Category: Business

What Is the Best Website Building Platform for Small Business?

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

The biggest challenge in choosing the best website building platform for small business today is that there are just too many of them. No doubt, when you visit the websites of different builders, you’ll see claims that they are the best and an impressive list of features used to prove it. Indeed, the truth of the matter is that many of these platforms are excellent. So, a business owner who is not an experienced tech professional working with websites might get confused fast.

Today, we’d like to bring some clarity to this issue. Devtorium has built dozens of websites for various industries, ranging from travel to eCommerce to derivatives trading. This experience gives our developers a perspective that enables them to help every client choose a website building platform best suited to their unique needs.

Below is a list compiled by our web development experts who share their top 5 website builders. These platforms are flexible and affordable, which makes them a great fit for small businesses.

Best website building platform for small business: WordPress, WIX, Shopify, Bubble, Webflow.

Best Website Building Platform for Small Business: Top 5

WordPress (+ WooCommerce)

WordPress is the number one website-building platform today. Over 43% of all websites on the internet run on WP. Despite the complex customization system, WordPress is the most flexible website builder you can find. If you wish to be in charge of the site and want to add unique functionalities and features, this is the choice for you. In fact, the Devtorium website is built on WordPress, so you can see exactly what our developers can do with this platform.

Moreover, small businesses specializing in online sales can easily create a WordPress store using a specialized plugin, WooCommerce. It’s one of the best eCommerce platforms today, and it allows you to run a store easily.

WordPress benefits:

  • WP is a powerful content management system (CMS) that is free to use. You must pay only for a hosting company and domain names.
  • WordPress is an open-source platform. Therefore, you can create a site with unique functionalities even with a small budget.
  • This platform has a vast library of add-ons and plugins (over 60,000). Having unlimited access to various extensions (free and premium) makes this builder the most flexible for adding features and designs.
  • There are thousands of themes and templates (free and premium). Therefore, you can create a beautiful site even without hiring a UI/UX designer.

AI capabilities:

WordPress offers multiple AI plugins that can diversify and boost website performance. They can perform various functions, including content creation, virtual assistance, security, and more.

Bubble

Bubble is our favorite no-code platform. Users created 2.3M+ apps on it, and the platform raised $10.3 billion in funding. Bubble has a robust and, most importantly, scalable infrastructure. Therefore, it’s perfect for entrepreneurs building MVPs and also serves as a great website building platform for small business.

Bubble benefits:

  • Bubble.io is one of the most scalable no-code platforms. It’s easy to update and maintain your Bubble website. 
  • The drag-and-drop design saves you time and money. You can design custom web apps from scratch without the limitations of preset templates. 
  • The platform handles hosting, so there are no hard limits on the number of users or data storage.
  • Bubble web development is compatible with all browsers and operating systems.

AI capabilities:

You can integrate AI in Bubble.io and optimize the website how way you want. It’s compatible with top trending technologies, including OpenAI and ChatGPT.

Webflow

Webflow is a no-code development platform that’s already used by 200,000+ organizations and businesses. Moreover, Webflow highly customizable. This website building platform for small business is a good option for design-oriented customers who wish to style the site precisely the way they want.

Webflow benefits:

  • Due to advanced design features, you can create complex rich animations, parallax scrolling, and a variety of micro-interactions. 
  • Webflow comes with a built-in Content Management System (CMS). Therefore, you can effectively manage and modify all your content with this tool.
  • The platform offers an extensive list of SEO tools and optimization options.
  • Webflow has a huge library of integrations, including app integration and automation, content marketing solutions, analytics, and targeting tools.

AI capability:

Webflow was planning to develop an integrated AI feature that would assist platform users. However, as of now, they only allow for the integration of third-party AI tools. You can learn more about Webflow’s plans for AI development from their blog.

Tips for choosing the best website building platform.

Shopify

Shopify is a website building platform for small business that specializes in online sales. As eCommerce goes, it’s hard to find a more comprehensive solution. Devtorium developers worked with Shopify extensively and they are very happy with the platform’s functionality, stability, and security. This all-in-one platform powers 10% of total US eCommerce sites. As Shopify offers unlimited storage and no product limit, you can scale from small to big online stores. This website builder works best for businesses that want to launch an online store really fast.

Shopify benefits:

  • The platform’s advanced functionality enables you to manage your online store easily. Shopify offers everything from marketing and payment tools to secure transactions and shipping options support.
  • You can use Shopify to sell online or in-person. The platform supports multiple outlets, including web, mobile, social media, online marketplaces, pop-ups, in-person events, retail locations, and brick-and-mortar stores.
  • Shopify is completely cloud-based and hosted. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about issues like web hosting, security, caching, etc.
  • Shopify has a 24/7 support team. It’s one of the few eCommerce platforms offering 24-hour customer service via email, live chat, and phone.

AI capabilities:

Shopify recently introduced a new AI tool called Shopify Magic. This proprietary solution helps users generate product descriptions for their shops. However, bear in mind that Shopify Magic’s suggestions may not be 100% on target. It’s a common weakness of all AI content generators.

Wix

Wix is a website building platform powering over 10.8 million sites. It has quite a few limitations in site management and design. However, this platform is well-suited for small businesses, consultants, bloggers, and entrepreneurs.

Wix benefits:

  • Wix provides access to its own web hosting and domain names (free and paid).
  • There is a built-in SEO tool. Therefore, you can improve the site’s ranking effectively.
  • Wix considers website safety and security. For example, all their websites have an SSL certificate and are automatically backed up.
  • Wix offers 24/7 customer support services for all paid plans.

AI capabilities:

Wix has artificial design intelligence (Wix ADI) that can assist you in designing a beautiful website. However, this feature is only available for some types of projects (portfolios, yoga sites, etc.). If your project fits the AI’s requirements, it will create images and content. In addition, it will connect your social media, create a contact form, or pick a suitable design for your audience.

Bottom Line: How to Pick the Best Website Building Platform?

