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Software Development

Cleaning Business Software

What Is Zapier? How It Helps Cleaning Businesses, and A Few Alternatives to Consider

Software Development

Technology is changing the way businesses are done around the world. Every business is trying to leverage the potential of technology to make it work for them. And cleaning businesses are no exception.

In fact, cleaning businesses are in a much more favorable position to take advantage of automation and technology due to the sheer nature of service offerings.

If you are looking for such an option, nothing gets better than Zapier, which is an excellent tool to help you automate your business operations.

So what is Zapier, and how can it help you?

Let’s try to learn a bit more about it.

What is Zapier?

A robust and powerful automation tool, Zapier helps businesses tether multiple web apps with each other and integrate the same to automate tasks. It is a platform that allows you to create workflows and automate repetitive tasks in your business.

Zappier has over 2 million businesses using it, which itself is a huge testimonial to the platform’s capability.

It helps you streamline and automate the transfer of information from one app to another, which helps reduce the reliance on humans.

Besides, it is fast and error-free.

How does Zapier work?

In simpler words, Zapier works by connecting two or more web apps with each other to automate their work. These connections between applications are called Zaps. Usually, there are two aspects of Zap—trigger, and action.

A trigger is something that causes the action to take place.

For example, your trigger could be an email that you receive from your client, and the action is creating a card for the email on Trello. The entire thing is called a Zap.

You can create multiple Zaps to make automation an important part of running your business.

What are Zapier’s features?

One of the most important elements that make Zapier an impeccable automation tool for your cleaning business is its long list of features.

Here are a few features that are sure to impress you:

●     Automate your workflow

●     Application integrations

●     Successful error handling

●     Create multi-step Zaps

●     Options for collaborations

●     Extensive customization

The importance of automation in the cleaning business

Productivity and profitability are the two important metrics that businesses need to consider if they want to grow. While the former is directly related to internal ops management, the latter is also influenced by the customers.

With automation, a cleaning business can largely address most of the efficiency, scheduling, project management, and employee management issues that they face. Automation can help a business afford more time to focus on important aspects of the business, such as marketing, growth, and decision-making.

As a result, businesses can scale their operations and gain a competitive advantage in the market to grow and attain their growth aspirations.

What are the challenges that cleaning businesses face now?

Like any other business, cleaning businesses also face a variety of challenges today. It could range from internal challenges to customer-centric and industry-specific challenges.

However, some of the most common challenges that cleaning businesses face in the industry now are as given below:

Time management

One of the biggest challenges that cleaning businesses now face is managing their time. They often get several cleaning requests from their existing and new clients. However, due to time-management constraints, they find it difficult to serve all of them well.

If you are a cleaning business, you can take care of this issue by working with a software company to integrate Zapier automation tools for your cleaning business.

Customer management

Satisfied customers are the foundation of any successful cleaning business. However, most cleaning businesses have trouble effectively managing their customers and cleaning requests. They may even miss a request at times.

However, you can address all these by relying on Zapier to ensure workflow automation in your cleaning business.

Scheduling assignments

Delivering timely cleaning services to clients is paramount for a cleaning business. However, there are cleaning businesses that struggle to live up to the demand in the market and fail to schedule their assignments.

Don’t ever let that happen, and Zapier can help you automate scheduling your cleaning assignments as the work comes in.

Increasing costs

All businesses face the issues of skyrocketing costs. However, cleaning businesses experience the most heat as they are labor-intensive businesses. Installing Zapier in your business can lower your cost and improve productivity, leading to better profitability.

How Zapier can be used in the cleaning business

The Zapier automation tool for cleaning businesses can be used in a variety of ways, from setting up Zaps when you get new assignments and projects to managing your human resource.

Here are a few ways you can use Zapier in your cleaning business:

  • Automate sending emails to your clients when scheduling cleaning tasks.
  • Automatically send invoices to clients after cleaning tasks are completed.
  • Send reminders to the clients to alert them about the scheduled cleaning work.
  • Update the project calendar with new projects when new customers sign up.
  • Create a profile in your CRM when customers share their data on the website.

These are only a few workflow automation examples, and there are plenty more that you can do with Zapier and Eco York.

Benefits of using Zapier in the cleaning business

Zapier can help your cleaning business in a range of elements to not only manage your projects and assignments but also help ensure the timely delivery of services.

Here are a few major benefits that a cleaning business can enjoy with Zapier workflow automation.

Better project management

You may be receiving multiple requests for services from your clients all day long. It would be hard for you to manage the same things. However, with Zapier, you can manage each of the projects since you will never miss a project as your Zap takes care of each client request.

Improved productivity

Your cleaning business may find it hard to track all the client requests for services, and this may result in your business losing productivity due to a lack of streamlining projects. Zapier can help you with it as it tracks every project and its status, improving your productivity.

Reduce human errors

When you create adequate Zaps that automate your cleaning workflow, the chances of human errors can significantly reduce. This results in improved accuracy of service and customer satisfaction.

Cost savings

A huge amount of overhead in the cleaning business goes to project management. When you integrate Zapier into your cleaning business, it can considerably reduce costs, which improves profitability.

How to get started with Zapier?

