A well-run business constantly seeks to improve its products and processes. Increasingly, owners and managers are exploring the benefits of automation, and leveraging technical tools to operate more efficiently and at a greater profit.
Sales, data analysis, communications, customer support, collaboration, and presentations are just a few of the tasks that are being addressed by custom applications for businesses. The best news is, according to a 2018 study by Filemaker, 76% of businesses using a custom app see a return on investment.
Read on to learn about 5 ways a custom application can transform your business.
Tailored
No one understands the fine details of your operation better than you and your team. You can walk into an office supply store, or browse the virtual shelves of Amazon, but the likelihood of any salesperson grabbing a product off-the-shelf that solves all of your business needs is very low.
One of the great benefits of the entire app development process is taking the time to hone in on your key processes and identify areas for improvement. A custom application is the result of a rigorous evaluation, discussion and revision process between you and your website developer. A smart developer can provide the functionality you need, and ignore distracting and unnecessary features that might be included in an off-the-shelf product. No two business are identical. Why would their tools be the same?
Efficiency
According to Filemaker’s State of Custom Apps Report, 82% of custom app users saw a reduction in inefficient tasks. Increasing efficiency can lead to massive savings when it frees workers to execute higher-level tasks, innovate and train, grow, and help build your business. You want your workers to be busy, but not by doing busy-work. There are also savings opportunities if increased efficiency results in a staff reduction.
Accuracy
A report by Small Business Computing determined that custom applications reduce data entry errors by 71%. As the collection of data has become easier, businesses rely more and more on measurables to drive decision-making. But it’s a lot harder to make good decisions when that data is inaccurate.
Understanding that data is another stumbling block for some businesses, and a custom app can easily be designed to create automated reports in a visual format that is easily digested. When your data is both accurate and accessible, you’re empowered to improve your business.
Integration
You may not be able to centralize each and every business process into a single application. Taking that into account, it will be exponentially easier to integrate external applications into a customized workflow than it is to integrate with an existing product. Your website developer can build integrated features directly into your new application’s system. Connecting to social media, auto-generating invoices, sending personalized messages, and receiving payments are just a few external application features that an experienced developer can seamlessly integrate into your new system.
Security
Some of the hodgepodge systems businesses currently use are susceptible to attack or data loss, especially if the work is on paper. Custom apps can be built with two-factor authentication and other advanced security protocols to ensure that your data is both available and protected.
Your business deserves security, needs increased efficiency, and demands accuracy. If you’re ready for a custom application that can improve your business processes, contact the development experts at Informatics.
