It may seem like almost everyone in the IT industry is raving about cloud-based software, recommending it regardless of industry or specific business objectives. Cloud-based software, they say, is the way of the future, offering unparalleled benefits and greater digital security in a single package.

Yet many businesses are still hesitant to undergo dramatic renovations of their software or technology departments, and for good reason. Changing to new technology or applications might be costly, particularly if a given business already runs well on existing devices or software. It’s very important that business leaders ask themselves some questions before digitally transforming their business processes to cloud-based.

What exactly is cloud-based software and why is it becoming more popular than ever? The answer to both questions is simpler than you might expect.

Cloud-Based Software in a Nutshell

Cloud-based software comes from cloud computing, which essentially means accessing, developing or storing programs and data on the Internet instead of storing them on a physical hard drive.

Under a classic computing model, any software your computer accesses must be installed on your device’s physical hard drive.

With cloud computing, all your computer needs to do is access the Internet, then it can use a program installed on a cloud server. That software can be accessed by other computers who have the same privileges and permissions, as well.

This decentralized computing style is affecting every aspect of the IT industry, from computer security to software development and business. But its increasing ubiquity and apparent ease of access don’t fully explain why it is so much more popular now than it was just a few short years ago.

Benefits of Cloud-Based Software

Cloud-based software provides a number of advantages to enterprises that adopt it fully. Let’s break down some of the most insightful ones.

Lower Costs Across the Board

For starters, cloud-based software usually comes with lower costs for businesses that leverage it. Businesses no longer have to purchase individual software licenses to install software on dozens of computers for their company. Now they can rent software for their entire staff by paying a single monthly fee.

Furthermore, cloud-based software means you don’t have to rely on many IT support services. Most IT support for a given software type or brand can be handled by their associated data centers.

Even the costs of supporting or maintaining various applications are lower since cloud vendors handle updates and upgrades for any software they provide.

On a more technical level, cloud-based software only requires businesses to pay for the computing resources they need. Businesses also don’t have to spend time purchasing, building, and/or maintaining hardware to store their programs and data. Fees for renting data storage space are usually much cheaper.

Business leaders can easily justify the cost of transitioning the cloud-based software due to the long-term savings they’ll likely see after adjusting.

Faster Access to Hardware and Software

One other advantage of cloud-based software is faster installation. Since a company’s computers can simply download any software or computing resources they need, they no longer have to wait for software licenses to be delivered or for hardware to be constructed.

Instead, all that’s required is for an enterprise to contact a cloud-based software company, sign a licensing or rental agreement, and immediately gain access to what they require for their objectives.

This fast access allows companies to grow at much speedier rates than they used to, as well as handle many more visitors or users during high-traffic times.

Are your servers being overloaded by the number of visitors to your website thanks to a new promotion? Simply requisition more server resources from your cloud-based software vendor.

More Reliable Data Security and Backups

Furthermore, cloud software provides much more reliable data security and backup functionality compared to traditional counterparts.

This kind of software can be updated and improved straight from the cloud, allowing any new updates to be disseminated to individual software versions throughout the network in a flash.

Thus, a cloud services company that finds a minor security breach can patch the breach with their version of the software, then roll out the fix to all affected companies much more quickly than otherwise.

Companies are less likely to have their data stolen or their servers compromised if they use cloud-based software overall. This even extends to physical breaches – disgruntled employees can no longer steal company secrets directly from local hard drives as all valuable data is instead stored behind password-protected cloud servers.

Backups can also be scheduled quite frequently using cloud-based software. This prevents valuable data from being lost due to a power outage or a security breach.

Ultimately, there’s no wonder why cloud contact centers, digital marketing agencies, remote software developers and many other industries are becoming the new normal in contrast to their predecessors.

Any enterprise concerned with greater IT security should transition to a cloud-based software use model ASAP.

Easy Access from Anywhere with Internet

Perhaps most important of all, cloud-based software allows company employees and executives to access crucial data or applications from anywhere they can connect to the Internet.

No longer do they need to make sure they have their “work computer” with them – they can find the files they need or access a company dashboard in a few minutes after logging in with the appropriate credentials.

This will likely provide even greater benefits later down the road as internet marketing for small business and big enterprises becomes more of a necessity.