It is easy to get started with Zapier. The first thing you want to do is to sign up for an account at zapier.com and choose a suitable plan that works for your cleaning business.

Once the account is created, do the following:

  • Choose a trigger and action that you want to automate the tasks to be carried out. You can do this with multiple apps using a variety of Zaps.
  • Set up your preferred Zap according to the instructions from Zapier or you may hire a software development company in the US to help you in this regard.
  • Before putting it to full automation, test the same with multiple scenarios and make sure that the automaton works flawlessly.
  • Once you have done that, turn on the Zap and let the automation work its magic. You need to also ensure you have all the necessary permissions, access codes, and credentials to use the application you want to use before you go with the same.

How to integrate Zapier into your cleaning business

There are multiple ways that you can integrate Zapier into your cleaning business. Most of the time, you need to create a Zap, which consists of a trigger and an action.

For example, if you are getting a cleaning request in your mail, you can have the CRM automatically create a schedule for the same. Here the mail or request you get is called the trigger, and creating the schedule for the work is the action.

You can do this for anything, as there is a gamut of zaps you can create to ensure workflow automation.

Top Zapier alternatives for cleaning businesses

Although Zapier can be a great tool for workflow automation for your cleaning business, it is not the only solution you can use. There are numerous Zapier alternatives that you can consider for your cleaning business.

These tools might fit you better in terms of their features, pricing, and overall support. Therefore, before making a decision in haste, consider the following top workflow automation tools:

Compass Wave

One of the most suitable estimation and lead generation tools for small businesses and enterprises, Compass Wave can help your cleaning business in more ways than one. It helps you generate sales in no time and you can nurture the leads to expand your business.

Some of the advantages of using Compass Wave for cleaning business workflow are:

  • Capture top-notch leads from your websites or social media marketing without going through normal lead generation hassles.
  • It allows businesses to create excellent estimates and weed out price shoppers.
  • Get timely email notifications when a customer creates an estimate to nurture the lead for conversion.

Conclusion

As a cleaning business, you can take advantage of Zapier or Compasswave in a range of ways to automate your business activities. With this strategy, you can surely improve your operational efficiency, ensure customer satisfaction, and reduce overhead costs.

However, you need a reliable service provider who can help you integrate Zapier or Compaswave with your existing ERP or CRM system and create the required Zaps. If you are looking for an expert team to do that, Eco York can help you. As an established software development company in the US, we know how to leverage software to improve the efficiency and profitability of your cleaning business.

Being a top custom software development company in York, we have worked with hundreds of businesses to help them with integration.

If you wish to know more about how we can help you, speak to us.

Software Development Service

8 Important Elements to Keep in Mind to Make Your Software Projects Successful

Software Development

People and businesses have predominantly moved online, so the demand for software programs has skyrocketed in the last few years.

So has the demand for software development services.

If you are trying to develop a software program, you need to know that it is a challenging prospect, even with the help of a software development company.

However, it is not impossible, either.

With the right approach and planning, you will be able to make all your software development projects effective—regardless of the project’s size and scope. If you are a business looking to learn more about delivering successful projects, this post is here to help you.

In this post, we discuss a few integral elements you must pay attention to so that all your projects can be successful.

Hence, with further ado, let’s get into the topic;

Define your objectives

When starting any new software project, you must first define your objectives.

The objective might be;

  • What do you want to do with the project?
  • What is the aim of the program you’re developing?
  • What benefits are you expecting from the program?

Defining clear answers to these questions will help you move ahead in the project with clarity.

Most businesses fail to do that and rely completely on the software development services provider they hire for all these.

However, it is important to define what you want. Knowing what you want and where you are going will make the project streamlined.

Do your research

To make any software project successful, it’s important to do your research and understand the process.

Keep these things in mind during the research process:

1. Know what you need

Before starting your project, take some time to think about what you need from the software. 

  • What features are essential?
  • What can be sacrificed?
  • When can I launch the software?

Having a clear understanding of your needs will make communicating with developers easier and finding the right solution for your project.

2. Consider your budget

Software development can be expensive, so it’s important to consider your budget when doing your research. If you have a limited budget, there are still options available, but you may need to compromise on some features or functionality.

3. Read reviews

When looking for a software development company or individual developer, take some time to read online reviews. This will give you an idea of their quality of work and customer service levels.

4. Get multiple quotes

Once you’ve narrowed your search, look for businesses that have experience developing the software program you want to develop. Don’t go with just one service provider.

Try to get quotes from multiple agencies for their software development services. Compare them. Interact with the agencies and the team, if possible. 

Only choose after you have analyzed and assessed the agency and its capability to help.

This might seem a little lengthy process. However, always remember that once you start working with an agency, there is no going back.

Pick the right software development methodology

The software development methodology you choose for your project will greatly impact its success. There are many different options to choose from, so it’s important to pick the right one for your needs.

Here are the most common methodologies:

Waterfall approaches

A traditional approach involves completing each phase of the project before moving on to the next. This can be a good choice for simple projects with well-defined requirements.

Agile approaches

These methods are becoming more popular as they allow for more flexibility and collaboration. Scrum is a popular agile software development method that divides tasks into sprints or short work periods.

