Posts in category: Blog

The universal connectivity provided by mobile internet service providers is the most frequent touchpoint that easily unites nearly everyone in today’s world, including businesses and consumers. Digitalisation has made our lives modern and 24/7 connected to the virtual world. Due to mobile phones, it is easier to buy things online you need at any time of the day. 

That’s why many businesses are now moving towards developing applications for their business. Businesses of every kind can attract a sizable clientele for their enterprise by creating eCommerce solutions for mobile platforms. Although, this guide will help you implement an eCommerce solution for mobile-focused customers in your organisation. In this blog article, we will describe what an eCommerce mobile app is, along with other essential details about eCommerce mobile app development. 

An eCommerce app development company can create a mobile commerce application, a software program allowing people to shop directly from a business and interact with it via mobile devices. Basically, mobile applications provide an extra sales channel for companies looking to target clients who prefer to shop on their smartphones or tablets as the two most popular mobile platforms worldwide, Android and iOS, mobile e-commerce applications can be designed for each of these operating systems. 

As said earlier, everyone is moving towards developing a mobile application for their businesses. So, the e-commerce industry is increasing, and its high time to create a mobile application for your business if you don’t have one. There are various advantages your company can get if you have an e-commerce mobile app.  Let’s know the benefits in detail:

Improves purchase process: 

Mobile app demand is growing because customers find it more convenient to use mobile applications than e-commerce websites. eCommerce mobile applications are significantly superior when considering all aspects of the purchasing experience, from product discovery to comparison shopping with other products of comparable quality or functionality to making the ultimate purchase. You can allow the user to interact and continue purchasing where he left off by utilising the push notification and other platform-specific features.

Allows direct communication with customers:

Customers are an asset for any business. If customers are satisfied, the business can survive in the market and grow more over the years. As you have contact data for each customer, you can use the mobile application to provide discounts on certain item purchases or give special offers on birthdays and anniversaries. Through mobile apps, you can keep customers engaged with your services and retain them for a longer period. 

Types of e-Commerce apps: 

Smartphones have increased the demand for m-commerce apps it has given businesses another opportunity to generate income. The apps used to support the operations differ according to the numerous business models. But the apps are distinguished by their features and functionalities, and they were created to achieve specific corporate goals and targets. Basically, there are four categories of e-commerce mobile applications. Based on this, you have to decide which business belongs to which category and develop the app accordingly. 

Business to Business (B2B):

 Applications in this category can facilitate commercial transactions through their interface. Mobile channels enable the exchange of goods and services, facilitating large-scale transactions involving substantial quantities of trade. Retailers then sell to consumers. Examples of such businesses are Amazon Business and Alibaba. Therefore, the goods supplied here may be used as raw or finished goods in later sectors.

Business to Consumer (B2C): 

Applications created to support a business-to-consumer (B2C) model will ultimately benefit both the product’s final user and the company. Sales take place directly through the application channel. Examples of these e-commerce apps are Flipkart, Myntra, and Domino. These applications give customers immediate access to every product a business sells, whereas merchants may restrict the number of products and variety they carry when working with numerous companies.

Consumer to Business (C2B): 

Consumer to business is a commerce model opposite to the B2C model. In this model, a consumer sells a product or service to the industry. Companies suggest expanding the practice of sharing valuable talent through these channels and creating distinctive characteristics on top of such purchases.

Consumer to Consumer (C2C): 

Applications that use the business model to enable the exchange of goods and services between customers are known as consumer-to-consumer or customer-to-consumer applications. Customers buy things from other customers on C2C, which frequently functions as a third-party platform.

 Steps to develop an e-Commerce app from scratch: 

But developing an app from scratch involves several steps. Before directly going for e-commerce mobile app development, you need to understand your app requirements. As a result, this will make it easier to convey your requirements to the app development company. 

Conduct competitor analysis: 

Conduct rigorous market research to understand your target audience, their tastes, and purchase behavior. 

 Also, you need to examine rival m-commerce apps to find areas of strength, weakness, and potential unique selling points.

Plan UI/UX requirement: 

Create wireframes or mock-ups to see the app’s layout, functionality, and screen designs. The eCommerce app design should have a user-friendly and visually appealing interface that corresponds with your company identity and provides a seamless buying experience.