The Final Word: Cloud-Based Computing and Software is the Future

In the end, any business that wants to survive – and thrive! – in the modern economic environment will need to leverage cloud-based software as much as possible.

Many surveys already suggest that a majority of industry leaders are looking to adapt their business models moving forward, focusing on agility and flexibility. Cloud computing, and the software that comes along with it, is the best way to accomplish these goals in the technology department.

Cloud computing is here to stay, and it’s only going to become more ubiquitous in a few years. Make the leap now, while the shift is still happening, to using cloud-based software sooner rather than later. Before long, your company will see bigger benefits and greater security!

With everyone adjusting to the new normal, E-Learning or Remote Learning is something that’s now become normal for students. As teachers move up to online teaching methods, it can be challenging for students to keep the same interaction level as there would typically be in a physical classroom. That’s why it’s crucial to find ways of allowing students to interact with teachers and with each other, even in a virtual classroom. This can be done through collaboration tools available online.

What are collaborative tools?

Teachers are responsible for guiding students and shaping their learning experience. In order to achieve that, it is necessary for teachers to make sure that students should be as attentive as they were in a physical classroom before the new normal came into existence.

Collaborative tools are used for different types of online services that allow people to work together on common projects and assignments, regardless of their physical location. It can be used with something as easy as email or something as complicated as a project management software. The scope of these tools is not limited to the academic use only. In businesses, these tools are used to discuss the integration of essential topics like cloud based payroll process, timesheet management, etc.

How do collaborative tools work?

Even the students who are new to any online learning platform will have some knowledge about communicating through digital means in their everyday lives. Since it is inappropriate for students to communicate with their teachers on social media apps, these collaboration tools can create a space for them to communicate through direct messages, video conferences, and online group tasks.

To say that kids in today’s generation won’t be familiar with technology would be a wrong statement. Kids these days know their way with smartphones better than we adults do. With technology developing at such a fast pace, kids have become tech-savvy.

To ensure that students get the best E-learning experience, it is important for teachers to pick the best collaborative tools.

Some of the most commonly used collaborative tools are-

1. Zoom

Zoom is a video-calling software program developed by Zoom Video Communications. The free version of the application comes with a video chatting service that allows up to 100 participants at once with a 40-minute time restraint. This video-chatting tool provides users to attend a meeting from their desktops, laptops, or mobile devices. 

Zoom comes loaded with features like

• Personal Meeting ID- Zoom provides its users with a private meeting ID anytime they create an account on Zoom. This ID number helps them attend or launch meetings.
• Zoom is accessible on all devices; Windows, MAC, Linux, Chromebook, Android as well as iOS.
• Screen sharing- Zoom lets its users share screens on other devices they want to use. Users can switch from mobile to web or vice-versa on their devices.
  
  

2. Skype

Skype is an established telecommunications application developed by Microsoft Corporation that specializes in providing audio and video chat services on computers, tablets, mobile phones, and smartwatches. Skype also provides users with Instant Messaging (IM) services through which users can exchange audio and video clips and images.

Some of the features that make Skype a collaboration tool

• Users can add multiple contacts and make Skype a conference calling tool. It allows up to 24 participants per video chat.
• Screen sharing.
• Skype lets users create groups on their application and access IM in group chats.
• Users can transfer files while already on a call, making it easier for teachers to share notes about what they are explaining.

3. Facebook for Education

Facebook is a social networking site that helps users connect with each other and their family members. Since Facebook was already famous and a commonly used app among kids and adults alike, Facebook decided to launch Facebook for Education, a platform for E-Learning. Of all the tools, Facebook seems to be the most effective because it’s commonly used by a wide range of people. Students can engage in classroom activities by being in their own space, therefore not shying away from their work and allowing them to share their opinions and information.

Facebook provides features like

• Workplace- Facebook provides Workplace as a tool to connect, communicate, and collaborate on desktops and mobile phones with features like audio and video calling, group chats, and individual chats. 
• Facebook Groups- Facebook groups help users connect with people who have similar interests as theirs.
• Messenger- Messenger allows users to connect with other users and talk to them one-on-one.