This can be a good choice for projects that may need to change course mid-way through development.

Lean approaches

These focus on eliminating waste and maximizing value. This can be a good choice for software design and development projects with limited resources.

Whatever methodology you choose, ensure it’s appropriate for your project and team.

A wrong approach can lead to delays, cost overruns, and other problems.

Have a dedicated team

In software development, having a dedicated team is one of the most important elements to keep in mind. This is because a dedicated team will be able to focus on your project and see it through from start to finish.

Furthermore, a dedicated team will also be able to provide you with the necessary software development services and guidance throughout the development process.

Do the homework when choosing an agency or team for software development.

Learn about the possible technical expertise needed for the project and see if the team has the same.

As the team will be executing the project, you must be careful with choosing one.

Hiring a software development team in haste can lead to cost overruns, missed deadlines, and project delays. 

Set realistic deadlines

For a project to be successful, you also need to set realistic and achievable goals. Setting unrealistic goals may result in low-quality products and programs.

In order to set realistic deadlines, you need to consider the following:

  • How long do you have to finish the project?
  • What is the scope of the project?
  • Is the project scalable?
  • Who will be working on the project?
  • How many hours a week can they dedicate to it? 
  • Are there any dependencies on other teams or individuals? 

Once you have considered all of these factors, you can start creating a timeline for the project. Have some buffer time to manage any unforeseen delays. 

Then, start assigning tasks and deadlines to individuals or teams.

Also, make systems so that you get regular updates on the status of the project and adjust deadlines as needed.

Monitor progress and make changes

As your software project progresses, it is important to monitor progress and make changes as necessary to ensure success.

Here are some elements to keep in mind:

Project Management

Make sure you have a clear plan for managing your project. This includes setting milestones, assigning tasks, and tracking progress.

Requirements

Keep track of your project’s requirements and ensure they are being met. Make changes as necessary to ensure all requirements are met.

Testing

In any project, thorough testing is important. Set up a plan for testing and ensure that all tests are being carried out properly.

Documentation

Documentation is important for any software project. Have up-to-date documentation for your project.

By monitoring progress and making changes as needed, you can ensure the success of your software projects.

Be prepared for the unexpected

No matter how much you plan and prepare, there will always be unexpected challenges that arise during a software project.

The key is to be prepared for these challenges and have a plan for how to deal with them.

Celebrate your success

While it’s important to celebrate your successes along the way, don’t forget that the end goal is to create a successful software project.

By keeping the following elements in mind, you can ensure that your project stays on track and achieves its objectives.

Summing up

There are many factors to consider when planning and executing a software project, but if you keep these key elements in mind, you’ll be well on your way to success.

Properly scope the project from the beginning, choose the right team members, and create a detailed plan that everyone can follow.

And don’t forget to set aside time for testing!

By following these tips, you can avoid common pitfalls and increase your chances of delivering a successful software project. If you are a business looking for the best software development services, let our team help you. Contact us to learn more.

Custom Software Development

What is Custom Software Development? Why Should You Go for It? (7 Immediate Benefits)

Software Development

Every business believes that each of its customers, employees, and clients is unique and they must be treated as such. As a company, don’t you think that philosophy must apply to developing a software solution for your business, as well?

We think so, and that’s why we believe custom software development is integral to your business’ technology transformation.

Custom software development has numerous advantages crucial for businesses to survive and sustain in today’s industry of cut-throat competition.

However, despite this, many businesses do not actively venture into custom development when they need a software solution.

This blog will help you understand how custom software can help you in a range of ways and accelerate your growth.

What is custom software development?

As the name implies, custom software development allows businesses to develop software solutions as they need them per their business goals and requirements.

It takes a highly personalized approach to developing software solutions for you, your business, and its requirements.

As the world has moved to a largely technology-driven business setting, no business can operate without relying on some kind of software solution or program.

And creating software that perfectly fits your expectations is the way to go.

Benefits of custom software development

Whether you are a large business wanting to pivot or a small business looking to grow, custom software solutions can always help you.

The benefits that custom software can bring to your business are huge.

If you have not been considering this, here are a few reasons why you should build custom software and hire a reliable custom software development services provider to do that:

Meet organization-specific requirements

When you go for custom software development, you get to meet all your business-specific requirements.

Depending on the size of your business, you will also be able to add and remove features when you need them while custom-developing the software.

On the other hand, when you purchase off-the-shelf software, it may not have all the features your business might need.

That’s why custom software development appeals to businesses of all sizes more than ready-made software solutions.

Opportunities to scale

All businesses want to grow, and as they grow, it may not be easy to scale their enterprise solutions if they are using a third-party platform/software. That’s where a custom-developed platform can help the business.

Custom software development creates the program in such a way that scaling it becomes easier. Therefore, when a business needs it, they can scale their solutions without investing a lot of time and money in developing the solution from scratch.

As you grow in your industry, you can also expand your custom software, without having to go through a lot of hassles.

Higher Return on Investments (ROI)

There is no doubt that buying software as per the needs of the business is an investment-intensive business. You need to get adequate returns when you invest your money.