Front-end development: 

When developing a mobile app, pick a suitable technology stack (cross-platform or native). Construct the application’s front-end, which includes the displays, user interface, and navigation. 

 Finally, ensure a seamless and intuitive user experience across the app requires the implementation of the designed UI/UX.

Back-end development: 

Install servers, databases, and APIs to support your m-Commerce application. 

 Create the server-side components needed to manage user authentication, process orders, manage product data, and perform other business logic. Further, implement APIs to provide smooth communication between the app and back-end services.

App testing:

Conduct thorough app testing to ensure it is free from bugs and errors; otherwise, it hinders app functionality. To gain insights and make changes, conduct user testing or beta testing sessions to obtain feedback from users. Iterate and improve the app in response to user input to ensure it offers a top-notch user experience. 

Deploy and launch: 

Prepare the required configurations and assets to submit to app stores (such as the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store). To submit and get approved for your app, follow the rules and specifications set out by the individual app stores. Users can now download and utilise the eCommerce app by launching it on the app stores.

Firstly remember, the steps mentioned above may change and differ based on your requirements for the app. 

Conclusion: 

eCommerce companies are advancing their customer-centric innovations to the point where they enter people’s daily lives. Enhancing responsiveness and customer interaction through the integration of intelligent features has improved the overall online purchasing experience. As a result, e-commerce app development has accelerated dramatically to meet customer expectations and requests. Customers are setting standards for e-commerce app developers because they want to have an in-store experience from the comfort of their homes. 

Corient Tech, a sister company of Corient Business Solutions, can assist you in developing an e-commerce mobile app based on your requirements. Connect with us to bring your e-commerce app vision to reality. 

Hiring the right talent is the biggest step toward achieving success in your business. However, geographical barriers limit the scope of finding the best candidate for a particular job opening. But you can overcome this problem by hiring remote workers. Remote working is now the latest trend, though virtual onboarding is difficult for some companies. Though similar to hiring in-office employees, HR professionals implement a unique strategy to find remote workers. Let us provide you with a guide to engaging remote employees for a company.

Write down a clear job description

Potential candidates like to read your job description before applying for the position. They try to know the roles and responsibilities of the positions available in your company. So, your job description must include some common elements-

• A relevant title
• The type of employment
• An overview
• Responsibilities 
• Minimum qualifications needed for the job
• Company culture
• Contact Preferences 

Outline the obligations for working remotely

Smooth communication is highly important during interview sessions for remote workers. There may be some anticipations regarding team interactions, availability, and work styles. To avoid any obstacle, you have to focus on a few questions before finding your talents.  

• Will it be a permanent remote position?
• What will be the maximum distance between the office and the employees’ current location?
• Where and when will employees be needed to attend in-office events?
• Will the virtual meeting be necessary frequently?
• Deadline-driven versus scheduled work hours- How do employees work?
• Which time zone do you target while searching for remote employees?

Use freelancing sites and social media to search for potential employees

There are different online platforms to hunt for talent. For instance, hiring a candidate on Upwork (a freelancing site) makes it easy to assess talents and start a short-term project. You can also stay within your budget with this approach. You can find candidates with top rates and positive reviews written by other clients. 

So, there will be a shorter onboarding process to engage some talents. Upwork and other freelancing platforms also ensure easy hiring for projects. You will pay only for the projects that have been accomplished. The best fact is that you will easily be able to access global talents.

Some recruiters also prefer job boards to hire remote workers. After posting your job opening details, you need to wait for the applications of candidates. 

It is important to provide up-to-date information about the company. However, one downside is that several applicants on job boards do not have the skill level and experience you desire for the post.

Social networking platforms like LinkedIn also give you the opportunity to find talents for working remotely. LinkedIn lets you build a professional network with potential job hunters. You can also easily verify the candidates’ qualifications and work histories by checking their profiles. 

Check the experience and skills of candidates

You have received lots of applications for a limited number of vacancies. So, you have to review these applications to find highly skilled, qualified, and knowledgeable candidates. You should check the candidate’s ability to work as a remote worker. For any job position, you can ask a few general questions.

