Driving Efficiency Through IoT

The Internet of Things started off as a move toward more data; now it is evolving into a tool for greater efficiency. Recent statistics reveal that the healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing industries, in particular, are showing high IoT adoption rates—and they are realizing significant business value from this move.

For example, the transportation industry will save 117 million barrels of oil over 10 years by using connected vehicles, analyzing energy use, and optimizing route efficiency. Vehicles that are connected to real-time traffic data and emergency services also improve transport safety, keeping the goods and the people they carry away from harm. 

IoT usage in the manufacturing industry is still in its infancy, but a whopping 82% of large companies that have already adopted IoT solutions are now enjoying the many benefits of smart manufacturing. They are able to manage their physical productions more efficiently to prevent interruptions and minimize downtime. They also monitor their inventory on a real-time basis, enabling them to control costs better and in many cases, lower prices.

In the high-speed healthcare field, IoT solutions add a lot of value as they streamline patient processing, shortening wait times and ensuring that people get the care they need immediately. Doctors are now able to do patient checkups remotely via connected devices, thereby reducing (and even eliminating) administrative as well as resource costs associated with scheduling routine visits. Patients receive high quality care without having to take several hours off from work.

There is no doubt that IoT solutions are useful across all industries. Large corporations have started using these tools to drive efficiency and revolutionize their operations—and the trend is quickly being adopted by smaller companies as well. IoT devices and technologies have the power to allow companies of all sizes reduce waste while increasing profits.

CRM for Businesses: More Than Just Technology

Real customer relationship management (CRM) is more than just a software package or “big data”. The most successful companies implement healthy CRM systems that connect and balance technology, process, and people – integrating “big data” into their company’s culture.  Whatever starts in the CRM software must radiate out into the customer experience.

The best CRM software solutions power not only sales, but also the operational workflow of a company. They improve both the quantity and quality of customer interactions, driving value throughout your operations and ultimately improving profitability. With the right CRM solution, companies can ensure maximum value from every stage of the production and sales cycle.

Working with CRM experts allows companies to choose, deploy, and maintain CRM solutions that make sense based on the size, strategic priorities, pace, and workflow of their business. Professional CRM implementers optimize platforms to organize, synchronize, and automate every function in a business. They can integrate sales, customer service, marketing, and technical support teams. CRM experts can implement a solution that can significantly impact efficiency, usability, and security—the factors that are important in achieving maximum value.

Be sure to work with CRM experts who have in-depth experience with many types of commercially available CRM solutions. And if none of these commercial systems are right for your business, they should be able to build you one that perfectly addresses your needs.

Hiring the Best App Development Companies in Los Angeles

Finding an app development partner which understands and reacts to your needs can be just as important as how the business side of the deal works out. The best app development companies in Los Angeles add real value beyond just the basic development portion of the contract; they can help you maximize the impact of and revenue from your app. Here are some of the things you need to look for when hiring a Los Angeles app development company:

1. Choose a developer that is truly interested in your business. Do they understand your goals and what challenges plague your industry? A good developer can provide you creative input based on years of experience developing similar apps. They can spot potential problems before they get bigger.

2. Look at their portfolio. Excellent U/UX skills are a must. Try out their apps and assess if they look good and are intuitive. As a first time user, did you find their apps to be easy to navigate?

3. Call their client references. The best app development companies in Los Angeles are always ready to extend client contact information. Find time to call those clients and get real feedback. How was their experience with the developer?

4. Choose an app development company you will feel comfortable working with over time. Mobile application development is never a one-time activity. Your app will undoubtedly undergo several cycles and evolutions based on user feedback. You want a Los Angeles developer that can stick with you through the app’s lifecycle. It’s hard to work with a company that will jump ship once initial development is done.

5. Look beyond the price. You want a great app—not necessarily the cheapest app. The most affordable option might actually cost more in the long run as you might need to have the app redone by another developer.

How to Find the Right Software Developer in the LA area

In today’s competitive technology market, it’s not enough to have a great idea.  That idea has to be built and packaged with the right user interface and secure back-end.  In Northern California, good software developers are notoriously difficult to recruit and retain. In Los Angeles, however, companies have a wider choice of software development firms. 

This leads to a natural question:  how to choose the right LA software firm —one that understands your industry and can proactively develop a solution that is compatible with your requirements? To avoid the usual pitfalls, be sure to ask these questions to a prospective software developer in Los Angeles:

1. Can you build software that works with our existing hardware and operating systems?
To not spend much on the new hardware, the software should be compatible with the existing hardware (server and PCs) and operating systems.

2. Once the system is finished, who owns its Intellectual Property (IP)?
Ask right away if you will be given exclusive rights to the system. This will help you avoid problems in the future. If the IP will belong to your business, ask if they will use any third-party components that you will not own.

3. Which programming technologies do you intend to use—and why?
Some software developers only work with certain operating systems. This is not a problem, as long as the programming languages they use are appropriate for your project. The best software development company in Los Angles will be happy to explain why certain technologies are best suited to your needs.

4. What ongoing costs are involved?
Ask about any licensing, hosting, and maintenance fees. Make sure that the costs are clearly outlined in the contract or agreement before they start building the system. There should be no surprise costs down the line.