And that’s pretty direct with a custom-developed software solution. It helps you streamline your business operations and functions, which can further improve the efficiency of your business.

With higher efficiency of business, you can bring better returns and justify the investment in developing custom software.

Easy integrations with other solutions

Custom software development enables easier integrations with other business management solutions.

When a need arises to integrate new technology, you can do that instantly as you do not have to go through the hassles common with most third-party enterprise and business management platforms.

For example, if you’re a large company with a large number of users, developing custom software can significantly reduce the number of hours you need to invest in new technology.

Highly reliable to meet your goals

With a custom software solution, it becomes easier for a business to meet its goals, pretty effortlessly. For example, if you want to improve your customer service, you can develop a customized solution to meet that particular objective.

Such a solution can help you meet your goal of better customer management and ensuring customer satisfaction.

While this may also be possible with ERP software, it may require you to invest more time and effort. That’s why custom software development is more value-adding for you.

Better security and protection

Developing custom software to run a business can also offer you better data security and protection. All the data that you generate on your platform is yours and it is managed by your internal protection systems.

When you have an off-the-shelf solution with you, it is more susceptible to attacks. As thousands of other businesses may use the same platform, hackers may be familiar with its functionalities and vulnerabilities.

In addition, you can also quickly manage any issues in the system when you identify them as you have a team that knows what went wrong and how much.

Highly economical and cost-effective

Custom software development considers what the business needs when developing software. It helps streamline the entire development process enabling you to save the money needed to develop the same.

With custom software development, you only develop those functionalities and capabilities your business needs, which brings down the entire project cost.

This can reflect well on your balance sheet.

Conclusion

Custom software development allows you to develop applications that fit your unique requirements and ensure success by leveraging your knowledge and experience. Whether you are an established business or just starting, hiring a software development company for custom software development can bring you more value than you may anticipate. It can also ensure cost-effectiveness, which is great when your business is starting.

If you would like to know more about custom software development, Eco York can help you. Find out more about the same by contacting us here.

BUILD VS. BUY Software

Factors that You Must Consider for Build Vs. Buy Software

Software Development

Tech leaders face the eternal dilemma of whether to create a new business solution or adapt an existing application to meet their needs.

Although it might seem easy, finding the right solution approach can be difficult. First, tech leaders must understand the business processes to determine which approach is best. They also need to consider strategic goals, external partners, and support systems which require a lot of research. Before choosing the best approach, they must evaluate common business factors such as project and business validation.

What are some important considerations when building or buying software?

  • Cost

You can compare the prices of these two options to determine an affordable option. It can help reduce costs and avoid technical debt. It may be more cost-effective to buy an off-the-shelf software solution if the cost of developing it is prohibitive for your business.

  • Project Scope

When deciding whether to build or purchase software, it is important to consider the project’s scope. A pre-existing solution might be more cost-effective if the project’s scope is smaller. If the project is complex or large in scope, however, it may make more sense to buy an existing solution. The final decision about whether to buy or build software must be made based on the organization’s specific needs.

  • Flexibility

Although in-house software can be tailored to meet an organization’s specific requirements, a third-party solution is not always possible to satisfy all their needs.

  • Time

It can take significantly more time to create software in-house than to purchase it from a third party. An existing solution might be better if the company needs it quickly.

  • Risks

In-house software development can pose a risk because there is no guarantee that the product will suit all needs. Software purchased from a third party can come with its risks. For example, vendor dependence and the risk of being locked into one platform or solution.

  • Quality

In-house software development is not always as efficient as commercial software. Because professionals at software development company have more resources and tools to develop commercial software, making it is easy to achieve the same quality. It is better to purchase software from a trusted vendor if the quality is important. However, if you have strong internal teams, you can create your software without worrying too much about quality.

Why build custom software?

It may be best to choose to create a software solution if:

  • A combination of functions and capabilities is required– Companies may require a variety of capabilities and need to purchase several solutions off the shelf. Companies can build customized software solutions that meet all their business requirements.
  • You have the resources– You may be able to build what you want if you have more money. Building software may also be an option if you have the resources to build what you want, such as potential software developers.
  • A solution that grows with your business- Software solutions built with traditional development usually require a higher up-front investment. But, custom software allows you to modify it as your business grows or changes.

What are the pros and cons of creating custom software?

The promise of creating programs may appeal to professional developers. The building is the best option if your company has specific requirements and needs.

Software building has many pros.

  • Software development solves business problems.
  • It is easy to integrate the software into your IT infrastructure.
  • Software updates as the business changes or when developers get feedback.

Building Cons

You may have noticed that developers have become a highly sought-after job in recent years. Software developer positions are becoming more difficult to fill. This is just one of the many disadvantages of building a software solution.

Others include:

  • Additional training may be required for developers hired to improve their skills.
  • Application development takes longer.

How is buying software beneficial?

  • Price- A third party will lower your upfront costs. Third parties with industry experience will have solutions that can be customized and provided to you.
  • Time- A dedicated third party will quickly develop your solution. They can adapt it to your requirements depending on the solution.
  • Maintenance- If you’re replacing an old system or searching for other IT services, your maintenance and updates are taken care of. This will be done if the third party offers industry-wide solutions. You will continue to receive updates and support for as long as your contract is with the company.

