software solutions. As such, it is much more likely that a healthcare organization will be able to find a readily available solution that meets its needs when compared to a more niche sector.
Even if you are already leaning toward building a custom solution, you should consider what options are available for your industry. Explore all known choices to see how these solutions align with your needs and goals. This tactic can also provide you with ideas to put on a must-have list for your custom software partner.
While you must regard the upfront costs associated with buying vs. building software, calculating the potential long-term ROI of each option will be more useful for guiding your decision-making process. Start calculating ROI by assessing the likely cost-savings and additional profits that can be expected once the new software is in place. While this impact can often be difficult to predict fully, it may be easier to consider how large the impact would need to be to recover the cost of the investment — the break-even point.
Building a custom solution will cost more on the front end, but this higher initial investment can yield a significant return over the software’s lifecycle. Conversely, going with a cheaper option could solve today’s business challenges, but you may quickly outgrow that software’s capabilities and find yourself looking to upgrade again in the near future.
Read more: When does your Business need Custom Software Solution – Evaluate Now!
Whether you buy a readily available option or want to leverage the power of custom-built software, you will need an experienced technology partner to oversee your deployment. Fingent is that partner.
Our team of technology experts specializes in building dynamic, custom software solutions for our diverse array of clients. We can also assist with deploying solutions from Microsoft, SAP, and other leading technology development companies.
To learn more about our deployment and development services, contact Fingent today.
To build or to buy has been a million-dollar question most businesses seek an answer for. This can become more daunting when you consider the numerous factors influencing the decision. To make it less overwhelming, we will discuss factors and tips to help business leaders make informed decisions. This blog also explains the right process to follow once the decision is made.
Several factors must be analyzed when deciding to buy or build software internally. Here is an analysis of four key points that can help business leaders to make an informed decision that will impact their business growth:
It is good to remember that there are no one-size-fits for all in this regard. Analyzing these questions will help businesses zero in on one of the two options. Please read on to find out top tips to help companies identify which of these two is most suitable for their business.
Read more: Choosing the right Software Development Vendor
Deciding to buy or build custom software is not as easy as flipping a coin. Here are the top considerations that will increase the odds of making the right decision:
Read more: When Does Your Business Need Custom Software Development Solution – Evaluate Now!
If a company decides to build custom software after all these considerations, it is vital that they follow the right process for the successful development of software.
Building custom software might be the perfect solution for your business and building it the right way is key to its success. Usually, it is developed by a third party or in-house developers. Custom solutions ensure features and functionality with the company’s needs in mind. As a result, businesses enjoy increased productivity and growth.
To get started, here is the right process companies can follow:
First, determine the current business process, expectations, and verifiable success. Talking to experts, finding out why the changes are necessary, and sketching out the workflows will help ensure a smooth project management process.
It may be tempting to handle all processes in-house to save money. However, working with your own IT team could cause a slowdown in the company operations as they already have their daily work. Here, outsourcing certain tasks makes the most sense. Consider working with a vendor with a verifiable track record in building custom software for other companies.
To keep the project on track, create a realistic plan together with all involved in the project. This will allow companies to set specific deadlines. Knowing the timeline will help in allocating funds when required.
Before implementing the new custom software, it must go through two levels of test. One is technical testing by IT professionals and developers to ensure all elements are working. The second is user testing to see if the software works as intended.
Documentation must include the team members’ details, roles and responsibilities, deadlines, and expectations for the project. It must also include a test plan, checklist, scope statement, training plan, implementation plans, and detailed user documentation.
The custom software market is growing exponentially. Some software development trends stand out. These trends are influenced by the need for businesses to leverage advancing technology.
Read more: Low Code/No Code Development with SAP BTP: How It Is Turning the Future of Enterprise Resilience
Building custom software allows organizations to use technology that addresses their unique needs. Following the right process can ensure they are implemented in a way that supports and advances business growth.
Custom software development is our forte, and we have been able to help many clients get exactly what they need from their software.
Give us a call, and let’s discuss what we can do for your business.