• Have you worked remotely in other companies? How long do you have remote working experience?
• Have you dealt with similar projects as a remote employee?
• Which is your preferred communication mode?
• How would you like to ask for help when needed?
• Which factors are most important to achieve success?
• How do you make your fellow workers accountable?
• Do you face any challenges while working remotely? Have you adopted a strategy to overcome these challenges?

It is to be noted that you should not disqualify candidates for lack of remote working experience. You can analyze their resumes to check other skills suited for the job. They can work with others in different time zone. Other skills that are essential for a remote worker include clear communication, good time management, and organizational skills.

Schedule a video calling session for an interview

Usually, an in-person interview is arranged for hiring on-site workers. However, you can rely on a video-based interview if you like to hire remote workers. So, you can decide on the time to set up a video call using platforms like Zoom.

However, Upwork also has built-in video call tools to hire independent professionals.

More tips for interviewing potential employees

Make sure that you have chosen a secure video chat platform to interact with job applicants. We have shared some more tips for hiring the best candidate for the job.

• Try to know how enthusiastic the candidate is about the desired position. You should pay attention to their passions before finalizing the candidate.

• During the interview session, you have to ask questions about their past work experience. You can ask questions related to what is mentioned in the candidate’s resume.
• It is also important to know the candidates’ views about the post for which they are hired.

Although you can ask questions related to the job position, there are some general queries for interviews. For instance-

• How would you manage big projects?
• Do you know any hack to maintain productivity while working from home?
• How will you try to refine yourself in the future?

Set guidelines and have clear anticipations

After hiring remote workers, you should be clear about your anticipations and guidelines. Most commonly, employers assume that the employees will deliver work according to their needs. However, their anticipations should be clear. It has to cover every detail, including the company culture, response times, standard procedures, and working hours. 

So, this is how you can hire remote workers for your company. Use different platforms to source channels. You can also hire a team of HR consultants to engage the best remote employees.

Transitioning to a virtual and remote environment is challenging due to the absence of in-person elements. You should try to build a relationship with new employees and make them familiar with your business. It will benefit both you and your employees.

Remote working is fast becoming the norm.  The pandemic opened the possibility for many industries to consider remote or hybrid working, with staff working from home or from another place outside the office, either full or part time.  Technology is constantly evolving to accommodate this new way of working, allowing us to communicate as a team from different corners of the globe and enabling the job to be done from wherever we are in the world. 

There are many advantages to embracing remote working and interestingly, it has been shown that remote workers tend to be more engaged and productive than their office counterparts. 

Trending tools used for remote working: 

1.  Skype/Slack

Skype is a great tool.  It is a robust and dependable software for voice calls.  Skype can be used for one-on-one calls as well as conference calls with multiple users.  It also allows you to have quick chat sessions on messenger, schedule meetings, send attachments such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and images, or create notes for reminders to manage your work seamlessly. 

Slack is a very popular messaging tool for remote workers.  It is a digital space that allows communication among teammates where they can share ideas and comment in real-time, so everything moves swiftly.  It brings all team communication to one place, making managing remote employees easier.  As an additional benefit, to provide complete functionality, slack offers fully native apps for iOS and Android.

2. Trello

Trello is a visual collaboration tool that gives a shared perspective on projects for the team. Trusted by millions, it is an ultimate guide for remote working on projects.  Trello can be used to merge ideas on policies, take meeting notes, and share new ideas.  It is a flexible, collaborative, planning tool that multiple team users can access. 

Trello is another web-based tool packed with powerful features for managing projects. It is a collaboration and project management tool that enables teams to move work forward.

3. Google Drive

Google Drive enables users to store many files on their server, synchronize files across their devices, and share files. It is simple, accessible, and easy to use, store and share documents, spreadsheets, and slide presentations. It can be used for reporting on weekly metrics. Additionally, you can sync Google Drive files across devices so that the individuals can view and update them from anywhere. Members can edit and proofread with access to a link, and others can see suggestions and resolve comments. You can stay organized and retrieve files from Google Drive using categorized folders, ensuring the Drive is clutter-free!

4. Jira

Jira software is equipped with excellent features.  It is part of a family of products designed to help the team manage their work. Originally intended as a bug and issue tracker, it has evolved into a powerful work management tool for any situation.  It is a great workflow tool for any team to organize, assign, track and update responsibilities assigned to them. 