4. Hangouts by Google

Google Hangouts or Hangouts by Google, is a video messaging tool developed by Google that allows users to collaborate with features like instant messaging, video calling, image and file sharing, and screen sharing. Hangouts can be accessed on Google’s website or via their mobile application available for both Android and iOS. Hangouts is the best collaboration tool for teachers willing to engage their students in collaboration online. Hangouts allows users to interact with each other despite their geographical barriers.

Other than features like messaging, video calling, and screen sharing, Hangouts provides other unique characteristics like

• Ease of use- Hangouts’ user interface is easy to figure out, and users can learn how to use it without any instructions. Google also provides users with any help that they may need while accessing the app.
• Privacy- Hangouts respects your privacy by accessing chats to users only you invited or added. However, for security reasons, Google can access your conversations.
• Accessibility- Hangouts’ organized headings and landmarks make it easier for users to navigate everything.

5. Google Docs

Google Docs is a web-based word processor offered by Google within its Google Drive Service. Google Docs is accessible on the web, as a mobile application for Android and iOS, and as a desktop application on Chrome Operating System. Google Docs can be accessed by E-Learners to collaborate on their team projects. Users can have access to so many amazing document templates for free.

Some of Google Docs’ unique features include

• Talk instead of typing- Google Docs allows users to use their voice instead of typing with the help of their voice typing tool.
• Offline mode- Users don’t need the internet to access Google Docs(except for when you connect. You can set it up for offline use after that.).
• Google Docs’ unique sharing facility allows multiple users to review and edit a document simultaneously.

Final note-

Using collaborative tools is essential as it helps increase students’ interest while learning online. The tools listed above are all smart choices for smart learning.

The most valuable resource of any company is its customers!!

In today’s economic environment, it is important to minimize the churn of customers and increase their profitability. And, this cannot be achieved without building trust and loyalty.

The foundation of trust is an effective customer management and an individual approach to each of them.

Good customer knowledge allows you to fundamentally change the business model: from an ineffective strategy of finding new customers for the proposed solutions, to moving to develop solutions for existing customers, taking into account their needs. This personalized service is a direct path to building loyalty, which means increasing the value of the customer base and the company’s success.

With technological progress, many Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software came into existence. The main aim of these types of solutions is to streamline the daily chaos of the businesses so that the customers can be prioritized. Saying that- CRM is an effective solution to manage the customer’s relationship is right!!

Table of Contents

What is CRM?
Why is CRM important?
CRM benefits to building customer relationships better
Great customer retention
Better knowledge of customer’s needs
More active communication
More protection of data privacy
Combine all your data into one user-friendly location
Sell more quickly
Update the sales methods
How to choose a CRM?
Concluding Remarks

What is CRM?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is translated as “customer relationship management”. Behind these words lies software that is designed to improve business processes in the company and make interaction with customers easier and more convenient for both parties.

In other words, the business gets the opportunity to keep customer data close at hand, thereby increasing the quality of service and the loyalty of its customers. Below are the benefits of CRM for your business:

• Improves contact management
• Improves customer retention and satisfaction
• Improves sales management
• Improves efficiency and productivity
• Creates organization and team collaboration
• Improves the accuracy of reporting and forecasting sales
• Improves understanding of data for marketing and product development
• Increases sales figures
• Promotes business growth

Why is CRM important?

For many companies, their CRM is not just important – it is absolutely essential! To get the most out of your business, you need to build CRM into your business strategy. This will create a structure and organization for your company that will enhance efficiency, productivity and profitability.

Although it was originally designed for sales teams, the benefits of using CRM for an entire organization can be immeasurable. However, it is becoming increasingly important for marketers and customer service teams managing after-sales communications.

The software allows you to better understand how your business is performing by using actual sales data to eliminate guesswork from business decisions. It provides a complete overview of your customers and their activities, allowing you to create a truly customer-centric approach that will guide your customer service strategy.

CRM benefits to building customer relationships better

Great customer retention

Despite being the better asset in knowing and pleasing the new or potential customers, Customer Relationship Management works as the best software for keeping the existing customers satisfied.

The management solution has several customer retention advantages; you can hold your promises by notifying about upcoming appointments and also, send the follow-ups at a suitable time.