Frameworks are the backbone of mobile app development. They are essential to building dependable apps quickly. When choosing a framework, you can choose between native or cross-platform applications. Though both approaches have advantages, cross-platform applications work on multiple devices regardless of their operating system.
Different companies use different technologies to build and design great apps. Various company requirements have led to the emergence of four major frameworks in the market – React Native, Flutter, Ionic, and Xamarin.
If you are considering building a cross-platform application, you must understand the basics of the available frameworks and their unique strengths and features. Doing so will help you choose one that is most relevant to you. That is why we have put together this comparison. We will help you understand the key differences between Flutter, React Native, Ionic, and Xamarin.
The six most significant reasons to choose a cross-platform mobile development app are:
You can determine the best mobile app framework based on the characteristics on which we can compare the four tools. Let us begin with features.
Flutter is the best UI toolkit that comes with fully customized widgets. Its layered architecture will ensure quick component rendering. Several popular organizations use Flutter. Its features include:
Xamarin allows code sharing on multiple platforms. It is known to offer a development ecosystem with a back-end, API, and components. Xamarin’s’ features include:
Ionic is useful if you want to build interactive hybrid mobile and progressive web apps with cross-platform applications. It also has another lightning and powerful version called Ionic Studio that provides an easy visual development environment. Ionic’s features include:
React Native is a widely used JavaScript library that helps to develop rich apps to give the best user experience. It allows developers to create platform-specific versions of various components. React Native’s features include:
Development of the app should be easy and should offer smooth user engagement.
Performance is a crucial factor to consider as it shows how apps will perform when different frameworks are used.
Each framework has its pro and cons. Please take a closer look at them:
Read more: Top Technologies Used to Develop Mobile App
Every situation is unique. It might turn out that your technical requirements will lead to a solution. Still, this is how you can identify what suits your project:
As a leading custom software development company, Fingent has years of experience in developing apps using various platforms for app development. Our app development team has hands-on experience in developing iOS and Android apps. No matter how complicated your app idea is, we can help you find the best solution. Let’s get talking.
Modernization is a desire to stay relevant and grow. App modernization does just that for businesses. It enables them to stay relevant and grow. In line with that, organizations worldwide are scrambling toward digital transformation. How does that benefit businesses?
App modernization or updating older software for newer computing approaches extends the lifespan of an organization’s applications while allowing it to take advantage of technical innovations. It is like renovating an old house to improve efficiency, safety, structural integrity, and more.
However, there have been occasions when the app modernization project has failed. This has been a concern to most business owners considering digital transformation. Are you one of them? If so, through this blog, you can learn why and how to avoid app modernization failure.
First things first. Does your company need app modernization? If so, why?
Apart from what we discussed earlier in this blog, app modernization integrates new features to keep up with the latest business requirements. Even so, many business leaders wonder if their business needs app modernization. Here is a list of specific reasons for you to consider:
Why, then, does app modernization backfire at times? And how can you ensure the success of the project?
Read more: Why modernize your legacy systems? What’s the best approach to legacy systems modernization?
When an app modernization project fails, it may pose serious problems for your business, including wasted resources and time. Failed app modernization may hinder agility and keep your business from capitalizing on modern technology. It was noted that an alarming 79% of app modernization projects still fail. Why? Surprisingly, the failure is not due to the new system or methodology, nor caused by the modernization vendor. The reasons are much deeper. Here are the top 5 reasons why app modernization projects fail:
Modernization efforts fail when the business process (accounting, inventory, finance) is poor, and a business tries to correct it with new systems. That will never work. Businesses must first understand what is slowing them down. Determining the problem is the right foundation for successful app modernization.
When entirely new systems are implemented without considering the drastic business changes, the employees are forced to adapt quickly. In addition, such practice forces the business to evolve to fit the new software. Instead, the software must adapt to fit the current business process and requirements.
Most businesses believe that they are ready to replace the old system with new systems, and the business will run better. Now that is a huge mistake. Completely replacing all systems can send your business and your employees into shock. It may even change how customers interact with the business. A better approach is to modernize in calculated steps.
The pandemic helped us see that agility is king. Adopting inflexible applications can have disastrous consequences on your business. If you want to be future-ready, replace rigid applications with agile applications.