This easy-to-use app provides flexibility for remote workers.  It provides a central point of information for individual team members and encourages employees to work independently, as the tasks and responsibilities are distributed.

5. Hubspot

Hubspot is a great tool for marketing insights and web page building.  The software incorporates invoicing, time tracking, project management, and Hubspot CRM integration.  It organises the sales process and helps save time in each phase with streamlined processes and enhanced communication. 

Gaining complete visibility in the business helps nurture leads and builds better relationships with clients.  From reporting to management, Hubspot simplifies all aspects of this process. 

6. Billmytask

Billmytask helps you manage the staffing process with a few clicks of a button. Owned by Corient Business Solutions Limited, it provides an integrated platform and processing service for clients. It promotes services with finance and accounting, technology services, and back-office services with specialized reporting and KPI monitoring. 

By helping you manage your staff payroll, client invoicing and back-office services efficiently, the application is a great tool for taking care of things in the background while allowing you more time to focus on your core business. 

7. Microsoft teams

Microsoft teams is a cloud-based platform that allows hybrid workers the flexibility needed to work from anywhere.  It can enables remote workers to chat, meet, call and collaborate on a single platform.

Document collaboration, instant messaging, and screen sharing can be used through the web as a desktop application or a mobile application.  Teams also includes multi-factor authentication, which provides secure guest access, and auto encryption of data. 

8. Asana

Asana is cloud-based software that provides users a virtual workspace to collaborate and complete a project. It enables a project manager to create tasks as part of a global project, assign them to different people and schedule jobs with a deadline.  It is suitable for long-term and short-term projects, with the option to archive completed projects for future use. 

Asana offers a free plan which makes it popular.  It offers a variety of integration, focusing on productivity, built-in admin controls, customizations, and a collaborative workspace. It is stable and reliable software that aids project management and boosts productivity. 

9. Dropbox

Dropbox is widely known and is a popular cloud storage service that can be used to store and share files. You can back up your files from anywhere and can have access to documents while working from anywhere in the world. 

Dropbox is a good collaborative tool which makes it easy to sync files, as sharing large files does not work well over email. It is also a great way to organize work from freelancers and your remote team when they need to submit projects.

10.  Blink

Blink is the ultimate mobile employee engagement application. Blink takes communication and collaboration in the workplace to the next level. It can combine everything from documents and news updates to collaborative tools in the same place. 

It has a social media-style interface which fully engages the workforce. It is a fully secure and compliant system providing a great working environment for remote workers. 

Bottom Line

Each workspace is different and offers various benefits.  There are many options to set up these apps in combination to best suit you, your team, your business and your way of working.  These tools for remote working, allow your teams to be flexible while staying connected to their organizations.  Overall, tools for remote work are designed to help you achieve a higher level of productivity, see what works best for you.

Uber, Facebook, and PayPal- these are some familiar names in the modern world. However, several internet users are not aware that they have already used the Application Programming Interface. The term, API, is something confusing for consumers. But, lots of organizations have taken advantage of it to ensure automation. APIs help in providing the best customer experience and are effective in uncovering the new source of revenues. As it brings automation, you can save manual efforts.

The present world is highly competitive, and thus, it is important to consider automation for successful digital transformation. You need to automate multiple business processes. Although you can find several solutions for automation, they do have few drawbacks. That is why APIs have become one of the best alternatives for automation.

However, what is an Application Programming Interface?

An API refers to some protocols, routines, and tools designed to build applications. At the basic level, APIs are some technologies to let software applications communicate through them. You may also make APIs accessible to the public. API saves time by automating tasks, and users have to rely on a single interface.

APIs have become the standard followed by organizations to exchange data and create seamless experiences for consumers. It links business processes, content, data, and services to channel their partners and in-house teams securely.

How can APIs be beneficial?

1. APIs helping you to reduce human errors and overheads

APIs can give you the opportunity to get value from agile innovation. You can easily adapt to different market changes. In fact, APIs work like data pipelines, useful for companies to automate basic activities and data entry processes. These companies lower overheads, increase productivity and strengthen business development efforts.

2. Deliver integration and interoperability due to APIs

To automate your business processes, your corporate systems have to fill the functionality gaps. Custom codes are useful for filling the gaps. However, the major issue is that custom codes are not visible, and thus, your IT team cannot implement modifications when they need to adopt new tools. Although customizations are important, it is essential to focus on integrations.

