Wednesday, 28 May 2014

Ecommerce and Web Design - The Perfect blend?

Are you planning to have your own eCommerce store sometime in the future? At this moment when more and more users are progressively heading to the internet to shop, sellers not having an online store can mean literally losing out on potential customers and revenue.

Having said all this just opening an online store will not benefit much. In addition you need to consider a number of other factors. The first thing to start with is having a great responsive web site design. Why does indeed having an elegant and excellent website design matter so much? The answer is:
  • First impression is the last impression – Let us assume that you are a seller you need to have a front page that actually displays the product and also speaks about your business and what you are offering often the first page of your website is that page which turns users to potential customers. Having a great front page and one that is popular and elegant will go a long way in earning revenue and potential customers.

  • Grasping the customer psyche – To put in simpler words website designs are quite disparate for various site niches. For example the website design of a Healthcare site will be totally different than the website of an eCommerce site. The reason is quite simple here since the audience of an eCommerce store is different and your aim is to sell your products.

  • You need to showcase your products the appropriate way - In an eCommerce site organizations need a web design that accordingly shows the products to the users. For example if you are selling goods the eCommerce store should display the appropriate description without seeming too ponderous.

  • Catching the Attention - Responsive design works excellent on various electronic devices. Users today can access your site not only from PC’s and laptops but including their smart phones and tablets. Hence you need a responsive design such that your website is displayed perfectly on each of these devices and in addition benefit your customers an appealing user experience.

  • How good is it? Using diverse features on our website will make your visitors return more and shop more to achieve this you can use different modules for example you are using a WordPress site you can incorporate animations and contact forms to connect to budding customers. We should always not forget that web pages should not look too bulky yet give the right information and message to the visitors.
Website development can often be a complicated process and you might need the assistance of the right technologists and experts to achieve your goals. Whether be it customizing the site or knowing the information and planning to open an eCommerce store you exactly know what you need to correct.

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Cloud Storage - Is It Really Advantageous?

The likeness of a cloud to describe this new ingenious form of computing fairly depicts the very definition of this new technology. Those times are gone when storage had necessarily to be on physical hard drives located within the periphery of your CPU. The age of mobile computing depends entirely upon us and whether we like it or not the concept is changing the very essence of what digital media and storage is defined and how it will be in the coming future.

In the new enhanced arrangement we are physically detached from our data and information which actually makes it more free and itinerant. It seems that the completion of producing ever insignificant storage technology is no longer the defining feature of the current IT industry. It's all about the cloud from currently. You can store all your data on storage devices across the far stretches of the globe and easily access it from your smart devices, tablets, desktop computers, work stations and thousands of other digital platforms. 

Now the query which one really would ask is how security is implemented on this cloud storage. This actually is from the concept that mere separation of your data from your computers and other IT devices really does signify that all this would no longer exist under the physical control, hence the probable danger. The idea that users most intimate messages, pictures ,emails, videos, bank account details and other secure information which is saved on remote computers beyond the physical reach may really scare some users. 

The other question that rises in our mind is will the users be able to ever retrieve their data if the internet is no longer accessible? What about the physical security of this new strategy of computing? Can they be trusted and hold good for valuable governmental and corporate data? Is this information not prone to hackers? 

What if some hacks into an entire cloud storage system and steals all data and information?
Such questions definitely carve a dismay outlook towards technology in general. Pessimists will definitely argue that the in this current era when computers is take over our lives. They may be right up to an extent, but nevertheless there are a few basic steps which can prevent the tendency that your data will be under precarious possession.

First of all we should always make quite certain that we use a deemed cloud platform to save your information. In Addition, investment in a security and anti-virus on all platforms from which you access your data is quite fundamental. This will block off any threats which you may encounter from hackers. We should also make sure that the host server uses best encryption software on cloud storage as it is the only assurance that hackers won't be able to steal your information. It is only fruitful that you use a merge of these methods that cloud storage can really be of use to it. It is quite certain there will always be a level of risk correlated with this particular model of computing which needs to be accepted.

Sunday, 25 May 2014

Smart devices have reformed the way people interact and communicate

Smart devices have reformed the way people network and connect. There is an infinite variety of Applications currently for regulating almost every aspect of life. The direction currently is to create applications for internal users as well as customers. There is a rush over businesses to engage, hold and facilitate all type of customers through mobile Apps delivered through various platforms.
However this task is not as simple as it sounds. Developers have to face multiple challenges today. As there are numerous technologies, distributed networks and environments which are a quite a mix of old as well as new, the job becomes appalling for the developers. As the programmers need to redesign Apps for a growing number of smartphones as well, often IT firms and programmers fall into some common situations while making the Apps which must be avoided at all costs.

Below are the points to be contemplated during designing an App:
  1. User experience - A tablet or smartphone is necessarily different from a desktop computer. As the screen size is quite shorter and processing speed limited, just replicating the user interface as it is from desktop to smart phone will not be a good idea for any App. The application needs to be re-designed and studied specifically for the handheld devices. There are also certain features like GPS, touch-screen, handheld camera, etc. that a mobile App developer can take advantage on while conceptualizing the App.