Modernization projects that do not involve the IT department and the end user fail as they do not consider how the new solution fits business needs.
Read more: Advancing Business Software Development With Cloud Native
Every business that embarks on a modernization project journey faces many challenges. The success of your app modernization efforts comes down to two key components: your IT team and your employees. As teams go through this journey, use these secrets to avoid failure and ensure success.
When choosing a team or developing an innovation group, build a cross-functional team that can focus on developing the culture, process, and tools needed to improve the modernization process.
An effective business principle is to welcome all ideas and sort them, but when a decision is reached, you must commit to it and execute that above all else. Doing so will ensure the progress of the project.
Mapping out a development workflow can help you when you encounter complexities in the project. It helps you look at every tool being used and identify dependencies.
Projects may change. Setting small modernization goals will help you adjust your long-term plans and reduce engineering risk. Focus on many small steps when planning for a major milestone. Doing so will ensure smooth progress from one step to another.
If you prioritize data into high, moderate, or low categories, you can decide what safeguards to have for each category.
Take a hard look at your development workflow and identify habits that could derail your app modernization process. Don’t just patch up old problems with a new tool. Remember, these problems can derail new tools, so don’t patch, fix.
Your team may find it challenging to develop the knowledge they need to work on the new tools. Keeping them informed about the new tools and training them to navigate new workflows can ensure the success of application modernization.
Several aspects may factor into a successful modernization. That is why modernization endeavors are so challenging. However, implementing the above secrets can help the success of app modernization efforts.
Speaking to an expert can help you understand how to proceed with your app modernization needs. Why not reach out to us at Fingent and discuss your project with our software development experts?
‘There is success through many advisers.’ This ancient proverb has proved not just true but very effective and powerful in this digital age. This is precisely what Open-Source Software (OSS) accomplishes. It allows for collaborative development where the community can modify and enhance the source code.
Open-source systems can help businesses adapt quickly to changing circumstances and facilitates controlled upgrades. Integration and maintenance become less of a hurdle. With the wide range of OSS possibilities, businesses are wise to tap into this huge potential for building a robust, secure, and yet, cost-effective infrastructure.
This blog will help you gain an in-depth understanding of how open-source can power your digital transformation journey!
Vendors today provide various software solutions indispensable to a business’s software strategy. But finding the right software solution that caters closely to an organization’s needs has always been challenging! Meanwhile, OSS helps businesses build and maintain their IT ecosystem and enables sourcing highly creative developers with hard-to-locate skills. Engaging with domain experts and making their contribution to the OSS bank helps developers find satisfaction and boosts creativity. Judicious use of OSS can be of great benefit to any business.
Most IT leaders believe that OSS is either “very important” or “extremely important” to the enterprise software strategy. How do we know that? In 2021, developers downloaded over 2.2 trillion open-source packages. That is a 73% increase.
Read more: How to Ensure Safe Use of Open Source Libraries
Here are more reasons to justify this statement!
Irrespective of whether you are a small business with limited resources or an established enterprise with an established IT ecosystem, open-source software’s ability to supply code that can be easily changed and customized to your specific needs is invaluable. Many businesses are turning to AI and blockchain to better understand customer needs and work towards fulfilling them. Open-source code can not only hasten the process but also ensure efficiency.
AI, ML, and AR/VR could feel like the proverbial butterfly always out of reach, and more so if your business does not have a well-established IT team. OSS can then serve as your ramp to the future. Your vendor or coder could build on the resources available to ramp up your IT capabilities and reach your desired situation.
OSS provides coders and developers with access to code written by experts or extremely creative pioneers. This would be an immersive learning exercise. At the same time, experienced engineers could interact with others in their community, freshening their skills while keeping up with the latest in the IT industry. This exposure would, in turn, influence their recruiting and training activities.
The OSS is also a repository of “glueware.” It allows software engineers to create things outside their immediate area of expertise. While it requires ingenuity and skill to glue parts together to make a whole system, OSS provides not just the individual parts and the “glue” required to fix them. It is a new method of looking at the design, resulting in greater satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.
