George is the magazine for St.George Bank’s corporate customers. Aimed at executive-level readers, it features customer case studies, news, articles on emerging business and management trends, product information, lifestyle features and more.
Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/48224
App traps 1. Beware patent trolls. Lawsuits are ongoing with companies who have unknowingly used methods under patent. If you are a large business, get advice on this. 2. Don't copy, right? If you are using sounds, music, logos or video clips, be sure you have the rights to them. 3. Institutions that require customer authentication or handle financial transactions need to keep security uppermost in their planning. While the hotel and travel industries are obvious choices Weapon of choice While many people know of the iPhone, alternative platforms are making their presence felt. These appeal to users on corporate platforms (where the iPhone is still gaining acceptance) or who aren't fans of Apple's software/hardware ecosystem. These include: • Android, Google's operating system, is the main alternative to Apple's iOS. Supported by Intel, HTC, ARM, Motorola and Samsung, it is Open Source and deadly serious, accounting for almost half of all smartphone sales in 2011. And Android-powered tablets are rapidly growing in number. • Windows Phone 7 is Microsoft's latest smartphone operating system, and it's proof that the Redmond-based company is taking its commitment to the market very seriously. User adoption is growing and its future looks promising. • BlackBerry phones have a number of unique differences from other smartphones. They're enormously popular as corporate phones, and are beloved by consumer users who like to send lots of emails, texts and social media updates, thanks to secure data transmission and (on most models) physical keyboards. for utilising mobile-based apps, so too are entertainment, health and real estate – to name just a few. This new digital channel is changing the way business gets done and delivering tangible business benefits. For example, popular GPS and mapping apps can locate branches or offices, or in the case of real estate, properties on the market. This information is delivered instantly to the user, allowing clients to purchase, request, inquire and transact directly from wherever they're standing. Hotel industries can offer location-based services, which identify a customer's geographical co-ordinates and offer targeted hotel choices in the nearby area, with room reservations all instantly bookable by smartphone. Such apps enable businesses to create an interactive, two- way relationship with users. Other popular apps delivering benefits to businesses include social media marketing and document management, time management, and travel and expense tracking. Today's app economy is constantly changing, with new cutting-edge apps set to emerge in the near future, such as those that translate languages in real time using speech recognition – a significant tool for businesses operating in more than one country. As a result, it's vital your business stays ahead of the game and retains its competitive edge. The only way to do that in this fast-paced, fragmented digital landscape is to develop a mobile strategy that helps support business transactions, improves work flows and drives your business forward by making it ready to take advantage of all opportunities that arise – or by creating brand-new opportunities from scratch. Cost-effective and efficient, apps not only extend a business's reach, but also help enable customers to connect with your brand and services no matter where they are. www.stgeorge.com.au/george George 13