However, what makes it the best solution is that it enables you to reach the customers who have not shown interest in a while and even felt ignored. Of course, retaining the existing customers is very much economical than securing the new one. 

For sustaining the customer’s interest, customer relationship management assists you to manage the marketing activities; you can send free trial offers, email campaigns and publish the customer’s surveys on an appropriate time. So, with CRM you can increase customers retention rate easily.

Better knowledge of customer’s needs

Generally, when we know what to expect, we feel more convinced. Same is true when it is about the business. It is simple yet easy to upsell or cross-sell the customer when you know their purchasing needs.

As one of the advantages of CRM software is to assist the salespeople to sell faster and sell more, it is the access to the customer communication history via the entire customer journey that permits the sales reps to know the customer requirements.

When you understand the contact’s purchase history- when they purchase and when what contracts they were provided, what purchasing habits they explained, and how they convert them to the customers, you have to be proactive and have better or new offers at the suitable time.

The CRM system is also essential in offering the best customer service. Access to communication history makes it simple to provide on-time customer service. In just some clicks, you understand if the contact had some problems with the product, how the service requests were managed, and if they were pleased or not. Also, when they have issues of something in the past- it is your chance to restore the reputation and provide better customer experience.

More active communication

Don’t let your customers wait by immediately responding to their requests, which is a symbol of professionalism. Saving you and your customer’s time is the CRM system that provides you ready-to-use email and customizable templates, documents, letters, quotes, proposals, newsletters, etc.

It is being found that there are 90% of the businesses that do not leverage autoresponders for confirming they have got the customer service email.

The other benefit is that Customer Relationship Software also assists you to enlist email or SMS and schedule their dispatch months or weeks in advance. And, when it is about the customer service requests, best speed is a must.

Finding the contact information in just a click, the CRM software permits you to personalize the interaction, send replies and provide quick solutions to recurrent problems, send links to videos and FAQs, etc.

More protection of data privacy

Data privacy cannot be ignored in any case when you are handling a large amount of data. To fulfil the data privacy needs of the new EU regulations, it is more essential to secure the CRM software with the default GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) related functionality

The major advantage of CRM is that it saves more effort and time as being GDPR compliant is a task in itself. Never forget the repulsive legal consequences when the privacy laws got violated.

The management software assists you to get and draft the contact’s permission to save and use personal information, sending the automatic alerts to every contact notifying that you like to store the data, email communication preferences to manage the customer’s subscription and also, setting up the rules for updating the personal information for several contacts- at one time.

Executing everything manually takes a lot of time and you can also even make several mistakes. However, CRM software for the same assures reliable, quicker and safer data processing. Additionally, it makes all communications GDPR complaints. All these efforts generate trust as you are now managing the customers’ data with total respect.

Combine all your data into one user-friendly location

Customer relationship management software centralizes the customer’s information. It makes all access to the information they require from one platform.

• Customer’s contact details

Check out the customer’s phone numbers, email addresses, websites, mailing addresses, social media accounts and websites.

• Over-all interaction history

Tracking of communication history from phone calls, email, customer support tickets and online chats, etc.

• Customer history

Reference the buying history, length of customer relationships, and how the customers know the business.

●     Sell more quickly

One of the most productivity killers is handling data manually. From CRM software, you can automate the repetitive admin tasks to make the team spend more time selling and less time typing. It, also, assists you create the general sales process that provides the team the proper roadmap for securing deals and assists to lessen the length of the sales cycle. From the sales process, you can:

Update the sales methods

The sales methods offer the data you have to find out the main cause of delayed deals. Follow the steps to solve the issues and assure that the staff focuses on those efforts/activities that offer higher revenue.

• Correctly analyze the sales

With the more precise sense of the win rate permits the sales manager to examine how many sales are closed by the team from the set realistic revenue goals and given a number of leads.

• Hire new to speed quickly

The general process assures the training sales reps simple, fast, and almost foolproof, by showing salespeople what they require to do at each stage of the sale. Also, the rookie sellers make an instant impact once they learn the general steps in the sales process.

• Offer more satisfying customer experience

When sales representatives drove potential customers to the sales stage, they did not expect that this might kill the transaction and destroy the relationship with the buyer. The sales process assures the seller does not promote the sale till the buyer is ready to move ahead.