To distinguish your business from other companies, you have to remove your present challenges with data automation, interoperability, and integration. You can find better client outcomes with this effort.

Some companies have found that they need a unique platform to manage their workflows. APIs are the most affordable solutions, as they streamline the integrations of multiple applications and software interoperability. Thus, APIs have become the major driver for competitive success and innovations.

3. Improved collaboration

A standard enterprise relies on more than 500 applications, and some of them are disconnected. By using APIs, they can promote integrations. Apps and other platforms can interact with each other seamlessly. With the integration, organizations will be able to automate their daily workflows. There will be smooth workplace collaboration. In the absence of APIs, these businesses will have no connectivity. There will be informational problems and performance issues.

4. Data monetization becomes easy

Several organizations offer free APIs in the beginning. The major intention of these companies is to build relationships with their business associates. But, when your API gives access to digital resources, you may monetize them.

For instance, AccuWeather released its self-service portal and sold different API packages. It has taken a number of months to attract lots of developers and sell 11,000 API keys.

5. Ensure higher security with APIs

APIs develop an additional protection layer between the server and data. Developers will make the API security stronger with the use of signatures, tokens, and TLS encryption. The implementation of API gateways will let you authenticate and manage traffic.

Other ways in which APIs help you with business process automation.

• Different data entries can get into multiple systems without much effort.
• Maintenance of data in several systems needs time, and thus, you can avoid this problem with APIs.
• Automation ensures proper integration of different applications to avoid inconsistencies.

The most popular examples of APIs

Although automation is the most noticeable benefit of APIs, they are useful to maintain security. Check the most common examples of APIs.

• Comparisons for travel reservations- Travel booking platforms show details of different flights and the cheapest available options for several destinations. To provide this service, you have to implement APIs. Your users will be able to use the APIs to get the latest data on airlines and hotels. Due to the autonomous data exchange, APIs significantly save the effort and time needed to check flights and accommodation.
• Payment processing- You may have found some corporate websites that let you pay using PayPal. You can mostly notice it on eCommerce platforms, which work with APIs. Thus, automated and secure payment processing is highly advantageous.
• Google Maps- Google Maps services enable usres to make use of APIs. The major APIs show the interactive and static maps. However, the app uses some other APIs to give directions to users. With multiple data layers and geolocation, user may interact with the Map API. One can locate travel routes and track delivery vehicles.

APIs of different types

There are multiple types of APIs. Open APIs are accessible with HTTP protocols. They have public APIs with defined response formats. Similarly, there are partner APIs managed by business partners. Moreover, developers will be able to access the APIs using the self-service modes. Still, they involve an onboarding process, and login details are essential to use the partner APIs.

In the case of internal APIs, external users cannot use the interface. The private APIs are not accessible to users who are not associated with the company. Thus, these APIs are best for communications between in-house teams.

Another category is the composite API, which blends multiple data. Developers use these APIs for different endpoints. Based on your needs, you have to develop the right API.

Conclusion

You can now start integrating the APIs into your digital platform. APIs are reusable for different automation activities. Reusable APIs eliminate the need for developing codes several times. With APIs, you can enjoy seamless connectivity and communications free from any interference.

The pandemic has brought significant changes to businesses, such as the need to digitise your business. This means turning your pre-pandemic daily operations, business travel, in-person meetings, and paper-based transactions to be done online. Without such, your business may not thrive during the pandemic. 

While some companies have already begun their digital transformation, some haven’t. If you belong in the latter, then here’s how you can start digitising your business: 

1. Moving Towards Cloud

It’s no secret that the myriad of cloud-based services paved the way for convenience and accessibility. Regardless of which Software as a Service (SaaS) you use, cloud-based programs have brought businesses more approachable for clients. Cloud-based SaaS software is powered by servers that transmit data from various divisions and pass it on to its central database known as cloud managed service provider (MSP). 

By moving towards the cloud, your business can improve operations, enhance flexibility, and give way to more efficient workflows. In addition, being cloud-based gives your business constant access to essential data—retrieving the information whenever you need, wherever you are. 