The process of choosing the best platform and building a website using it can be rather straightforward and easy. As a business owner, you just need to take the following steps:

  1. Make a list of the things you want your website to have and do. It will be easier if you do some extra research. For example, you can look at what your competitors’ sites are like. Also, you can add some ideas of the things you enjoyed on various pages while browsing the Internet.
  2. Contact the Devtorium team and arrange a free consultation at a time convenient for you.
  3. Share your list of requirements with us. Devtorium developers, analysts, and designers will quickly come up with suggestions and estimates. Next, we’ll provide an offer with different options that will highlight different perks of specific platforms that you can benefit from while staying within budget.
  4. Pick the offer that you like most, and our dev team will do the rest. You’ll have your website up and running in no time!

How to Use Generative AI in Real-Life Business

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

Generative AI is the buzzword of today. Everyone must have tried using at least one of the available solutions by now. ChatGPT alone has over 100 million users, and Midjourney isn’t too far behind. However, if you are a business owner looking to boost your services or workflow with tech innovation, your main question should be, ‘how to use generative AI in my business?’

We are here to answer this question today. Devtorium offers a wide range of AI software development services, and our solution engineers have expertise with different types of AI frameworks. According to our experts, the only limitation when implementing AI into business is your creativity. Generative AI uses are indeed quite specific. However, using your imagination, you can make these instruments help with many everyday tasks.

How to use generative AI for business.

Step 1: Choose the Type of Generative AI Applications You Need

Generative AI is a technology that trains using specific datasets, and, based on that training, it learns to generate various types of other datasets. Simply put, developers input massive databases that the AI processes and learns. Then, it creates different types of content based on the information it consumed.

It’s also important to note that generative AI applications are today’s top tech trend. They’ve been on a steep rise since 2020 and, according to Gartner, reached the ‘Peak of Inflated Expectations’ in 2022. ChatGPT made this technology truly mainstream as it introduced AI to the mass market. Every person with a computer and internet access could use ChatGPT and get some answers from it. This showed people without connections to software development that AI technology is real and that generative AI uses are endless.

The quick popularization of other AI tools pushed this technology forward faster because, as mentioned before, it learns when it works with data. Therefore, AI improves with every task it completes.

When you consider how to use generative AI in your business, you need to start by researching the types of these tools. The most basic way to separate generative AI into types is by the kind of output content they produce. However, remember that some AI solutions are highly complex and can generate various content.

  • Text generation
  • Code generation
  • Video generation
  • Image generation
  • Sound generation
  • Research and explanation

The last type refers to generative AI uses in research where such tools can process, simplify, and summarize complex texts. For example, you can use Elicit or Enago Read for these purposes. Other popular generative AI apps are ChatGPT, DALL-E, Bard, DALL-E, and Midjourney, which create different content based on user-given prompts or dialogue.

Generative AI tools and their types.

Step 2: Generative AI Application in Real-Life Situations

Types of these tools seemingly make it obvious how to use generative AI. However, are you sure you’ve thought of all the ways this can be implemented in business?

Here’s a list of some ideas for you to consider:

  • Text content creation can be used to make marketing materials, blog posts, advertisements, and even work emails for some situations. For example, if you don’t have a talent for creative writing, generative AI tools like ChatGPT can help you write proposals, congratulatory emails, and even feedback.
  • You can use generative AI to edit texts as well. The tool can help you improve grammar and style or make some translations. However, it’s admittedly not perfect in translations, so be careful with how you use that output.
  • When you need to make guides or other helpful documentation for your customers, you can use AI generators to simplify technical texts. So, you’ll create posts and papers that are easy even for non-professionals to understand.
  • Image and video generators can also be used in marketing. You can create everything from a brand logo to a complete set of marketing materials used in ads, banners, blog posts, and even website designs.
  • In other generative AI uses, 3D models can be implemented in manufacturing and used to aid business planning.
  • Architects can use generative AI applications to create and analyze existing designs.
  • If needed, you can use Midjourney and similar tools to create illustrations for your content.
  • Sound generation can be applied to create tunes for social media or for your personal artwork, as well as advertisements and presentations.
  • Text generators, like GPT-4, are part of responsive chatbots and other automated reply solutions. For example, you can program these tools to send automatic email replies.
  • Sound generation solutions can work with speech in different ways. One of them is speech-to-text, which will allow you to create records of lectures or important meetings.
AI applications in customer service.

AI Uses for Onboarding and Customer Service

Currently, the main areas of generative AI applications are employee onboarding and customer service. That’s because a chatbot is the most popular AI instrument used in business today. However, generative AI uses allow you to expand on those implementations, further boosting their efficiency.

Some ideas on how to use generative AI in onboarding and customer service include:

  • Creating educational courses using video and speech generation technologies.
  • Personalizing customer journey experiences.
  • Creating a support service for navigating the company or website.
  • Creating a service to collect and process complaints, using AI capabilities to allow the tool to resolve some common issues.
  • Developing a content recommendation system for customers to help boost sales.
How to use generative AI to boost your business.

Bottom Line: Who Needs Generative AI Apps Today?

This is only a short list of the most basic AI uses one can come up with today. If you are serious about improving your business’ productivity with this technology, you should book a free consultation and discuss your case with our AI solution developers.

AI applications are so versatile that they can benefit any business today. All you need is a bit of creativity and a lot of technical expertise. We have both and can help you achieve the best results with custom AI solution development services. These can be tailored to your budget and needs. Most importantly, they can grow with your business, offering continuous improvement and optimization.

What Are Devtorium AI Software Development Services?

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

Innovation is our everything, and AI software development services offered by Devtorium reflect that. We aim to ensure that our clients have access to cutting-edge technology. Together with you, we can create tech solutions that will give your business a competitive advantage even in this age of hi-tech races. Our software engineers, who specialize in artificial intelligence solution development, can use a variety of AI tools to ensure your business stays ahead.

In this post we’ll explain exactly what kind of AI solution development services Devtorium offers. Moreover, we’ll give you concrete examples of how these technologies can be implemented to give any business a boost.