Buying software has its drawbacks

  • Long-Term costs- The cost of contract maintenance can vary from one contract to the next, including updates. If you grow, you should expect to pay higher prices.
  • Control- It all depends on how you organize the agreement. Your new software could be less flexible regarding its functionality and future plans.

So, Build vs. Buy – Which one should you choose?

These factors are just a few instances to help you think about. This question will depend on your business goals and needs. There is no single answer. You may want to build custom software tailored to your business needs. If you don’t have the time or resources to create software, buying an off-the-shelf product might be a better option.

Good custom software development services specializing in custom-made software development are a good way to make informed decisions. They will evaluate your needs and recommendations and help you choose the right course of action.

A Note On Hybrid Solutions

You may find the choice of buying or building software too restrictive. Instead, consider choosing a customizable solution (open-source software). This will allow you to use an existing framework to create your software and have the best of both worlds.

You can do this by choosing the most suitable option for you and tailoring it to your specific needs. While you’ll still need a competent development team, you’ll be able to create a custom tool for your business with significantly less effort.

Conclusion

Each situation is unique, and no one answer will work for everyone. The organization must do the analysis. If a simple solution has no obstacles and solves your problem well, it is likely the best choice. It is worth taking the time to research possible solutions and make the right choice. Discuss the matter with your team, conduct thorough research, make informed decisions, and communicate your concerns to your boss. Software development service in York is available to any size business that focuses on creating based on your specific needs.

WORDPRESS PERFORMANCE PLUGIN

WordPress Performance Plugin to Speed Up a Site

Software Development

Is your website running slow? Is it developed by WordPress? Sometimes you have noticed that few websites are taking longer loading time. If yes, then no worries. It’s a very simple problem. Yes, Your website traffic will increase, and more subscribers will join. One WordPress performance plugin can speed up your website in easy steps. 

Let’s understand what exactly this plugin does?

A plugin is a software add-on. You can install it on a particular program or application to enhance its performance. It adds a few extra functions to the main program without any old code changes.

software add-on

Do you know that bounce rates can be avoided by increasing website speed? Yes, you can do it with the help of WordPress plugins. These plugins can increase your cache capacity and performance. You know that cache memory is operating the loading time because it provides a temporary space to store data. Mostly used data are stored in the Cache. These plugins surely increase your website’s stellar speed for better, smoother loading performance.

We will help you now to find out the top 5 plugins as per Google search. Our expert team members are recommending the given below plugins for their smart research work. They are:

  1. WP Rocket

This is one of the top and best WordPress plugins in the market. With one click, you can easily cache your whole website. You will surely love its features. You don’t need to study a lot to know how to install it. It has very simple steps. It has automated features like page caching, gzip compression, and pre-loading Cache. You can feel it’s so user friendly. Few extra features are also available like lazy picture loading, CDN, Pre-fetching DNS, cloud interface, version rollback, import, export, Minify etc. The average price of this plugin is $49.

WP Pocket Plugin

WP is also available in the WP Super Cache version. It has details instructions on how to set it up. It includes all automated features.

  1. Perfmatters

This is a different kind of plugin. It mainly increases page loading time. Few WordPress features are not required for a few websites. This causes slow loading. You can easily stop these features by using Perfmatters. Here no HTTP requests are needed, which renders the loading speed. You can use DNS pre fetch, pre-connect, local google analytically hoisting etc. That means apart from one WordPress speed booster plugin; you should use this Perfmatters too. You won’t believe that truly, using WP rocket with Perfmatters can increase page speed from 58 to 94. Its average charge is $25/ year.

Perfmatters Web Performance Plugin
  1. W3 Total Cache

It is also of the top best WordPress performance optimization plugin. It has been launched by WordPress development services. This plugin helps a lot of experienced developers mostly. You will like the few features like minification support, DNS support, gzip compression, object cache etc. You can easily install this plugin by watching the instruction video. It supports so many methods and an array of options. You will surprise by knowing that it is a free software plugin. It’s simple but very effective for WordPress. One should use this plugin after using any other easier plugin; otherwise, developers can face unknown bugs.

W3 Total Cache
  1. NitroPack

This is one of the total packages of speed optimization plugins. Instead of using so many different plugins, you can really use this single plugin to speed up your website. Very few simple steps like the need to add the particular website and just connect with this plugin. Automatically NitroPack will start optimizing your website. You can access features like JavaScript differing, DNS pre-fetch, images in future format for faster loading, minification, gzip compression etc. This plugin follows the time to the first byte while minimizing main thread work and improving portal vitals. It has one advanced feature set to speed up extra. This software plugin is free, and you can use it for a small website or trial purposes. But if you do have a big website, please take the premium version.

Wordpress Plugin_5

  1. WP Fastest Cache

This performance WordPress is mainly focused on Cache. It has great easy to use features. This plugin has a few basic features along with advanced features too. You need to install it and run it through your desired website. It works on certain URL strings and provides you to set cache expiration. You will be surprised that over 1 million developers are using this plugin and have given positive reviews. It has features such as one-click response, Minify CSS, CDN integration, set pages to exclude etc. Now let’s come to the version; it has a free version and paid version too, with few advanced features.