  2. Create a real value add for the customer/user - A mobile App makes it quite easy for any brand to reach its maximum potential or existing users all the time. It will also allow for distinct communication between the brand and its customers.  Consider if we try to create an App that is definite and acts as a solution to the challenges that customers may be facing this App with notable benefits and features will find more customers and will add much value to deliver.

  3. Integrate with other useful Apps - There are a lot of effective applications like traffic updates, social media feeds, mapping available today. Businesses should try to merge their apps with these existing Apps more suitable and engaging to the customers. A rich application with benefits like coupons, games, and media can quite enhance the user experience as a whole.

  4. Focus on each platform - A lot of app programmers try taking the easy way out by designing the same App for different platforms assuming no distinction is required. This advent does not work just by mere extending the same interface and design to different platforms which will definitely curb the user experience. For an excellent experience it is necessary that different platforms are given the attention to detail while designing.
Mobile App development is quite flexible in nature. While developing an App it is always a good practice to get endless feedback from the market users and do positive iterations to meet the customer needs well once the application is launched.

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Interactive Website Design

Mobile usage and browsing has been on the surge as more users own smart devices which have conducive access to the internet. The time that people spend on the internet devices have nearly doubled.  Study shows that in the last years the amount of time spent on the internet using smart phones rose by nearly 3 times. This is significant compared to the 4 times increase on desktops.
The online retail businesses report that nearly third who visit their website use mobile devices and gadgets. Mobile browsing has been growing briskly and this has forced website organizations to rethink twice of their design approach. Website owners are drifting toward responsive designs to support mobile browsing. Static designs are no longer competent as online users are considering interactive websites. There are multiple reasons why you should have an interactive website design.

Build Long-term Relationships
An interactive website design allows you to build long-term relationships with your online users. Long-term relationships are quite important for a business. It is quite easy to sell your products and services to a user online after you have engaged him on your site. Interactive designs make it easy to start communications with potential clients and this helps to develop mutually beneficial relationships.

Extensive Reach
Interactivity is one of the most significant parameters of an effective website. An interactive website design allows online users to participate. Websites have become more refined over the years and users now expect worthwhile interaction with the sites they visit. When a visitor finds what they are looking for on a site they are more chances to stay longer and visit it frequently and even make a sale. If a site is interactive and offers valuable content, visitors will share the information with their networks and connections on other sites. This is a significant advantage to a business because it gives you an extensive reach.

Improve Conversion Rates
When the internet was introduced online users browsed the web to view information and other websites. This has changed rapidly over the years and every user now wants to be part of the community. They also want to generate content and participate in online forums. There is a paradigm shift towards user generated content such as links, music, videos, pictures and ratings. Online users want to be part of the website and they make valuable contributions. This keeps them coming back to your site and improvised conversion rates.

Better Search Engine Rankings
A mobile receptive website design makes it easy for online users to access information or data irrespective of location. They can use their mobile gadgets when they are on the move. If your site allows interactivity you are more likely to get more visibility and this has a positive impact on your search engine rankings. People tend to visit sites that they find on the search engines. When you integrate some meaningful interactive elements into your website this helps to attract online users. If people find valuable and engaging content on your site and they want to navigate through the pages and they will use it for a longer period and even include your link on other sites. You build back links naturally when online users share your links. This increases your online reputation and increases your search engine ranking.

Advantages of Software Integration

Software integration is not a new concept many organizations have utilized integrated systems for many years. In the warehousing industry for instance many warehouses make use of systems which separately  manage various aspects of the task but which also link together to increase flexibility and improve work  flow. We can list the most notable benefits that software integration can benefit to your business.

Improved Roadmap
In today’s quite active environment it usually becomes necessary to use diverse software systems to manage and complete all the tasks required. The major drawback of this is that it can become cumbersome to keep track of things and having to constantly switch between programs and tasks. Using the integrated software systems we can have a much more seamless working environment save a lot of time, hassle, reduce stress greatly and make use efficient of resources to get productive output.

Real-Time Order Management
Keeping track of real-time data and customer orders can be quite difficult it is similar of having two different programs giving out different things about the same batch. For example, your CRM might state that a status of an order has been shipped while your WMS status states that the stock is still on the shelf. This sort of mix-up not only creates confusion and conflicts while offering no answers.

By integrating many of these processes all information can be saved across all platforms concurrently which means that you can be quite sure that the data you're viewing is up-to-date, irrespective of the system you may be using at that moment. This promotes conformity in the warehouse and incredibly improves user confidence and can even be used to keep customers well intimated on the status of their orders.

 A Uniform accepted Language
Another potential drawback of using different individual systems is the variations that can occur in classification. Different users can end using different words for the same thing - for example, "client" and "customer", or "unit" and "item" - which can create miscommunication, conflicts and ultimately less productivity.

Integrating your systems or using a pre-existing integrated suite merges multiple platforms into a single system which can boost users to maintain consistency. Utilizing the same standards in every instance reduces confusion and makes life easier for users.

Savings in IT Time and Cost
Beside from the obvious firmness in interface and functionality using a software system from a single provider also has its support advantages. Dealing with a single team from day one will ease imperative processes starting from the initial setup and simplify any maintenance that may be required reducing immense cost.