March 12, 2024
Beyond the initial business idea, the second most critical factor influencing a company’s success lies in its ability to automate routine processes, including data collection. While the importance of the data itself goes without saying, it's worth emphasising: B2B data refers to information shared between companies to conduct business or improve their performances. Efficiency - measured in terms of speed, volume, and productivity - of data collection is paramount to provide a timely and objective basis for informed decision-making. Using the work of Dworkz, a UX design firm, we’ll explore how cloud technology revolutionises data collection practices for B2B companies.
For the sceptics (still using Excel and manual entry), consider this stat: Over 90% of B2B companies worldwide use cloud platforms for data collection (Forbes). Now, let’s dive into a more substantive example. For context: Bangladesh, threatened with a malaria outbreak. The National Health Service used mobile network data to predict potential outbreaks of the disease. Cloud services effectively collected health data from users of the national program, enabling the creation of risk maps showing the likely locations of malaria outbreaks (Knowledge Hut). This preventive solution not only prevented spontaneous outbreaks of the epidemic but also significantly reduced hospitalisation costs.
Now, you might wonder: How can cloud platforms simplify your business? Let’s explore that question together.
SaaS development offers a key advantage: the ability to interact with complex software on everyday devices - whether it’s a smartphone, smart TV, or smartwatch. Here’s how it works: computational processes occur on a cloud server board, and the output (such as results from a quantum computer) is then displayed on the user’s screen.
Cloud solutions are easy to use and customise. This enables organisations to seamlessly API integrate them into their existing workflows without extensive staff training or complex installations. Beyond simplicity, one of the primary advantages of cloud solutions lies in their scalability. Businesses can expand without concerns about additional expenses for costly IT infrastructure.
Here's an example from the aforementioned UX studio in San Francisco, Dworkz: Extract Cloud Platform - a cloud-based solution designed to collect, classify, and transform documents and data in the financial industry. The platform aims to create an environment where data can be seamlessly collected, processed, and visualised. Its user-friendly interface is role-based and adapts to both desktop browsers and mobile devices. Notably, cloud technology estimates suggest that B2B companies can reduce costs by up to 30%.
The criteria serve as a frame of reference that allows decision-makers to select appropriate tools within the SaaS platform. The inputs are the company's needs and business goals. When selecting a specific cloud platform for a B2B project, consider both: functions and features. Secondary criteria include cost and payment models. To help you determine exactly what your business needs, see the table below.
The available choices fall into three categories: 1) off-the-shelf SaaS platforms (like AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure), 2) customised, and 3) built from the ground up for your business. The truth is always somewhere in the middle: Custom cloud solutions have the advantage of the first - rapid deployment and integration - without the disadvantage of the second - high cost. By default, modern SaaS applications offer flexibility - the ability to fine-tune functionality to meet a company's unique needs - and business process compliance - integration with current workflows.
Last but not least, UX design plays a crucial role when choosing a SaaS platform for B2B companies. It directly affects the satisfaction of both the service providers on the business side and the end users of the services. In an ideal UX design, like those from top San Francisco development studios, the registration, and data entry process should be straightforward and intuitive. In addition, a well-designed interface should validate the user's reasons for choosing your SaaS solution. Together, these attributes help attract new users and retain existing ones.
Cloud solutions are already an integral part of modern B2B. Email and data warehouses, project collaboration and SRM systems, web applications, and online storefronts are just a few of the SaaS applications that the average user touches every day to learn, work, and play. Behind the user-friendly interface of your fitness app - often developed by San Francisco-based UX companies like Dwork - lies a massive database, processed on cloud servers using artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML).
Are you ready to scale your business and meet the unique needs of each customer by taking advantage of cloud solutions? Our outlined criteria will help you choose the ideal SaaS platform. So, get started today and experience improved business performance tomorrow.