Open-source projects have very clear frameworks. There is structure and good practices such as separation of concerns, abstraction, and isolation. A business of any size would benefit from following the same discipline in setting up its systems.
Maintaining clear standards of operability ad interoperability is another advantage. Using OSS ensures that the same standards are followed. Businesses do not have to invent standards and frameworks but can build on the foundation provided by OSS.
Scalability, availability, and reliability – are just a few of the many aspects that OSS can help improve. Utility to ensure efficiency and avoid duplicating work can also be added to the list. Developers or vendors would likely prefer importing sections from a tried and tested OSS repository than building from scratch.
Read more: Artificial intelligence and Machine Learning For Faster and Accurate Project Cost Estimation
OSS boosts the digital transformation of businesses. It is good for businesses that lack the resources to meet the needs of IT development. OSS can yield different variations by its modularity. Consider a few pros and cons of OSS:
Remember that OSS is another tool best suited for certain tasks and not so well suited for others. OSS might not be the best choice for your strategic activities or initiatives contrary to your cultural norms. Certain projects on OSS might have too high a level of uncertainty or too little support.
This does not mean that OSS should be put out of the picture. Do you need to adapt quickly to the fast-paced development in certain domains? Do you need greater effectiveness in attracting and retaining talent? Do you need a solution that requires utility, quality, and speed? OSS can help you in all these scenarios.
Read more: Odoo Migration: Why Is It Crucial and How to Do It Seamlessly!
Fingent can leverage open-source technology to quickly develop your customized, dynamic business application. Our experts use PHP, AngularJS, jQuery, Magento, and several other open-source technologies to develop, implement and support a wide range of open-source technologies and resources. Our extensive experience working with open-source tools helps ensure that we can provide our clients with customized, innovative solutions quickly and efficiently without compromising on quality.
Intrigued to learn more about how we can help you develop and leverage the best business software solutions with open source. Connect with our experts now!
Software as a service (SaaS) is a fast-growing IT segment that commands the highest adoption rate among public cloud services, such as PaaS, IaaS, BPaaS, and others. In 2020, the worldwide end-user spending on Cloud Application Services (SaaS) accounted for USD 102,798, which shot up to a massive USD 122,633 at the end of 2021. Gartner examines that the adoption of scalable, on-demand cloud models enabled businesses to achieve cost efficiency and business continuity in a pandemic-afflicted economy. The rise in the adoption of public cloud services is giving an impetus for organizations to accelerate their digital transformation plans.
Understanding more about SaaS app development is significant because it:
Watch video: Advantages of moving your key workloads to cloud
SaaS solutions are inevitable in building and sustaining a collaborative, agile, mobile, and hybrid work environment. This post sums up the nitty-gritty you need to know about SaaS application development.
Ever since the launch of the internet, Application Service Providers (ASPs) that deliver software to users over the internet on a subscription basis have been popular. ASPs allowed users to subscribe to the applications and associated functionalities by following a usage-based transaction pricing model. While it was a major breakthrough, ASPs weren’t fully successful in reducing IT costs and simplifying deployments and upgrades. Thanks to cloud computing; the rise of SaaS applications has lowered the development time, cost, and effort for enterprises. Businesses of all sizes are now expanding their investments in SaaS development.
Software as a service (SaaS) is a software licensing and distribution model in which the application is centrally hosted on the cloud and is maintained and updated by the SaaS developer. Along with Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and Platform as a service (PaaS), SaaS is one of the key cloud computing models that’s widely marketed to both business (B2B) and individual (B2C) users. Netflix, Office 365 suite, Google Workspace, Cisco WebEx, etc. are the common SaaS products that we use every day.
Read more: Top business drivers that power legacy cloud migration
SaaS was an extremely profitable business segment in 2020. According to a 2018-2023 forecast, companies running on SaaS will rise from 51% to 86% in a span of five years. SaaS-based solutions have enabled several business sectors, including virtual collaboration, e-commerce, FinTech, supply chain automation, and healthcare to thrive despite the large-scale disruptions inflicted by the global pandemic. Here are a few factors that make SaaS a hot choice in the investor’s market.