Devtorium AI Software Development Services: Technologies We Use

Artificial Intelligence technologies used today can be roughly divided into three groups:

  • AI/Deep Learning/Machine Learning
  • Reinforcement Learning
  • Generative Networks

It’s vital to understand that when creating AI software solutions, developers usually have to use all these technologies. The solution architect working on your project will analyze the requirements and suggest a combination of technologies to fit your needs best. AI software is highly complex and usually takes both software developers and data scientists to create.

Data Science services are an integral part of any AI software development. Artificial intelligence literally runs on data. Therefore, working with different types of databases and optimizing these processes, for example, through vector embeddings, is crucial for producing solutions that can learn and improve as they evolve. Devtorium AI software development services create self-educating systems that will grow with your business and adapt to its changing needs.

How AI software development services can be implemented in real life.

AI Software Development Technologies: Areas of Implementation

Computer vision

  • Object Detection
  • Segmentation
  • OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
  • Human Pose Detection
  • Face Detection

Computer vision is one of the AI software development services we encounter daily. It’s combined with other types of AI tech to produce solutions that surround us everywhere, for example:

  • Auto-pilots for vehicles
  • Security systems (FaceID, fingertip scanners, building security footage analysis, etc.)
  • AR applications used for eCommerce and gaming
  • Scanning and transcribing text via a photo (try this feature in GoogleTranslate)
  • Advanced search through images, videos, and large documents

Large Language Models (LLM)

  • Text generation
  • Searching
  • Analytics
  • Summarising

The most well-known example of an LLM is ChatGPT. Pretty much everyone who is even a little tech-savvy today used this platform at least once. Its most popular features are text generative and writing code. However, it can do much more than that. For example, an LLM can create text summaries, descriptions of images, and different versions of the same content. It can ‘give advice’. However, the system is pretty straightforward in the sense that its advice is content generated based on your inquiry.

Note that these AI solutions can process literary texts, code, and any other kind of textual data. A part of Devtorium AI software development services is creating and ‘training’ LLMs to automatically deliver the type of service you need.

Role of data science in AI software development services.

Big Data

  • Statistic/Data Analytics
  • Data Transformation

Our world is data, and AI-powered data science solutions can make it work for you in every way possible. Devtorium’s team of data scientists is experienced in creating solutions that can extract and process data from various sources. Some of their projects included:

  • Deriving relevant information from digital reports and massive databases. Then, processing this data and visualizing multiple reports for eCommerce businesses to help the client make educated decisions.
  • Processing data from multiple sources and creating a predictive analytics model to forecast trends and market changes.
  • Transform data from one format to another for future processing and analysis. For example, one of our projects included collating handwritten notes from medical specialists, adding medical records data, prescriptions, and medical test results. The data was transformed, processed, and analyzed to provide necessary insights for an AI-powered healthcare solution.
  • Another project Devtorium completed entailed collecting data from fitness trackers, medical records, prescriptions, notes, and trainer comments as a part of an interactive athletes’ training tracking app.

Robotics & Automation Engineering

Implementation of robotics technologies at manufacturing lines is nothing new today. However, recent advancements in artificial intelligence solutions take this type of service to the next level. As a part of Devtorium AI software development services, our engineers can do much more than simply program the machines to do specific actions automatically.

We are now able to ‘teach’ robots the basics of behavior and program them to learn. As a result, you get automation that improves with every iteration. So, instead of a mindless drone, you get a helper that can increase overall business productivity and significantly reduce the risk of errors.

Bottom Line: Should You Invest in AI Software Development Services?

Answering the question of whether your business needs an AI-powered solution is easy. Just decide for yourself if you want your business to stay competitive on the market. Today implementing AI in various business processes is not about getting head through groundbreaking innovation. Already this technology is becoming so popular and widespread that not using it is sure to put you hopelessly behind.

If you want to not only retain a competitive edge but actually move forward, taking over a bigger portion of the market, contact us today. Devtorium’s team of AI software engineers will work with you to develop a strategy that can help your company succeed.

AI Chatbot Development: What a Chatbot Can Do

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

As you must know, GPT Chat has recently gone way beyond viral and unlocked new levels of popularity, so AI chatbot development has become the hottest trend. So, if you want to get on this trend before it’s too late, you need to hurry, as new AI-powered services are popping up overnight. In fact, even Devtorium launched an AI content generator, Marquètte.

All this means two things:

  • You need to invest in chatbot development as soon as possible to launch your product before the competition gets too intense.
  • Devtorium developers have a lot of experience in AI-powered software development, which we can put to good use to realize your ideas.

So, you know why invest in chatbot development services and who can do it for you. Therefore, the main question is, what kind of custom chatbot service do you want to launch?

AI chatbot development goes well beyond simple chatbots we are used to relying on as shopping assistants. This technology advances fast, and this kind of tool can complete many versatile and complex tasks now. In this article, we’ll share some ideas on what a chatbot can do today. Use it for inspiration or research when working on your AI-powered business plan.

AI Chatbot Development Ideas for Business: What Chatbots Can Do

AI chatbot development for customer service.

Chatbot Development for Customer Support

The most common use of chatbots today is, of course, creating visual assistants to make customer support more affordable. According to Gartner research, chatbots will become the primary customer service provider over the next five years. Moreover, about 74% of internet users prefer interacting with a chatbot when looking for answers to simple questions. Other studies also show that AI-powered assistants can reach the level of experienced sales professionals. Therefore, they can help your business quite effectively.

Additionally, chatbots can perform a wide range of tasks in their customer service role.

  • Answering questions.
    The best use of a chatbot is to give customers 24/7 support that can answer the most common questions. There might be some advanced issues that a machine can’t handle, but those can be rerouted to your human experts.
  • Processing customer inquiries.
    AI chatbot development can create an assistant that will integrate into the process of your interaction with the customers. AI can collect data and process it transferring inquiries to different business departments or even answering some of them automatically.
  • Finding, inventory checking, and recommending products.
    A great help for eCommerce businesses are chatbots that can lead the customer when they want to find a product fast. The AI can then check the inventory in real-time and recommend a replacement or additional products.
  • Processing return and exchange requests.
    AI chatbot development allows you to automate the return/exchange process completely, thus reducing the risk of human error. You’ll get a boost in customer experience and satisfaction out of it.
  • Tracking order shipments.
    Allow your customers to track their orders with an AI assistant.
  • Collecting and processing feedback.
    Chatbot development can produce a solution that will collect feedback more effectively through personalized requests. Moreover, it can immediately process the data.

