Connected Apps

Connected apps allow different applications to share data and functionality securely through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), which act as messengers between the apps. For instance, connected apps process customer data on an in-house platform using standard application programming interfaces (APIs) to extract source data from external SaaS solutions.

Why are Connected Apps Important?

Connected apps empower businesses by giving them the means to store and analyze their data in a way that gives them more control and flexibility than disparate SaaS applications.

A Customer Data Platform, for example, provides a single source of truth for data about a customer. Gaining a 360-degree view of a customer across multiple systems such as customer relationship management (CRM), Marketing Automation, Support, and Finance can become complex. A single repository makes it much easier for users to get a holistic view.

Getting Started With Connected Apps

Starting your connected apps project is easy! Here are a few things to consider as you get started.

Connect Source Data

Consolidate customer data from multiple source systems. These include sales and contact data from Salesforce, marketing data from systems such as Marketo or HubSpot, and service data from Desk.com, ServiceNow, or Jira. All these systems provide APIs to make data extraction relatively easy.

Transform and Store Analytics-Ready Data

Raw data often requires processing before analysis and should be loaded into an analytic database like a data warehouse. Data integration technology can simplify creating and managing the necessary data pipelines.

Deliver Customer Insights

Specific lines of business views are necessary for an organization to maximize the value derived from its customer data. A Business Intelligence (BI) solution offers the tools for reporting, visualizing, and exploring customer data. Specifically, dashboards should be created for the following business functions:

• The Sales Department: Requires information on the duration of the customer’s relationship with the organization, their investment amount, potential cross-sell and upsell opportunities, and the status of ongoing sales processes. For organizations with service subscriptions or fixed-term licenses, visibility on upcoming contract renewals is crucial. Additionally, it’s important to keep customer contacts current and track their roles as champions, influencers, detractors, or approvers.
• The Marketing Department: needs to track potential leads, including their interests and whereabouts in the customer journey. It’s important to monitor active leads as they progress through the buyer’s journey to make informed decisions about nurturing and developing them.
• Services and Support Departments: require dashboards that display information on active incidents, closed cases, and ongoing service engagements. Maintaining records of customer contacts is critical as it allows for personalized interactions, making it easier to work with the vendor.
• Executives: Must cultivate connections with their counterparts in customer organizations to foster referrals and sales and handle any escalations. They also require strategic insights, such as updates, executive transitions, merger and acquisition (M&A) developments, and the general sentiment towards them as suppliers, to approach contacts with a well-informed perspective.

The Benefits of Connected Apps

By breaking down data silos, connected apps create a single, unified view of each customer, unlocking a treasure trove of benefits:

• Personalization: Imagine sending targeted promotions based on browsing history or offering support agents a complete service interaction history. Connected apps make this a reality.
• Accuracy & Efficiency: No more manual data entry or inconsistencies. Connected apps ensure everyone can access the latest, most accurate customer information and automate repetitive tasks.
• Deeper Insights: Connected apps transform customer data into a goldmine of insights, allowing you to understand buying habits, predict future needs, and make data-driven decisions.
• Happy Customers: Connected apps enable proactive service and personalized experiences, which leads to happier, more loyal customers.

Actian Data Platform for Connected Apps

Connected apps empower organizations to truly understand their customers, personalize every interaction, and leverage data for strategic decision-making. The Actian Data Platform includes all the elements required to build connected apps quickly. The key components include:

• DataConnect offers data integration technology to connect and transform source data.
• A high-speed, analytics-ready database to store and analyze customer data.
• Integration to Business Intelligence platforms to deliver real-time dashboards for all stakeholders.

Learn more about Actian’s Customer-360 Analytics Hub.