How to choose a CRM?

When choosing a CRM, be realistic about your IT competency and your needs, as well as how much you want to spend. You need a balance between ease of use and the features included.

Typically, the price is determined by the number of users, the number of customer records, storage requirements, and complexity of features.

Most vendors offer a free trial of CRM so that you can examine how the system will work for you and how customer support is done!

Concluding Remarks

The major priority of businesses is customer relationships. Always remember- the customers are more responsible for generating sales.

 You have more powerful products to provide, however, if you do not consider your customers the best, then, you will not sell!!

Hence, generating better relationships with customers is very much important.  And, this is what the management solution provides. It assists you to manage the best relationship with the customers by treating everyone separately, not ignoring them, and accompanying them when you need them.

All you have to do now is to get the best customer relationship management software as per your business needs.  We hope you will find the best one!!

Hopefully, this article has given you the best of the knowledge. If there are some queries or suggestions then let us know in the comment section below.

Thanks for reading!!

The year 2020 has brought in waves of changes to software development industry. New innovations have surfaced, which have helped developers to build better software solutions for their clients. The year 2021 is expected to be even better for bespoke software development. Newer trends and technologies will again ensure the development of products that ready for the future.

This has been a unique year in every way you look at it. And it is now drawing closer to an end. The experts in the software industry have made their predictions about which trends will rule the bespoke software development market in 2021 and which one will not get toomuch attention. Our focus will be on the top trends that are expected to take the software development industry by storm.

Native Apps Will Rule The Market

The development of native apps has already seen a significant surge in recent years but this trend will gain more popularity than ever in 2021. Native apps are going to be the talk of every software development circle. And businesses will start looking for a custom software development company that has the required expertise in native app development. Companies that possess this expertise will be the most sought after ones.

Native apps are those that are developed to work on a particular device or platform. They can be designed to work specifically on a smartphone or a platform like iOS or Android. Being developed for a particular device or platform, these software programs are known to deliver powerful performance and improved user experience. This is why more and more businesses have already started moving from hybrid apps to native apps. A compromise in performance or user experience, especially in these times, could cost businesses dear. And this trend is expected to be there even beyond 2021.

Artificial Intelligence Will Continue Marching Forward

Whether you are looking for software outsourcing companies in the UK or anywhere else, you can expect them to suggest the use of AI in your project. AI has been the go-to technology for software developers for a couple of years and it will get even popular amongst developers in the future. It is a dream technology to work with and it has everything that can help businesses to refine the way they do business. Machine learning and AI are the two most preferred innovations for developers worldwide. However, 2021 is expected to see a change in the way AI is used. We will have to wait and see how this trend manifests itself but you can rest assured that it is going to be exciting.

Progressive Web Apps Will Gain More Popularity

One of the hottest trends in the software development industry right now is progressive web apps. These are web apps that run on smartphones and other mobile devices. What makes them different from your typical mobile apps is that they don’t need to be downloaded from app stores and neither do they require storage space on the mobile device. These come with accessibility of websites and function like your usual native apps. You can expect them to provide the user experience and performance that you get from native apps.

Progressive web apps are also similar to native apps in how they can .use the device camera and other device hardware for performing different functions. What makes them different from native apps is how easily they can be developed and maintained. You just need to install these apps on your desktop, laptop, or smartphone to start using them. You don’t need a browser to use them.

5G Technology Will Get Bigger

5G technology made a lot of headlines at the start of this year. However, most of the attention that it was able to grab was for all the wrong reasons. But it was later found out that it had nothing to do with the spread of the virus. So now it is expected to back big time amongst the biggest software development for 2021. The difference now is that it will take that spot because of the right reasons.

We all know that 5G technology is a lot better than 4G technology. It is a lot faster than its previous version and this why experts believe that it will becomes the technology of choice for data transmission more than a billion device across the world in the next few years. 5G technology is great for apps virtual reality apps and augmented reality apps amongst others. This technology will be useful for developers who want to build solutions that can enhance business performance. Software development is also very important to the growth and success of a company. Paying attention to the new trends in the industry is key to making the most of what different technologies have to offer.