Thus, you can operate your business even when your brick-and-mortar office or establishment is closed. 

Perhaps the only thing stopping many businesses from transitioning to the cloud is the potential disruption of current workflows and processes. And add to that is the fact that transitioning into the cloud is no easy move. It’s somewhat intimidating and challenging, but that doesn’t change its necessity. 

But like anything else, there will be no opportunity for growth without the willingness to take on challenging situations. With such, here are the top two tips you need when you’re moving towards the cloud:

• Selecting the Right Cloud Provider: Picking the right cloud partner boils down to your business needs and how much you’re willing to spend. Most importantly, choosing the right cloud provider means working with vendors who have knowledge and experience in your sector. Different industries require different strategies to make the transition easier. So, your vendor should be able to comprehend what sets your business apart from others. 

• Employ Experts: Although cloud transfers are secure, transitioning can still be difficult if you’re not working with the right people. There are several services out there that guarantee seamless processes like Corient and similar companies. Hiring these experts who can accomplish the task for you is still the better choice and would even help you save time and money. 

2. Utilise Collaborative Tools

Digitising your business has never been easier, thanks to collaborative tools. Such software keeps information flowing from all members of the team. 

Whatever your business is, you must maintain good communication with your team members. They need to be able to reach you quickly and vice versa to avoid potential miscommunication. That’s why having a collaborative application where you can discuss anything and tackle misunderstandings is crucial. This also sows the seeds for open and proactive communication even when you’re miles apart. 

With such, here’s a non-exhaustive list of the most popular collaborative tools:

• Google Workspace: Google workspace is by far the most popular collaborative program. It has multiple office-related apps such as Docs, Calendar, Keeps, Gmail, and more to address your operational business needs. It also has a video-calling service so you can communicate with your team anytime, anywhere. 
• MS Office: MS Office 365 offers a top-of-a-line project management suite where you can manage, collate, and send documents, spreadsheets, and other files to your team members. It also provides various productivity and collaboration apps such as Teams and Outlook. 
• Slack: Slack is a work management software often used by businesses in remote work setup. Slack allows you to create multiple channels for different projects or departments. It also allows accessible and direct communication with specific people from your team. On top of that, Slack allows you to integrate with other project management software to access the data you need quickly.

3. Digitise Customer Servicing to Your Clients Through App Development

Developing mobile apps for your business is another way to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, regardless of what industry you’re in. Since most people nowadays use smartphones, developing an app that allows customers to access your services is the best way to engage them. 

You can easily connect with clients, provide a more positive experience, and make you more memorable with an app. Depending on the industry you’re in, you can create an app where your customers place an order or book a service. With Corient, you can hire app developers that can personalise the app suitable for your business.

An app is also an excellent way to market your business since clients are more exposed to your logo. They can see your brand logo whenever they scroll through their phones which increases customer retention.

In addition, here are some industries that would benefit from having an app:

• E-commerce: E-commerce is continuously growing day by day. Within the last few years, most of the growth in retail was brought by e-commerce, and it’s still anticipated to double in size in the coming years. This is no surprise since most customers now prefer to make purchases in the comfort of their homes. 

If you’re in the e-commerce business, developing a mobile app increases customer satisfaction. Additionally, more than 70% of customers are motivated to do more business transactions for companies with outstanding customer service. 

What’s more interesting is to add a call to action button on the app so they can easily talk to your agent. To make it even better, deploy a live support system to help your clients navigate through the app. 

• Home Delivery Services: Most customers prefer to order online, especially since pandemic protocols have limited people from going out. With an app, you can make customers quickly scan through your products or services without worrying about long lines. 

And since online delivery apps act like your business’ digital storefront, it contributes a lot in determining customer engagement. This means that you should have an intuitive app where customers can place orders without hassle. 

• VoIP Telephone Systems: Telephone services have moved from being limited to on-premise systems to cloud-based services. Customer representative agents can now communicate with customers and vice versa using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling apps. What’s more is you can make and receive calls regardless of where you are for a fraction of the price. 

The Bottom Line

By doing the tips above, you can continue operating your business regardless of a pandemic. You no longer have to rely on a brick-and-mortar business because you can digitise your processes using the cloud, collaborative tools, and apps. What’s important is to start now, hire Corient, and employ the tips above.