So much of what businesses do today takes place online, and it’s no longer only about the number of customers that visit your website. The rise in remote work means that employees are getting just as much use out of technology in businesses as anyone else. Whether focusing on your audience or internal teams, there has never been a better time to consider developing a web app for your company.
Critically, web apps can do just about anything. They draw on multiple technologies, including cloud computing, web browsers and more, for a seamless experience. Much of the work is front-loaded, as teams work on what they want their web app to do, building it, testing it and getting everyone up to speed on how to use it. Once that’s out of the way, a business has a robust system that makes life easier in many different ways. Here are just some of the reasons to get involved:
1) Seamless Integration Across Platforms
There’s no such thing as a ‘standard’ user any more. Depending on what your business does, you can expect people to access tools and systems through phones, tablets and laptops as a bare minimum. Throw in smart TVs, streaming media devices, games consoles and more, and a tool needs to work properly across hundreds of different combinations.
A web app makes that possible, as it doesn’t rely on any specific hardware configuration. Web apps usually operate through web browsers, and they’re designed so that any device with an up-to-date browser can take full advantage of all the great features.
2) Cut Business Costs by Implementing More Into Your App
One of the key benefits of a custom web app is that it can do what multiple other software packages do in your business – all in a way that suits the way you and your team prefer to work.
One web app could conceivably replace dedicated software across multiple departments, including accounting, marketing and HR. It can even host your website and integrate directly with online services. While the up-front costs can be significant, it results in no further need for license renewals and multi-user pricing.
3) No Need to Deal With App Stores
Conventional apps rely on app stores for distribution, which generally means dealing with Apple and Google, along with their terms and conditions. Web apps are device-agnostic and work through web browsers on mobile devices just as well as they do on desktops, so there’s nothing to download. You’re in full control and there are no security worries from code leaving the hands of your IT team.
4) They Can Contribute to Your SEO Efforts
It’s important not to overlook the ‘web’ part of web apps. Most successful apps contain plenty of information, some of which you won’t mind being viewable by the general public and search crawlers alike. By storing information in this way, you reinforce your authority on whatever your business does, hit additional keywords and potentially boost your visibility.
5) An Added Backup Layer for Crucial Information
The cloud-based nature of web apps means that you have another opportunity to protect critical information against loss. There are so many ways to lose information through fragmentation in businesses of all sizes, from people storing files on their own drives rather than on the network to hardware failure, and much more besides. With everything stored in the cloud, and access permissions controlled centrally, there’s far less chance of any important information ever going missing.
With human error being comfortably the biggest cause of data breaches, a web app can pay for itself many times over through boosted security alone.
6) The Right Web App Can Grow With Your Business
The technology and techniques behind corporate-level web apps means that there are no limits on growth and scalability. While the cloud does rely on hardware, the systems and services used ensure that there are no storage limits and as you get bigger and require more functionality, there are no obstacles in the way.
The other primary benefit of the technology behind web apps is, of course, that tech is always evolving. We’re already at a point where these dedicated apps can replace a myriad of software solutions, but as your demands grow, the same core web app can ensure that your tools keep up.
In Closing
Web apps aren’t right for every business. If your company only spends a few dollars each month on software and licenses, it might be too soon to scale up in this way. However, if you have a significant workforce and they’re increasingly working from home or outside the office, a web app can represent a fantastic investment. Commercial software simply cannot keep up with something designed and deployed with your specific requirements in mind and, done well, these apps can pay for themselves many times over.