2020 is getting over, and tech-savvy experts are predicting new technology trends in development for business growth. Software development is a must need of today’s highly competitive tech arena, and developers work as a valuable asset to businesses to enable them to grow, evolve, and innovate.

Everything from decision making to problem-solving relies upon the expertise and skills of developers.

The tech world is rapidly changing and evolving the way businesses work and perform. Web and mobile apps, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), cross-platform development, low code development and other tech trends are being adopted by businesses to encounter present-day challenges.

Offering multiple benefits, such trends and dedicated developers support businesses to reduce costs and meet their customer-centric needs.

As a result, web and mobile application development has become vital to the growth, profit, and success of any business. Cutting-edge software technologies are enabling businesses to get win-win situation ever.

Here in this writing, we will describe the top 5 software development trends for 2021:

1. Internet of Things (IoT)

As technology is evolving, the Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as one of the widely used technology not just to increase your tech range but also to increase your business growth.

IoT is a big network of multiple physical elements such as appliances, devices, gadgets, vehicles etc., all these devices incorporate sensors. Devices using such technology utilize Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to exchange data on the web.

According to Forbes, “In 2017, the worldwide spent on IoT was valued at $235 billion.” The market is expected to reach $520 billion in 2021.

Additionally, the emergence of IoT will increase more in 2021. The demand for Bluetooth speakers, Point of Sale (POS) devices, smart home systems, IoT will be in top 5 software development trends of 2021.

With this, there will be more functional opportunities that will improve your quality of life and ease of doing business. More effective and affordable IoT devices will capture more market.

For IoT software development, its developers across the globe should enhance their programming knowledge to frame standard codes for different devices.

IoT offers lots of other advantages, enabling businesses to prevent equipment breakdown, reduce operational costs, accelerate multiple processes, ensure inventory management and gather a large amount of data.

• Artificial intelligence (AI)

The year 2020 has proved itself a buzzword for Artificial Intelligence (AI). Businesses across the globe are investing in building powerful, cost-effective and reliable AI-technologies. Speech processing, machine leading and others have a huge demand for AI. The trend will speed up more in 2021.

As per MarketsAndMarkets “the global market of AI was $16.06 billion in 2017 and will reach $190.61 billion by 2025 with a CAGR of 36.62% during the 2018-2025 period.”

AI tends to develop machines to perform tasks better like human beings. It is a big field and globally used technology. It has created various dimensions in research, development, and commercialization.

AI incorporates different functional capabilities such as speech, machine learning, vision, natural language processing (NLP), deep learning, etc.

• Low-code development

For any software development, a big team of software developers, architects, designers, and engineers is required. However, the trend is changing now.

Low-code development frameworks have a huge demand in the software development industry. Companies are seeking to create software with low-code platforms.

Developing software was typical for medium-scale businesses but not now as low-code development frameworks are available to help them required software at less cost, time resources. Low-code development has solved lots of complex programming issues.

It speeds up the work of software development. Low-code platforms offer simple interfaces, avoid lots of manual work and offer high potential to enable businesses to create new apps with less programming skills, time, and money.

• Hybrid and cross-platform development

Cross-platform technologies are a big time-saver for the industries planning to develop an app for their business. Companies that need to capture all customers using different devices, web browsers and OS must go with cross-platform development.

Hybrid frameworks allow developers to code ones and run the app on different platforms without compromising its delivery and functionality. It is a wise investment option in 2021 if you go with hybrid and cross-platform development.

• Continuous Integration And Deployment

It is one of the top 5 software development trends in 2021 as it allows more experiments and flexibility, less need for bug fixing, and frequent delivery of software.

Continuous integration and deployment tend software to get into development for thorough testing, while deployment automatically updates them. A shared repository is used here where the code is added; now, it is tested to speed up the delivery.

It assists developers to improve quality, functionality, and deliver software quickly. There will be no surprise that more software development companies will get into this approach.

Therefore, continuous integration and continuous deployment assist development teams to deliver apps much faster to the market. In this way, it also assists companies in saving a lot of time required in software development.

Final Words

Technology is an ever-changing process. Every year we see new development trends in the software industry. No doubt, the software industry is one of the fast-changing and highly competitive industries today, as new technologies are striking the market every year. In this writing, we have described the top 5 software development trends of 2021 that will dominate the market.