The Covid-19 outbreak has paralyzed social and economic activities. Since mid-March, the Government of Singapore has urged residents to practice social distancing. Anyone caught breaking the social distancing rules can land themselves in prison after the city-state committed an offense for a person to intentionally standing close to another person as part of its coronavirus defense. The government can apply the rules until April 30 to individuals and businesses.
The social distancing rules, of course, have made most business owners worry about the decline in revenues and profits due to the lack of productivity. Although the coronavirus outbreak hit the economy globally, it does not mean there is no way for business owners to keep their businesses productive.
You can consider using technology such as web-based apps to overcome the obstacles in carrying out business activities during the pandemic. A web-based app enables everyone to interact with others in any condition, as long as there is an internet connection. Before we spell out the important role of web-based apps during the Covid-19 outbreak, let us explain to you what exactly a web-based app is.
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What is a Web-Based App?
You may have been using web-based apps without even realizing it. A web-based app is the type of software that allows its users to interact with a remote server through a web browser interface. You can access it over a network connection using HTTP rather than existing in a device’s memory.
Web-based apps can also be client-based. The “client” is the program used by a person to run the application. The utilization of this program aims to enter the information, and the information is meant to be accessed by multiple users. A user can install a small portion of the program on their desktop, but the processing remains over the internet on an external server.
Web-based apps can be as simple as message boards and online spreadsheets or in the form of more complex software such as ERP systems. In recent years, web-based apps have become very popular among small and large-scale businesses worldwide, replacing desktop apps, mainly due to their portability. With web-based apps, users don’t have to install additional software. Developers also don’t have to create multiple versions of the same application for different operating systems.
The Advantages of Web-Based Apps for Businesses During the Covid-19 Outbreak
Here are several benefits that businesses can get from using web-based apps, especially amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Simplified Lead & Customer Management
One of the main concerns of business owners today is dealing with low conversion rates. However, with a web-based CRM system, managing leads and customers becomes a lot easier.
A web-based CRM system allows you and your sales team to access information related to prospects and customers from anywhere. Sales managers can still assign leads to the right sales reps. They can easily create different quotations for different leads. The sales team can also determine prospects’ priorities and decide when to follow up.
You can monitor all sales activities. From your sales reps’ progress and even view email conversations between each salesperson and their leads. Therefore, sales processes can keep running normally.
Financial Transactions Can Be Done Anytime & Anywhere
Today, doing financial transactions at the bank can be dangerous to your health. Going to public places can put you at risk for coronavirus transmission. The good news is, you don’t have to go to the bank to perform bank reconciliation or any other accounting-related tasks. A web-based accounting software can do those tasks for you.
Your financial team doesn’t have to be in the office to find important documents such as invoices, contracts, or financial reports. A web-based app can centrally store all these documents in cloud storage. You can even create various reports such as profit and loss, cash flow, capital changes, and balance sheets in a few seconds. Using a web-based app, you can also approve or disapprove budget requests from various departments or business units from home.
Increased Employee Productivity
A web-based timesheet management tracking app can be handy to ensure that your employees keep working productively. You can track the number of hours worked by your employees and generate payslips based on their working hours.
The web-based app can monitor any progress anytime and anywhere. You can also choose a project management app to facilitate project tracking and task delegation. You can estimate the cost and revenue of each project automatically. A web-based app also can arrange project assignations and schedules even when you and your employees are not in the same place.
Enhanced Internal Collaboration
Web-based apps such as ERP software enable all departments in an organization to collaborate. Employees can also share information across different business units. They don’t have to meet in person to confirm certain information because they can check it themselves through real-time data.
You can share information with certain people you want by entering the names connected to their email addresses. People who are given access will get notifications whenever any changes or updates are created.
Data-Driven Decision Making
With instant access to all of the business processes, you can find out what is happening in each department or operation. You can make wiser decisions based on the data generated.
For example, the asset data shows that the company’s greatest expense is on specific assets that aren’t profitable. Thus, you can minimize the purchase of those assets in the future or perhaps replace them with cheaper yet more profitable ones.
Also read: ERP software – The nerve-center of Decision-Making
Improved Data Security
Web-based servers have better performance than desktop or local servers, making them safer when multiple users simultaneously use them. Saving your data in a web-based system is safer than storing it on a desktop. Web-based apps scatter your data in several databases.
The risk of data loss and corruption on a web-based system is also smaller than on individual hard drives. You can specify users who can access specific data, so those not granted access rights will not open it. Since web administrators manage web-based systems, companies can anticipate errors and disruptions. It is because the web admins will address it immediately.
All Business Operations Are Well-Monitored
A web-based app can well manage all business processes. You might not even see the big difference between working in the office and working from home, because all activities are running smoothly.
Web-based apps simplify and automate all administrative tasks. From sales to payroll, web-based apps can manage those tasks easily. You and your employees can also be more focused on more meaningful tasks. And in the end, you will find it easier to maintain the stability of your business income.