WP Fastest Cache System

Conclusion: 

You have given a lot of time to design and develop your website. It’s time to boost up their performance now. Because your website should be SEO friendly, these WordPress plugins will help you to make SEO friendly website. Yoast is a famous plugin which you can use to make your website SEO friendly easily.

software development trends

How Developers Keep Up With The Latest Software Technologies

Software Development

Any software developer’s job requires them to stay on top of the newest developments. There are no weekends, vacations, or days off when it comes to true specialists. Staying one day behind the competition might be disastrous. In 2019, there were 26.4 million software developers in the globe, a figure that is predicted to rise to 27.7 million in 2023 and to 28.7 million in 2024

We are sure you do not want that.

For beginners in the ambit of software development, staying up to date with the latest trends can prove to be essential for professional success; otherwise, you can end up in the zone of the amateur. 

But, what do you do to remain on top of your game? We have identified some key factors that you must follow to remain on top of this game. 

Identify the Best Sources of Information

Mornings should begin with industry news for all software engineers. Isn’t it simple, isn’t it? Meanwhile, the sheer quantity of resources competing for attention in the IT sector is staggering. So make your choice based on what you need at the moment for software development methodologies.

Locate a Group to Join

One of the most significant ways to stay on top of the current trends is to join a community. As a member of a community like this, you’ll have access to a wealth of information about your projects, new advances in the industry, and more. In addition, you may save time by joining a few of the communities, which will allow you to keep up with the current trends. You can bet your bottom dollar that your fellow programmers are already delving into these issues on the forum.

Listen to Podcasts

A software developer’s greatest defense against falling behind is to continue to learn new things. You may do so by watching or listening to one of the many podcasts available. On the internet, you may locate a wide selection of them. The length of some of these is manageable within the course of a typical workday, others may need part of your vacation time. However, you’ll likely be able to keep up with advances and learn something new from most of them.

Create a community

A proactive method to remain on top of the newest advancements and to stay ahead of the competition is to create a network of like-minded people. There is no limit to how far you can take it; you may start with your friends, family, and colleagues and build it into something much greater. For example, you may establish a blog or manage your social media accounts. Start by observing industry leaders and their methods for forming communities.

Participate in Events

Meetings and conferences are wonderful venues for keeping up with the latest developments of Agile software development. A wide range of new goods and innovations in the information technology field are shown at conferences.

On the other hand, local conferences may not be comprehensive, whilst foreign travel is too expensive. Fortunately, you can generally watch a live broadcast of a conference or read a summary of the proceedings online. One of the most significant advantages of attending such events is networking with influential members in your field and establishing crucial business relationships.

Read Books

Yes, it does seem that this approach is out of date. On the other hand, books may help you discover new things and get a different perspective on your work. You’ll learn new strategies for keeping up with the newest fashions in books you’ve never read before. All software engineers should study the books, regardless of their level of expertise.

Obtain Credentials

Some software engineers think certificates are a waste of time, whereas others think they are incredibly important and worth their time. If you want to keep up with the latest developments in software development, this is a great method to do it. Getting your hands on the latest certifications in cutting-edge technology might give you an advantage over your competitors. Getting certified may seem like a hassle, but it’s a great way to improve your skills while also keeping up with the latest technological developments.

Take online classes

Taking online classes is a great method for busy software professionals to remain up to date on the latest developments. Due to the cheap cost and time-saving benefits of online education, it is becoming more popular. As a result, you may become the most sought-after expert in your profession by staying abreast of the most recent developments in the software development industry and attending courses to further your education.

Be Receptive to New Concepts

When it comes to staying on top of the current trends, no matter how many studies you do or how many classes you take, you can’t keep up if you’re not open to them. Unfortunately, it is common for software engineers to lack flexibility as a character quality. The IT industry is always evolving. It may be difficult to keep up with the competition if you don’t have the capacity to adapt to the times.

Conclusion

Staying on top of your game and ahead of the competition is a huge undertaking. Whether you are an expert or a beginner, knowing the latest trends can increase your chances of having a successful career in software development. The above list of trends will assist you in keeping up to date with the most recent software development technologies. Looking for a Software development company in York? You may contact Eco York, a full-service software development firm dedicated to providing creative and cost-effective custom websites and custom software solutions to companies of all sizes.

Custom Software Development

Custom Software Development – How It Can Help Small Businesses?

Software Development

Nowadays, it is hard to believe that a business achieves desired success without process automation and software applications. It helps businesses automate workflows, streamline business processes, and manage enterprise-wide resources. There are plenty of readily available applications and software out there in the market to fulfill business requirements across different industries. But such applications hardly cover all facets of what a particular business needs.

If you are using any such applications, you may have felt at some point that it doesn’t fit your business’s unique needs. Your business is growing and is in need of a more efficient way of dealing with your day-to-day challenges. And here’s another option: “Custom Software Development.”

Related Reading – Software Testing Trends that Will Rule 2021

Custom software, as the name suggests, is tailored to fit into your unique business needs and objectives. The software development company you have hired helps you align it with the technical, financial, and strategic values of your business. Is it the only benefit organizations can leverage from custom software development? Certainly not! There exist many more, which you can benefit from. This blog post talks about what all you can leverage by opting for custom software development for your business. So, let’s explore!