AI chatbot development for marketing your business.

AI Chatbot Development for Marketing

There are many ways to use AI-powered platforms for marketing. The main purpose of these tools is to cut costs and increase the efficiency of information processing and analysis. In addition, you can teach your AI assistant to cross-sell, upsell, and downsell, to increase business revenue. Some ideas for marketing chatbot development include:

  • Lead generation.
    There can’t be too many ways to generate leads. So if you have a chance to use a chatbot for it, do this!
  • Second-net lead generation.
    What did we just say about ‘never too many lead generation routes’? If you aren’t using a chatbot as a primary lead gen contact, set it up as the second-net step so it can engage customers who ignored the initial lead generation form.
  • Pricing explanation.
    Pricing pages can be complicated for many users, especially if the service has a multiple-tier subscription system. Adding a chatbot at this stage will combine marketing, support, and sales efforts into a solution that will guide the customer to the subscription that suits them best.
  • Unobtrusive and engaging product promotion.
    AI chatbot development allows you to create an assistant that will be a witty and fun conversation partner for your customers. As an added feature, it can also promote your products as an organic part of the conversation instead of a self-promotion advertisement.
  • Powering up funnel marketing.
    You can include a chatbot to assist you and increase customer engagement at every level of your marketing funnel.
  • Assistance with quizzes, promotions, and contests.
    Chatbots can help you implement and process data collected by many popular marketing tools, like quizzes and contests. They can also help run promotions by engaging customers.

How to use AI chatbot development for sales.

AI Chatbot Development for Sales

Now, let’s be honest, a chatbot is not yet able to sell something as well as an experienced human sales professional. Moreover, the majority of people prefer interacting with humans, especially when discussing more complex topics. However, AI chatbot development can facilitate your sales process as a whole by assisting at several stages.

  • Offering product demos and showcasing them.
    A chatbot can help increase conversions and boost page visitor engagement by offering and running an attractive showcase of the product. It can be personalized for different target audience segments for better conversion chances.
  • AI-powered personal shopping assistant.
    The popularity of personal shoppers speaks for itself. AI can handle this task extremely well, especially with its capabilities for data processing and personalization. It may not sell directly, but it will help customers choose products, as well as cross-sell.
  • Providing quotes and estimates.
    Integrating AI chatbot development with your databases and business tools can create a bot capable of giving precise quotes and promoting your products at the same time. It’s a great opportunity for growth and conversion.
  • Connecting sales and customer support.
    Offering sales assistance, product promotion, and customer support in one place is a sure win with the customers. Create a chatbot that will help your visitors in every way and switch automatically to guide the user to conversion. AI is advanced enough to do it. You just need a custom product development team that can unlock its potential for you.

AI chatbot development helps every business.

Bottom Line: Chatbot Development Is for Everyone

The simple truth is that every business today can benefit from investing in a chatbot development company. The potential in this industry is limitless. You can use the bot to assist your own business from within or to engage your customers. The only limits here are your imagination and current technology level. However, the latter is growing fast.

We’ll stop here today. However, in the future, expect to see more articles about applying chatbots in different industries, including healthcare and fintech.

What Is the Best Messenger App for Business?

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

Choosing a messenger app for business isn’t as easy as it might seem at first glance. Of course, you begin the search thinking that whatever you use for personal messaging in your daily life must be good enough, right?

But businesses aren’t personal daily life. Therefore, you need to consider a dozen extra factors, like integrations, performance, compatibility, affordability, subscription plans, and security. When Devtorium was working on choosing the best business messenger platform for our company, we conducted a detailed study to compare all the most popular options on the market. A team of our employees from different departments tested half a dozen apps for over a month. They assessed the platforms based on the following criteria:

  • Usability
  • Functionality
  • Price
  • Performance
  • Compatibility
  • Security

Admittedly, some options we’ve studied are fun but not business-appropriate (Discord). Meanwhile, some don’t even rate a mention as their ‘ready to switch’ rate was so low (2.17% for Mattermost Pro). Yet none of this means that these messenger platforms are bad. It’s just that they don’t fit our specific business model.

Today we will share a detailed analysis of the top three messenger apps for business based on Devtorium’s in-house study. 

Best Messenger App for Business: Comparison by the Devtorium Team

Slack is the best overall messnger app for business.

Slack: Best Overall Messenger App for Business

Slack is probably the most popular, and definitely the most well-known, messaging app for business, and with good reason. This app passed our functionality testing with flying colors. Moreover, its performance, compatibility, and usability testing proved the platform to be top-notch.

A few of our testers encountered some minor issues, but those were rare. Also, only a couple of people didn’t find this app intuitive and easy to use. However, ultimately, none of the employees using this app deemed it a failure or a wrong choice for any business.

During our investigation, the Devtorium team noticed some minor issues with:

  • Authentication process
  • Notification status (when the message is delivered/read/etc.)
  • Notifications when a user joins or leaves a group chat
  • Blocking contacts

Please bear in mind that those were only one-time minor inconveniences, not major issues that affected the app’s overall performance.

Overall, Slack proved to be an excellent messenger app for business on every level. Its performance is outstanding, and it can effectively integrate with Zoom and Google Drive. Therefore, conference calls and file sharing are never an issue. The best thing about it is that Slack is a rather flexible solution designed to meet the majority of business needs. In addition, it runs equally smoothly on all devices.

One of the biggest advantages of Slack as a messenger app for business is its flexibility for customization. For example, users can set up precise notification alerts, filter discussions by various parameters, edit messages, etc. Therefore, the user can set up the app in a way to maximize their personal productivity.