5. How long is the catching period?
New software systems typically experience odd glitches once they go live. This is normal. The best software companies in Los Angeles should rectify any problems for free for a certain period of time (called the snagging period). The length of this period varies depending on the project size, but it usually lasts for one to three months.

The Importance of Reliable Managed IT Services in Orange County

With increasing competition, many organizations have started focusing on enterprise growth and development by means of research, expansion, and enhancing customer relations. As global opportunities increase, the need to digitalize operations and core systems become mandatory. Associating with an IT service firm in Orange city is a wise option as you can find numerous options to take your business forward. These companies provide cutting-edge technology along with 24x7 support.

Some of the major benefits that corporate sector enjoys when associating with a reliable IT service provider firm are listed below.

• Data Security and Risk Management: It is of foremost importance that the sensitive data and information of a company remain secure. There must be no loss or corruption of data. Secure and encrypted redundant databases can provide the backup you need. In case any data is lost, the service providers offer recovery options as well.
• Easy data sharing: Relying on an IT firm for sharing data and other valuable assets may seem unsafe, but can prove to be a valuable asset with the right safeguards. A trusted firm is a good option to explore for such a service. IT firms offer easy but secure data sharing without the need to install a gamut of software products.
• Network Optimization: In a modern office, employees work in the server space granted. It is necessary to optimize the process by reallocating the space to files that best fit the priority space. Optimizing the network is done by IT firms who take care of memory management, network certifications, encryptions, etc. 
• Expert professional support: IT service provider companies have a capable support team of dedicated professionals. The operation on files and their management in the record base is executed by people with expertise in such operations.
• Maintenance of user accounts: For a company with many employees, maintaining user accounts for every individual can be a challenging task for a small in-house IT department. IT firms can take care of the complete process of the user profile management of a client’s employees, freeing up resources and leaving the in-house IT team with more time to handle other tasks.
• Organizing Metadata: For large companies, locating physical backup disks or even finding documents in a vast server network can be a time-consuming and protracted affair. Organizing metadata helps you to locate the memory space on the disc or server quickly. IT service firms offer metadata and records management services that make it easy for the employees to access files quickly, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity.
• Timely Updates: For a hosted software system, the IT firm will provide regular updates for feature and performance. This service is usually free of any additional charges. However, migrating to newer technologies or upgrades at your behest may have some cost.

About the Author:
Afshin at Nextware Technologies brings more than twenty years of experience to the team in developing state-of-the-art IT solutions and re-engineering business processes. He joins us from Moog, Inc., a leading aerospace manufacturing firm, where he managed a team of engineers and IT staff supporting a global user base in 26 countries. Prior to Moog, he helped transform Curlin Medical from a struggling, single-product medical device manufacturer to a diversified, $70M powerhouse with 250 employees worldwide and a range of highly-differentiated flagship products. Afshin received his B.S. in Computer Science from California State University of Fullerton.

How Hosted Digital Asset Management Affects your Business

Over the past few years, DAM or Digital Asset Management systems have evolved and emerged as a widely accepted technology. Digital Asset Management is an efficient extension of SaaS or Software as a Service. It implies that your software system is hosted externally with a third party service and you get the rights to deploy your resources to their platform on a shared basis. Traditionally, DAM was an on premise service, but with the advent of technology, services like SaaS and DAM have moved to an online platform making it more economical and hassle-free.

To begin with Digital Asset Management, you need to adopt a simple three-step procedure:

• Discover a Digital Asset Management network provider
• Install all the plug-ins and import all records and files
• Explore the software and compile your files to work with it

This system of operation is very effective and simple because all the technical complexities and functioning is handled by the host. Being an on-cloud feature, you just need to login into the system and start working. Moreover, you can get your interface customized with the company’s logo and choose a design you prefer from premade templates. Managing assets on a third-party server might seem risky but you can safeguard your data with appropriate safety features.

Nowadays, many corporate businesses have adopted Digital Management Software for their work as it offers a wide range of benefits. This allows you to accelerate your company’s growth while also saving costs. Some of the other features and uses of this technology are briefly described here.

• Remote Accessibility: Software products hosted on a cloud-based platform can be accessed remotely. The employees get the freedom to work from anywhere and anytime they want.
• Reusable Digital Assets: You can reuse the space created after deleting obsolete data. It has the capability to manage thousands of data objects without any downtime or system failure.
• File Support: The DAM system supports multiple file formats like .png, .jpeg, and even TIFF for images and .doc, .txt, etc. for text files.Customized Interface: One can get the user interface of the login page and dashboard customized as per company’s policies and template.
• 1-Click Sign-in: It has a feature of one-click sign-in by redirecting the browser to the login page from the official website.
• Reduced Data Redundancy: To avoid ambiguity, it ensures data in the record is not duplicated. Redundancy in data is minimized by creating a single database of the whole system and individually updating the records in the secondary backup.

About the Author:

Afshin at Nextware Technologies brings more than twenty years of experience to the team in developing state-of-the-art IT solutions and re-engineering business processes. He joins us from Moog, Inc., a leading aerospace manufacturing firm, where he managed a team of engineers and IT staff supporting a global user base in 26 countries. Prior to Moog, he helped transform Curlin Medical from a struggling, single-product medical device manufacturer to a diversified, $70M powerhouse with 250 employees worldwide and a range of highly-differentiated flagship products. Afshin received his B.S. in Computer Science from California State University of Fullerton.