Personalization to achieve business objectives

 Yes, one of the most obvious reasons to go for tailored software development is personalization. Custom software agencies like Eco York offer a wide range of features to serve your organization’s specific needs. Not only this, but such custom software may bring unique functionalities that may help you shape up a unique identity in your niche. Since such applications cater to your business challenges better, they will put you in a leading position against your competitors.

Better control over the design of your application

Off-the-shelf applications offer less flexibility and control over the choice of technologies, tools, and overall design of your business software. It doesn’t provide room for improvement or incorporating the latest tools and technologies. On the other hand, with custom software, you have far better control over what to choose for your application. It is you who determines the features required, what all technologies to be used, and update it as and when required.

Robust and secure

One of the most underrated elements of custom software development is its ability to provide robust and secure applications. Most of the hackers and cybercriminals target the popular applications used by many businesses. Moreover, such popular off-the-shelf applications are easy to exploit since their resources are widely available. On the other hand, custom applications are designed specifically to cater to your business needs, and it will be hard for hackers to crack it since they will never have exposure to deal with such custom software before. Moreover, most of the custom software developers ensure utilizing industry-best security practices while designing it. This will ensure your data and information is intact from any cybercriminal.

Helps you bring down the operational costs in the long run

Yes, it is true! Most people have the misconception that custom software development is an expensive toy to play with. Of course, up to a certain extent, it may cost you more. But if you compare the cost spent vs. cost benefits, in the long run, you will find custom software actually reduces your overall operational costs. You can smartly plan and launch different features in chunks as and when required by your business.

Extensive support and maintenance 

With custom software, you can get access to the dedicated team of custom software developers working for you. With their in-depth technical knowledge and expertise, you can easily mitigate technical challenges or security loopholes in a short time span as compared to the readily available software where you have to wait for the update or patch from them. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about technical support and maintenance in case you break the contract with your existing service provider. Since you own the code and solution, you can hire other custom software agencies and make them work for you.

Ease of integration with any system

Yes, it is one of the best things you will leverage using custom software. Your organization may have multiple systems in place to fulfill your business requirements. It may bring a lot of compatibility and integration challenges for you if you use ready-to-use software. With custom software development, it becomes easy to integrate your existing systems. You can extend the existing custom software functionalities to add new integration touch points to automate various business processes.

More scalable solutions

As your business grows, it requires more complex and advanced tools and features to ensure it runs smoothly. Custom software empowers you to add or remove any features or to scale existing solutions to accommodate your business’s requirements. This will empower you to grow your business faster without any scalability challenges.

Ready for the custom software for your business?

Custom software development is indeed a perfect approach for businesses having unique needs. The points discussed above clearly make sense to go for custom software, but if you still have doubts, our team has the experience and expertise to provide a tailored solution to fulfill your business requirements. Want to know how we can help you with your custom software development needs? Connect with us now!

Software Testing

Software Testing Trends that Will Rule 2021

Software Development

The current pandemic situation has created new and amplified existing problems for IT companies. It has principally changed a lot of things when it comes to software development. 2020 and the coronavirus crisis have pushed each organization to be more predictive and business-centric. Specifically, we’ve witnessed a huge shift in the execution of quality assurance and testing in terms of operations, resourcing, and way of working.

Software testing is making many great moves recently. Starting from Artificial Intelligence to Machine Learning, software testing companies are innovating and experimenting with various technologies and tools.

Software testing marketing is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 6% from 2020 to 2026. Moreover, it is predicted that the market for automated testing is going to hit $28.8 billion by 2024. Now in such a scenario, enterprises and businesses must keep an eye on emerging technologies and software testing trends the year ahead!

To help you take your software testing game to the next level, check out these software testing trends that will rule 2021.