SaaS applications require minimal upfront investments. The Pay-as-you-go model allows you to start with a small capital and expand later when you anticipate better business growth and profitability. SaaS application deployment takes less time and money when compared to a traditional on-premise system setup. Most SaaS providers offer dedicated application maintenance and support which saves you from hiring and managing expensive in-house IT teams.
Your SaaS application development services provider will take care of hardware maintenance, system failures, and downtimes, software updates, routine maintenance, and backups, etc. Based on your business requirements and the services subscribed to, the SaaS provider will help you customize the application, upgrade the software to its latest version, and offer training to your staff. This helps you focus on the core business activities.
SaaS-based applications can be integrated easily with your legacy systems or any other third-party software that you use. By developing custom APIs and plugins, SaaS providers like Fingent will help integrate your CRM with ERP or HRM with Payroll software. The SaaS application can work as an extension of your current software, adding value to your daily operations. Cloud infrastructure and on-demand computing model empower you to scale up and meet the surging demands.
SaaS software providers are responsible for securing the application, operating system, platform, network, and physical infrastructure. Along with these security options, the SaaS provider will help secure your customer data and user access by applying a few techniques such as Identity and Access Management (IAM), cloud data encryption, Data Loss Prevention Software (DLP), compliance solutions, real-time threat intelligence, behavioral analytics, Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solutions, etc.
Read more: Why is cloud security important? What are the best practices to ensure cloud security?
There are a few technical and business factors to consider while developing a SaaS product.
Here are a few best practices to ensure the performance, productivity, and acceptance of your SaaS application.
Many SaaS developers use MVP (Minimum Viable Product) as the initial step for building a successful SaaS application. An MVP is a fully functional and quickly developed miniature version of an application built to test the SaaS product’s viability. Developing an MVP will help you understand the feasibility of your business idea and the changes to be accommodated based on user feedback. It helps reduce your development cost and effort.
A SaaS application isn’t made for a single user. It should be flexible enough to serve thousands or even millions of customers. Multi-tenancy is crucial in cloud computing as it allows multiple tenants (users) with different roles and access privileges to be hosted in the same environment. Each user will have a separate and secured space within the server to store their data. Multi-tenant architecture improves your ROI and helps update and maintain your SaaS application.
As remote and hybrid workspaces go mainstream, and BYOD becomes common, users seek personalized SaaS products that don’t require extensive admin support. Users demand high-level personalization with your SaaS app. For example, changing the UI’s appearance, integration of Single Sign On (SSO) feature, configuring the dashboard to track the metrics quickly, and so on. They may want the SaaS app to be available in both web and mobile and any other portable devices that they use. Make your SaaS app safe and compatible to address such personalization requirements.
Adding too many features as well as avoiding important features are equally wrong. Consider the reach and impact of a feature addition, such as how many users will be affected or how many customers are looking for the new feature. Track the SaaS app’s usage patterns by leveraging analytics or run a survey to understand user preferences. If more than 50% of them like an existing feature, optimize it. If only 5% of your users are interested in a new feature, eschew it.
Read more: A comprehensive guide to modern cloud application development
With Fingent, you are just a few steps away from building and managing your own SaaS application development team. Right from developing an MVP to actual product launch and post-launch support, our team handholds customers through every stage of development.
InfinCE, the world’s first digital workplace orchestration platform, stands as a testament to our SaaS development capabilities. So are ReachOut Suite FSM and Skill Lake LMS. Our goal is to help businesses solve challenges through technology. We help legacy companies migrate their software solutions to the cloud as well as develop cutting-edge SaaS solutions that empower them to thrive in the new normal.
Read more: What makes Fingent your best technology partner
If you have an idea or a requirement, discuss it with us asap. We will set up a discovery call with you and get back with a ballpark estimate. This is followed by a detailed proposal, including mockups, demo videos, and visualizations. Our communication method is simple enough to answer your queries related to software app development. We do business with organizations of all sizes – small and large – to help them transform lives through technology. Ready to watch us in action? Talk to our SaaS expert now.
The impact of the pandemic on consumers across the globe has dramatically changed their demands, needs, and behavior. Many of these changes have critical implications for businesses in most sectors. To succeed in the next normal, businesses must respond proactively.