Slack Pros:

  • High level of customization and personalization
  • Effective integrations with popular third-party tools (e.g. Zoom, Google Drive, Asana, Dropbox, Outlook Calendar etc.)
  • Stores conversation history that every member that joins the group can access
  • Easy and smooth file sharing in real-time
  • Good performance and stability across devices

Slack Cons:

  • Occasional issues with the quality of calls
  • Minor issues with notifications and statuses (rare)
  • Quite expensive subscription plans (can be unfeasible for SMBs)

Google Chat: Best messenger app for business if you use Workspace by Google

Google Chat: Google Workspace Messenger App for Businesses

If your company uses Google Workspace, choosing Google Chat as your messenger app for business makes sense. It’s efficient overall, its performance is good, and Google-backed security is excellent. Moreover, being a Google Service, it easily integrates with all other Google services and tools. Therefore, it’s reasonably easy to set up a communication and file-sharing infrastructure within your organization.

That said, almost 40% of Devtorium employees who tested business messenger platforms would prefer NOT to switch to Google Chat. This choice comes from the limitations of the app’s functionality and occasional issues with everything that isn’t a Google service.

All in all, our testers conclude that Google Chat is an excellent tool for short messages exchanged within the Workspace. However, it’s insufficient for multi-faceted international teams that need to exchange files, calls, videos, and feedback, all in real-time.

Perhaps, the main issue is that Google developed so many excellent but single-purpose tools. Therefore, its group-messaging solution lacks all the features that other tools have built-in from the start. So, it works well as an element of a comprehensive Workspace environment but not well enough to be an efficient stand-alone messaging app for business.

Don’t get us wrong, Google Chat is fantastic for use along with other Google services. It allows you to combine emails and chat and even set tasks managing your team’s calendars during the conversation. However, it’s not a stand-alone messenger app for business. In fact, it doesn’t even have a separate desktop/mobile app, only a web version that runs via the Google Chrome browser.

Google Chat Pros:

  • Excellent integration with all Google Workspace services
  • Easy and intuitive to use
  • Connected to Gmail, which allows conversing via chat and email within groups

Google Chat Cons:

  • Only really useful as a part of Google Workspace
  • No Reply feature, which makes communication difficult, especially in groups
  • Only web app available

Rocket Chat: Best alternative to Slack as a messenger app for business

Rocket Chat Messenger App for Business

In essence, Rocket Chat, as it is today, is an approximation of Slack. It’s similar in UI and functionality, leaving the user with a similar feel. That said, it’s still not Slack-level technology.

For all that it passed all functional tests our team put the solution through, only about 2% of people were ready to switch to this app. First of all, it’s because, as a messenger app for business, it’s really not cost-efficient. At the minimum, you will need to pay $7 a month per user (no less than 25 users). The free version of the app has limited notifications and functionality, so it’s not very useful even for a small business.

There are some distinctions in the package offering depending on whether you install Rocket Chat on your company’s server or use Rocket’s resources. However, both options end up being quite expensive.

In addition, the app has fewer robust features and integrations compared to Slack. There are also some issues with updating the app. Therefore, it can eventually become a security risk. In addition, it’s not intuitive in some cases, especially with the newer features.

Rocket Chat Pros:

  • Similar to Slack in design and functionality
  • Has a versatile collection of features and integrations
  • Can be installed on the company’s servers directly

Rocket Chat Cons:

  • Expensive overall, considering its limited functionality when compared to Slack
  • Issues with updating the solution to a newer version
  • Not intuitive in some features
  • Quote a message feature isn’t particularly easy to use

Bottom Line: What is the Best Messenger App for Business?

After evaluating some of the leading messenger apps for business, the Devtorium team came to the conclusion that the best option overall is Slack. Of all the platforms on the market, it has the most robust functionality and can easily integrate with all other solutions your business uses today.

However, we’d like to note that every top platform on the market has many strong points. Therefore, every business should explore the pros and cons of each option after considering its unique needs.

Moreover, with how fast AI technology is advancing right now, we are sure that we’ll soon see a messenger app for business that uses AI-powered tools in some fashion. We’re looking forward to this. Are you?

Best messanger app for business: top 3 options

End-to-End Development: Benefits for Business Success in 2022

Posted on by oleshchenko

End-to-end development can provide a software product that will enable your business to grow considerably. An end-to-end solution opens multiple opportunities for improving workflows and increasing profitability. Understanding the advantages of this type of development will help you decide whether it’s a good investment for your business. We would like to help you make the best choice for your company.  In this post, our experts will explain both pros and cons of end-to-end software development.

What Is End-to-End Development?

When it comes to end-to-end custom software product development, a vendor has to provide you with

  • Establishing all the necessary software or hardware requirements
  • Solution installation services
  • Solution integration with third-party software (if needed)
  • Complete solution setup
  • Software maintenance

All in all, no other service providers should be involved in the end-to-end development process. For example, an end-to-end e-commerce solution aims to address business needs regarding order processing, stock and warehouse management, and accounts systems.

One of the most significant advantages of the end-to-end model for the customer is reduced business risk. When employing this type of development service, the same professionals will be responsible for the entire creation and maintenance process. Therefore, any issue can be dealt with immediately. In addition, you won’t have to spend extra resources to manage various software development and maintenance stages by several separate teams.

Why end-to-end development is a good investment for s business.

End-to-End Development Benefits for Your Business

Custom-tailored end-to-end solution (E2ES)

The main benefit is getting a solution that is ideally in tune with your business. Depending on your requirements for the product, it might provide you with an aerial view of all the workflows. Therefore, you’ll be able to monitor every aspect of the business in real time. Such help can be invaluable if your goal is to maximize profit and reduce waste and redundancy. Solutions created by an enterprise web development company can be highly complex and flexible to account for every tiny business detail.

Moreover, your total control of the business process through such solutions will enable faster and more efficient modernization. It will also help grow overall productivity and improve the performance of every unit within the enterprise.

Reduced costs and extra income

Calculating the cost of end-to-end software development is a complicated process that largely depends on the customer’s requirements. However, you can be sure that hiring an end-to-end solution developer will be cheaper than hiring several contractors to create and manage the software.