  • Codeless Automated Testing is going to rule! Designed and built using Artificial Intelligence and visual modeling technology, codeless testing tools help software testing companies to formulate test cases catering to test automation. This will empower software testing teams to create automated test scenarios without any technical or coding skills. By seeing the current adoption rate of codeless automated testing tools, it is one of the leading software testing trends for 2021.
  • Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning will roar in 2021. In recent years, the number of applications using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning has grown exponentially. It is expected that AI and ML will revolutionize not only software development but software testing too. Whether it is about test suite optimization, log analytics, defect analysis, or test case coverage, software testing companies can leverage AI and ML to improve their testing strategies. Though Machine Learning is just a prospect, the future holds strong potential for it to be used in software testing to overcome typical challenges.
  • Agile and DevOps. Of course, Agile and DevOps practices have streamlined software development. But it holds a great potential to streamline and enhance software testing too! Recently, many enterprises have realized the benefits of Agile and DevOps methodologies to build quality IT products, receive an immediate evaluation, and market faster. While the principles of Agile can be applied effectively in software development and quality assurance, DevOps can help teams with better version control, testing, and setting up a production environment.
  • Increasing demand for IoT and Big Data testing. In the future, the software testing and quality assurance market will demand higher performance, better security, compatibility, and data integrity testing. And the Internet of Things testing strategies could be a helping hand in achieving these goals in the future. At present, a small number of companies have matured IoT testing strategies in place, but the trend is projected to grow in the future. The adoption of the Internet of Things has paved the way for massive data generation, which has fueled the demand for big data testing. Considering the present scenario, IoT and Big Data testing will see increased demand in 2021.
  • Shift to Performance Testing. With the proliferation of different platforms hosting different applications, delivering an excellent user experience has become a priority for enterprises. This has encouraged enterprises and software testing companies to focus more on performance testing. The organizations are now validating the stability, scalability, and speed of the applications under different scenarios to achieve higher performance. The trend is going to be continued in 2021 too!
  • Robotic Process Automation will continue to grow! To eliminate manual intervention, organizations are leveraging robotic process automation to automate software jobs running frequently. Whether it is banking, healthcare, finance, or customer service, robotic process automation is extensively used to improve quality and enhance operational controls. It is predicted that the global robotic process automation market will hit $3.4 billion by 2027.
  • Mobile application automated testing will be the need of an hour in 2021! This is one of those software testing trends that doesn’t require any description. With millions of mobile apps listed on the app stores, mobile app testing is significant since applications need to be tested on different operating systems and devices. This has fueled the trend of mobile application automated testing to speed up and enhance the testing process. This means the trend of mobile application automated testing will be in demand for 2021 and beyond.

Wrapping it up!

So, there you have the seven most important software testing trends you need to keep an eye on while heading in 2021. Though these are not the only trends that will knock the doors of software testing in the future, keeping yourself aware of these trends will surely help you achieve your software testing goals in 2021. So, which of these software testing trends will you try first? Want to know if a software testing company can help you achieve your quality assurance goals in 2021? Get in touch with us now.

China Outreach

Replace Crystal Reports with a Custom Online Reporting Program

Software Development

One of our most recent projects consisted of a local company which utilizes Crystal Reports to provide reports for their clients to access remotely. The problem with Crystal Reports was their new software wasn’t compatible with the Accounting Software Backend, and their clients were having trouble accessing the reports remotely.

We were contracted to Replace Crystal Reports with a Custom Online Reporting Program which was easier to access, and provided more flexibility with added features. The Accounting Software has a backend SQL database and is automatically synced daily with the online software’s database. The client can then add users within the online reporting program, as well as pull the reports for each individual client in PDF format.

By having their application web based their clients are able to access the program much more simply than before. No more remote desktop connections are needed. All their clients need is Internet access to be able to log into the program and pull the necessary reports.

That’s just one more example of how Eco York can save a business time and money. If you’re interested in custom software don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Your partner in Developing Websites that Save Time and Money,

Mark Lane

President Eco York, LLC

Restaurant reporting software

Custom Restaurant Reporting Software

Software Development

Eco York develops Custom Software that can save your Business Time and Money. That sounds great doesn’t it? Saving Time and Money in today’s economy means quite a lot. But what does that all mean?

What that means is that Eco York will take the time to sit down with you and learn more about your business, and figure out if there’s a custom software solution that could actually save your business time and money. Even if you have an existing software package that you’re used to using, Eco York will take the time to study what you currently have, and see if we can develop a solution to interact with your current application. If we aren’t able to interact with your current application, we’ll be sure to figure out a way to get your old data into a new system that works for your businesses end goals.

At this point you might be asking what types of custom software solutions Eco York can develop for your business. Let’s talk about a recent custom software package that we developed.

Let’s say you’re a restaurant and you use an online reporting software, similar to the one below

online reporting software

This is the front end of the software package that one of our customers used. An online ordering system that provided everything they needed to run their restaurant. The reporting is just as easy to use as well.

Now this software serves it’s purpose and provides all of the features that our client needed. However there was a problem, they ran over 30 restaurants. You can imagine how time consuming it would be to log into 30 different administration websites to download CSV reports and compile them on a monthly basis with Profit margins, and Remittance Amounts as well as run a report on the Orders that were completed during that month.

We saw this as a golden opportunity to work with the original developers of this software and work with an API that they had created to create a custom software package for our newest client. So we developed a custom software that our client could log into and add all of their locations, pull all of the orders for those locations, and create reports based on dates.  Here’s a screen shot of the interface to add locations.

From this custom dashboard our client is able to add new “schools” which allow them to organize their locations, and attach those locations to those schools. Order refunds are also able to be added as well as the ability to download all of the orders for all of the schools with the click of a button.  After all of the orders are pulled if there are orders that need changed, we have added the ability to edit the order information as well as search for a specific order.

Our reports were also customized to our clients needs so they could choose which school they wanted to pull the reports for, and have it organize all of the order information and remittance information for their restaurants.

The above custom report is a PDF which shows all of the information our client needed to send to their restaurants on a monthly basis. Now the client only had to pull the reports once a month and take a few hours out of their schedule to spot check the details before sending it off to their restaurants.

Now that’s just one example of how Eco York can save a business time and money. If you’re interested in custom software don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Your partner in Developing Websites that Save Time and Money,

Mark Lane

President Eco York, LLC

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