COVID-19 jolted consumer demand in a way that sets it apart from past disruptions. As a result, customer loyalty took a hard hit. Executing the four Ps of marketing (optimization of product, price, place, and promotion) became more complex than ever. Businesses must redouble and broaden their efforts toward meeting ever-changing customer demands and behavior.
As with everything else, it is important for an organization to know and understand its customers. If your company is at crossroads with today’s Ecommerce customers’ needs, this article will help you understand how technology can help satisfy these uprising demands quickly and effectively. So then, let’s first understand how customer behavior, needs, and demands change.
Read more: What are 3D Web Configurators? How do they Boost Ecommerce Sales and Drive Customer Satisfaction?
Customers are like the moving targets. The key to success is to understand their behavior trends and use technology to help satisfy these uprising needs and demands. Linnworks research pointed to five such trends:
The biggest roadblock facing Ecommerce businesses has been the inability of consumers to experience products before they buy. Everyone likes to try on clothes they like to buy or see how is their new couch looks in their living room.
This is where AR (Augmented Reality) can help your business. AR can help your consumers try on clothes or closely inspect the components of a mobile device. AR market is expected to reach 2.54 billion by 2023. Online retailers who fail to take full advantage of this technology may likely experience business disruption.
Virtual reality shopping can bring your products to life. It helps your customers to have an in-store-like experience, without actually being there. VR technology allows you to tag products so your customers can purchase on the spot. It can instantly connect buyers with customer service executives.
VR can make product recommendations based on customer metrics. It can also cater to both desktop and mobile users. Thus, it provides a better customer experience attracting more customers to your online store.
Todays’ Ecommerce customers like to cross-channel research and purchase. So, they expect smooth interactions across these channels and devices. Technology can help you to provide your customers with what they want, when they want it, and where they want it to. Some of these technologies include video chat, screen sharing, document interaction, e-signature, and more.
Co-browsing is an effective visual engagement system. It can bring your sales executives and customers together on the same page, at the same time. This allows your executive to guide your customers through the complex procedures making their customer journey as smooth as it can be.
Read more: Custom Retail Software Solutions: Everything You Need to Know!
Artificial Intelligence has a major impact on how we live and work. Voice shopping is expected to jump to $40 billion by 2022, rising from $2 billion today. And 45% of millennials have already been shopping using voice assistants.
Chatbots and AI improve customer experience and boost brand image. These chatbots can be personalized to order food, get recommendations for almost anything, receive details regarding payment or order status, and more.
Inefficient checkout processes can raise the chances of cart abandonment. However, this problem can be avoided by embracing technology that provides quick and efficient checkout solutions.
Technology enables speedy mobile payment solutions, allows your customers to save card details for repeat purchases. Above all, it proves one-page hassle-free checkouts and offers a range of payment options. All these can alleviate any potential difficulties your customers may face at checkout.
Today many shoppers shop on the go. Hence, mobile platforms have gained greater importance. So much so that m-commerce is emerging as a concept. Given that, providing a mobile-oriented shopping experience will certainly help you win potential customers, maximizing your chances of future success.
Ecommerce mobile apps offer continuous engagement with your brand. It can help them familiarize with new and relevant purchasing opportunities. These apps also allow you to market products relevant to the specific geographical location of your customers.
Read more: 5 Reasons to Integrate Your E-commerce Application with Odoo ERP
It is one thing to understand your consumer behavior but another thing entirely to implement technology to satisfy their demands and needs. Fingent is here to help you implement these technologies efficiently. We can help you move the needle and dominate your niche in the Ecommerce industry.
Fingent can help you implement those that make sense and put the rest on the back burner. We can aid in the success of your Ecommerce venture by implementing cutting-edge technologies. Our development experts will help you promote your products in new and innovative ways.
Choosing Fingent can help you save a lot of time and money and avoid unnecessary complexity as we can provide all the needed components. Our platforms are easy to manage yet robust enough to house thousands of products. We can handle unique order processes and payment terms for your Ecommerce sales. Let’s get talking.