Moreover, some mistakes and issues will surely happen when different people work on one project. Therefore, it will mean losses for your business on several levels. Therefore, having a single team handle every step of the software product lifecycle is more cost-efficient overall.

In addition, consider the extra income you will gain from the productivity boost. No one can argue that top-quality custom software helps increase profits. So, the result of hiring a dedicated end-to-end development company is a reduction of your costs and the growth of your income.

Operational efficiency

Human error is an essential factor that every business must consider. Using top-grade custom software is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of human error today. However, you must remember that people who create and manage this software are liable to make mistakes. This chance increases if several unconnected teams work with the same product. Therefore, the foremost benefit of an end-to-end solution (E2ES) is reduced risk of human error.

Of course, people might make mistakes in these teams. However, if the solution is closely monitored by people who understand it fully, they can resolve any issues quickly and efficiently.

Using end-to-end development also often helps businesses boost their operational efficiency through automation. It can help you optimize workflows and improve overall resource management.

Security

End-to-end development is safer in every way. First of all, you only need to have an airtight NDA with one company. But even more important is that an end-to-end solution (E2ES) has fewer security risks.

It’s important to remember that every third-party software integration makes a solution more vulnerable to outside attacks. Also, in this case, you would rely on each of those other solutions being up-to-date with security.

In addition, it’s pretty common for different solutions to fail at integration after their separate updates. Therefore, your whole business might be at risk.

Meanwhile, an end-to-end enterprise web development company can create a highly secure software product. The developers will also update its security regularly as part of maintenance. So, you can be sure that your business is always protected from the latest cyber threats.

Why end-to-end solutions development can be the right choice for you.

Scalability

For the majority of businesses, growth is one of their foremost goals. And every business owner understands that workflow disruptions at a critical time can cause a loss of growth opportunities. Those chances might not come up again. Moreover, the business might lose a lot of money. For example, if a significant disruption happens during some big seasonal sale or a costly marketing campaign.

The ability to scale fast is one of the most significant benefits of end-to-end development. These solutions are literally designed to grow with your business. Therefore, the vendor can collaborate with the software developer to facilitate any changes in business workflows.

This way, you will not only ensure that your company runs smoothly at any time. But you will also maintain top-grade efficiency with new parameters. So, you’ll have a better chance to retain the loyalty of new customers.

Scaling up your business becomes easier and more affordable with an end-to-end solution. Moreover, you can benefit from the development company’s analytical data to help you choose the best moment and build an efficient strategy.

Transparency

Transparency is essential for any business. End-to-end development allows you to have more transparency in matters related to software. Working with a single team, you will have more effective communication. In addition, you will have access to everything that’s happening on the project.

It means more control over the development process. So you’ll be sure that you are making the best use of your resources. In addition, you will have guarantees that your data is well-protected. If you want to be sure of its safety, choose a development company that holds recognized security certificates.

Cons of end-to-end development for small businesses.

Is End-to-End Development for Everyone?

While the benefits of end-to-end solution development cannot be denied, there are some cases when it’s not the best option. The foremost concern is, of course, the cost. End-to-end development isn’t cheap. Therefore, it’s out of reach for the majority of businesses.

Remember that it’s a long-term investment. So, you’ll need to pour a lot of funds into it long before it pays off fully, let alone starts bringing a profit. Moreover, this project will require a constant flow of funds as developers will need to provide maintenance for the product.

Another thing to consider is that you’ll be stuck with the software development company you hire first. Of course, if some issues arise, it’s possible to change your contractors eventually. However, this will increase the cost and might cause multiple problems on the development side. Therefore, you must be 100% sure of the company you employ for end-to-end solution development.

Scalability can also be a concern. On the one hand, it should be easier for your development team to expand the product. They know all the ins and outs of the project and can work with it most efficiently.

Meanwhile, an end-to-end solution might not be very flexible by design. For example, adding some new advanced features might be impossible because they won’t sync with the original architecture. So, your growth opportunities might be limited down the line. Also, expanding the solutions might be too costly as you might need to rework all of it to accommodate additions.

All in all, you need to consider end-to-end software development with extreme care. Talk to the developers and discuss all pros and cons of this approach. A trustworthy custom software development company will advise you on the best choice for your business.

Bottom Line: End-to-End Development Services You Can Trust

There are many ways in which an end-to-end solution can benefit your business. However, it’s essential to understand that you would be able to enjoy these benefits only when the custom software development company you hire can deliver top-quality services.

When choosing a development team, you need to consider the following:

  • Expertise.
    Check the company’s case studies and discuss their expertise during a meeting. You need to ensure the developers have experience with the exact types of tasks you will set for them.
  • Reputation.
    Look up the company’s reviews online and ask for referrals whenever possible. However, you must also remember that restrictive NDAs cover many software development projects. Therefore, you might not be able to contact the company’s other clients directly.
  • Professionalism.
    You should be able to get a reasonable estimation of the developers’ professionalism at the early stages of negotiations. A reliable development team must be open with you from the start and ready to work with you to achieve the best business outcomes. In addition, evaluate the communication and time management skills of the people you interact with. Would you trust them with your investment?

If, after reading all this, you realize that end-to-end development is the way to go for your business, contact us! We’ll be happy to discuss your ideas and requirements in more detail during a free consultation.

Devtorium Software Product Development Company: 2022 Progress Report

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

The war in Ukraine, the worldwide COVID-induced supply chain collapse and the global economic crisis are the things that defined the year 2022. Of course, no software product development company remained unaffected by these major factors. As a result, the already competitive industry has become a cutthroat battle for new projects. Devtorium is proud to report that despite all challenges, we are closing the year with new projects, promising negotiations with prospective clients, and mastering innovative technologies.

Devtorium Software Product Development Company: Yearly Report

At Devtorium, we’ve always believed that the true strength of a business is the people. This year provided us with solid proof of that. Our teams turned the trials they faced into opportunities to show their strength of spirit and admirable work ethics. Delivery schedules became the topmost priority for every developer as they refused to get behind on their work regardless of the circumstances.

