Your business might need a web app - here’s why

December 18, 2018

Web app? Mobile app? Native app? Cloud app?

How many possible apps could you have for your business? And, more importantly, what type of app is really going to be beneficial for your operation?

In truth, any one of the apps above could work for your company, both internally and for customers, but we’re going to focus on just one in particular today - the humble web app.

We say ‘humble’, because web apps have had something of a rough ride in the past, thanks to burgeoning web technologies that weren’t quite ready for mass consumption and developers attempting to run before they could walk with the type of functionality they were attempting to build in.

Now, we live in an age where web apps can be incredibly powerful and capable of taking business productivity to another level.

Types of web app

Web apps come in many forms, but there’s three in particular that we think matter the most:

  • Web apps with a CMS: combine a web app with a back-end content management system, and you have a powerful web-based tool over which you have complete control of its contents. An internal intranet or document store are good examples.
  • Dynamic web apps: some web apps offer static content or a defined set of tools for everyone, but dynamic apps can be adjusted for each user. Social media platforms are great examples of dynamic web apps.
  • Portal web apps: if you need a secure area to which only specific people have access in order to find information, use a tool or contribute content of their own, a portal web app is what you need.

So, how could a web app benefit your business? Let’s consider a few examples…

The gym

If you’re a member of a gym and want to book your next spin class or download a friend referral form, what better, more convenient method would there be than to log into the gym’s website and grab everything you need from your own personalised area?

The recruitment firm

Finding the next step on your career ladder isn’t a particularly enjoyable process, but if you happen to be the recruitment firm that has built a job search web app that can be tuned exactly to the requirements of the candidate, you’ll probably enjoy far more placements as a result.

The conference venue

Ask any hotel or conference venue what has suffered the most since the recession and they’ll probably point towards business bookings.

Digital networking has given the traditional form a run for its money of late, and conference bookings are hard to come by, but if you can offer a simple online booking app for your venue, you’ll probably capture lots of web traffic you’re currently unaware of being primed for conversion.

The retail park

If you operate a retail park business and have decided to charge for premium car parking or give customers the opportunity to book guaranteed spaces, you no doubt appreciate they’re unlikely to do so by picking up the phone.

By instead providing a web-based car park booking app on your website, you’ll provide a process that’s so convenient customers will feel compelled to take advantage of it.

The remote sales team

It’s common for sales teams to work remotely - particularly given how connected they can remain no matter where they happen to be located.

But what if your business has a complex, bespoke sales offering that requires all of the remote team to be singing off the same hymn sheet and communicate effectively with one another?

Imagine giving them a mobile-ready portal thorough which they can keep in contact with one another via text chat, grab all the sales collateral they need for meetings and access customised sales stats for their progress…

With a web app (neatly combining the three types we originally mentioned), you can do just that!

Wrapping up

Have we whetted your appetite for a web app? Thought so. And we can help, too.