The results of this dedication and professionalism speak for themselves:

  • Many of our developers work from Ukraine and struggle with disruptions caused by the war. However, wartime challenges didn’t make us lose a single client. We remain firmly within project deadlines regardless of any power outages and missile strikes.
  • We’ve started two new projects in 2022. One is a comprehensive insuretech solution that consists of several products. It’s powered by .NET, React, and PostgreSQL technologies and is completely cloud-based (AWS). Another is a React-powered travel app focused on accessibility.
  • We’ve completed negotiations and will launch two new projects in January 2023. One is a large-scale ad-tech solution powered by .NET and Angular. The other is a verification software product based on Node.js and React.
  • We’ve launched two proprietary products developed by Devtorium teams. Our AI-powered content generation platform Marquètte is currently receiving a big upgrade with the release of the Templates feature. Now it’s even easier for copywriters to use it for creating top-quality original content. Devtorium also used the Bubble no-code platform to develop our own ERP solution. Our HR and recruiting specialists are currently testing it, and developers are improving the solution based on their feedback.

Happy New Year! Devtorium software product development company plans for 2023

Devtorium Software Development Plans & Goals for 2023

Devtorium is always looking into the future as a software product development company. We are implementing innovative technologies in our workflows to achieve better results. Our primary focus for 2023 is AI development.

The company already has experience in creating our AI-powered platform, Marquètte. Working on this project has been both challenging and exciting. Most importantly, it gave us the experience of interacting with AI engines and a better understanding of what we can achieve with this tech.

We plan to further this work next year. At the moment, our company is in the process of negotiations for an auspicious AI project. It could result in the development of an AI-powered chatbot for foreign language learning. The team will be creating it from scratch using GODEL by Microsoft.

We are delighted to share that the company is currently negotiating with several prospective clients. Moreover, our potential projects will engage not only our outstanding developers, Business Analysts, and Project Management specialists. In addition, we have plenty of exciting work planned for our Data Science team.

Also, we keep searching for new opportunities constantly. Our sales and marketing teams are always active, looking for clients both online and offline. In January, our American management representatives will present Devtorium at a big conference in Las Vegas. ASW is one of the foremost hubs for IT service networking, so we look forward to this event’s results.

All in all, our work never stops!

Devtorium is proud of what we have accomplished this year, and we are looking at a brighter future with new opportunities.

We’d like to thank our incredible team. None of it would have been possible without you!

Hiring an IT Security Services Company: Understand Types of IT Security

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

Hiring an IT security services company is a big responsibility because these people will significantly impact your business. Therefore, you need to do a lot of research beforehand to know exactly what to look for.

Today we will discuss the types of IT security services a business needs. This post will help you understand what to consider from the contractor’s list of services and experience.

If you need a reminder of why investing in cyber security services company matters, remember that companies like Equifax and Yahoo lost over $425 and $117 million, respectively, due to data breaches. The number of cybercrimes and losses they cause is growing exponentially. So, today, cyber security should be the highest priority for any business.

Types of services offered by an IT security services company.

Things to Consider When Hiring an IT Security Services Company

Of course, you want maximum benefit for your money, right?

So, the cyber security services company you hire must offer all types of protections that a business needs. Check out the most critical types of IT security services today:

  • Network security.
    The company you hire must be able to ensure the usability, integrity, and reliability of your entire network. So they do not only protect it from hackers but also prevent problems the users might have accessing the network.
  • Internet security.
    Your IT security company must protect your browsers and web-based apps. Also, you should find out whether they offer training or find it elsewhere. Employee training is an integral part of the complex measures that ensure your online business security.
  • Endpoint security.
    Endpoint security is device protection. Note that this includes not only desktop computers and laptops used in the workplace but also smartphones and tablets. It primarily relies on device management solutions and malware protection.
  • Application security.
    Bear in mind that application security is literally coded in when the app is in development. That said, it’s possible to increase the security of an existing app after evaluating its code and covering vulnerabilities. But it’s always best to have the highest security level from the start.
  • Cloud security.
    Tools used to ensure cloud services security include, but aren’t limited to, Secure Interner Gateways (SIG), cloud-based unified threat management (UTM), and cloud access security broker (CASB).

How to hire an IT security services company: final tips.

How to Hire a Cyber Security Services Company: Other Factors That Matter

When hiring an IT security services company, you need to consider what they can do for you on a broader scale. For example, as a business, you often need to prove that your customers are well-protected. You can do it by displaying certificates from trusted security solutions integrated into your services. In addition, you can educate your clients about the data encryption methods you implement. The security company can provide you with all this.

But businesses dealing with more sensitive data or, for instance, participating in the tendering process need more advanced security verifications. In this case, you can have an IT security services company with an ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information Security Certificate audit your business. This will allow you to use the internationally-recognized certificate as proof that your company is above reproach. Note that such an audit is a mandatory requirement for some contracts, especially with the government.

Are You Ready to Hire an IT Security Services Company?

You are ready to hire a cyber security services company whenever you even think about starting a business. If you already have a company of your own and no one is providing you with top-notch security services, you are at risk.

Contact Devtorium Information Security Department and arrange an audit right away!

We are an ISO 21007:2013-certified company. Our experts will conduct a detailed audit of all your security systems and protocols and provide a list of suggestions on how to protect your business in the best possible way.

How to See That a UI/UX Design Company Is Really Good

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

It might seem that choosing a UI/UX design company is straightforward. You just look at their portfolio, and if you like something, you hire them, right? That should be real simple.

However, as it usually is in life, hiring a truly reliable and talented UI/UX design services company isn’t quite that easy.

A portfolio is a significant factor in this process, but it’s not the only thing that marks a great designer. In fact, did you know that to be a high-class professional, a web designer must possess some very specific character traits? Only a few of them have to do with creative talent.

Any UI/UX design services provider must have those qualities in some measure. So if you want to hire a team that can help your business achieve outstanding results, keep reading to learn what you should be looking for.

5 Qualities to Look For in a UI/UX Design Company

An individual UI/UX designer should know their business instruments, such as Figma, Illustrator, and so on. In addition, they have to be creative and understand the trends in UI/UX design. But aside from these professional requirements, they need some personal qualities to fit into this job.

  • Optimism
  • Tenacity
  • Adaptability
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Curiosity
  • Empathy
  • Passion

These are character traits that UI/UX designers need to understand their clients and ‘see’ and share their vision.

Let’s be honest, this kind of creative job can be emotionally draining. So, tenacity, resilience, and adaptability are all qualities that will help the professional to do their job well. They have to emphasize with the client, so they can see the project ‘through their eyes’.

And on a larger scale, a UI/UX design company should also have these traits. However, in this case, the qualities to look for in UI/UX design services providers sound a bit different.

Qualities of a reliable and talented UI/UX design company.

Strong work ethic

Having a strong work ethic for a UI/UX design company means being ready to understand and solve the client’s problems no matter how hard the challenge might seem. Sometimes design discussions are wrought with conflict. Moreover, some people might not be responsible enough to consistently complete their work on time and maintain the desired quality.

Therefore, during the interview, the client needs to discuss things like ‘what’s your protocol for implementing design changes?’. Talking about such things and studying the company’s reviews will help you understand whether the team’s work ethic is good. You should also check out services like Clutch to get more feedback about the company’s services.

High level of UI/UX design company professionalism

No amount of creative talent can offset the lack of professional training for a UI/UX designer. Therefore, you always need to find out what skills the designers have.

Ask about the tools the company uses for work. A skilled UI/UX designer should be a master of multiple solutions.

For wireframes and prototypes, and mockups:

  • Figma
  • Sketch
  • InVision studio
  • Adobe XD
  • Axure
  • Proto.io
  • Framer
  • Marvel
  • Miro
  • FlowMapp
  • Balsamiq

For graphic assets, illustrations, and icons:

  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator

In addition, for documentation and presentations:

  • Google suite (Sheets, Docs, Slides)
  • Microsoft Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Inquire about seeing samples of the professional’s work in some of these solutions.

Proactivity in everything

The best UI/UX design company should proactively communicate with the client. Let’s face it, the client isn’t a professional and might not know the latest trends and best practices. So, the designers should offer their ideas with examples and explanations of why precisely this way is the best for business.

Well-developed in problem solving

Many unexpected problems can occur with UI/UX design services. That’s why designers must work closely both with the client and developers. They should be proactive in finding solutions or the best way to visualize the ones provided by the development team.

Great at communication

Communication is a crucial skill for designers. In fact, soft skills outweigh hard skills in this profession. As a client, you should talk to the designer and evaluate whether your communication is indeed effective.

  • Does the designer understand your vision?
  • Can you discuss changes or complaints constructively?
  • Does the team understand the ideas you want to communicate the way you need them to?
  • Can you, from your side, understand the designer’s vision and reasoning behind it?

Finding a person that you really enjoy communicating with can be challenging. However, it’s always best to find the UI/UX design services company you just ‘click’ with.

Bottom Line: How to Hire the Best UI/UX Design Company

It might be surprising for some, but communication is the best way to hire a UI/UX design company. Of course, you should look at the designers’ portfolios and inquire about their experience working with your niche.

However, a truly great designer’s strength is thinking outside the box of niche-imposed cliches. So, having experience with multiple industries is a benefit instead of a drawback.

It’s communication that will show whether the company truly has your business’s best interests in mind and whether the team can and will bring your vision to life.

Let’s start with communication! Contact us to schedule a free consultation.

Devtorium SaaS Development Company Gained New Achievement from SuperbCompanies

Posted on by Volodymyr Marynenko

As a SaaS development company, Devtorium has been working on our proprietary AI-powered platform Marquètte. We’ve been fascinated by the incredible opportunities the marketing software industry presents. So Marquètte is a product that aims to make top-grade marketing services more accessible to everyone. Now we can say that our efforts have been recognized. SuperbCompanies.com, a trusted portal that lists the best IT & marketing companies, included Devtorium in its Top Mobile App Marketing Companies rating for 2022.

We are very proud that Marquètte and Devtorium got this acknowledgment from a highly reputed IT ranking portal.

Devtorium keeps growing and expanding the list of services we offer beyond custom software product development. At the moment, our team includes highly qualified professionals that specialize in the following:

  • Custom Software Development
  • MVP/Product Development
  • Low-Code & No-Code
  • Cloud Migration Consulting
  • Software QA Testing & Automation
  • UI/UX Design
  • Data Science
  • Information Security Services
  • Mobile App Development
  • eCommerce                  
  • SaaS Development

We are working on expanding this list and, of course, developing Marquètte further. At the moment, this is a piece of AI content writing software that can help both professional copywriters and businesses that can’t afford to hire a full-time writer for their content marketing.

However, our plan as a SaaS development company includes expanding this platform to become an intelligent assistant to a business owner or entrepreneur. In the future. Marquètte will help conduct research, generate content, and make business decisions by offering data-powered opinions from AI.

How SaaS Development Company Devtorium Got on SuperbCompanies.com

SuperbCompanies is a service that helps clients find the best providers of IT services worldwide. Professionals working for SuperbCompanies have over ten years of experience, and they spend their days collecting, processing, and analyzing information about various IT service providers.

Their research is extensive as they study every service the company provides. It means that, for example, if the company offers custom mobile app development and UI/UX design, they will investigate both of these services separately. This way, SuperbCompanies can provide customers with the most accurate information about every IT business in their database.

They evaluate IT companies based on such factors as:

  • Quality
  • Market presence
  • Reliability
  • Experience
  • Portfolio
  • Professionalism
  • Customer service
  • Awards
  • Fair pricing
  • Proven customer feedback

Most importantly, SuperbCompanies only the companies that show a high and consistent growth rate. In addition, the research is ongoing, so information is reviewed and updated monthly.

Marquètte currently is Devtorium’s foremost marketing app, but we have plans for many more. We are proud to be recognized by SuperbCompanies. We hope to see more of our services in their Top rankings soon!

We are a team of 200+ qualified software engineers, business analysts, data scientists, project managers, and UI/UX designers. All our professionals hold specialized certifications in their niches and have expertise in complex projects for a variety of industries.

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