We are sometimes asked why we develop cloud based applications for the dental industry, versus building apps for native phone operating systems. Here are some of the reasons why we feel cloud based apps are the best solution for our clients.
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Application Store Limitations
Some companies do not allow “web based” applications in their application store. Doing so would crowd the store with custom applications that don’t generally apply to the public at large. It’s not necessary to have them in the application store as they can be easily loaded through the use of the URL or QR Code.
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Cross Platform
The application would have to be developed specifically for each platform. Therefore the cost would be very high as much of the work would have to be done separately for each platform, iOS®, Android®, Windows®, Blackberry®, etc. Having a web based app allows us to run across a variety of phones, tablets, and computers, allowing you to reach a much broader audience.
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Updates
As updates are made to the operating system of the phone it can and often does “break” apps, causing a need for significant development time to accommodate the changes. This could be extremely costly to keep up-to-date, especially when dealing with multiple OS platforms.
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Approval Process
There is no guarantee that an app would be accepted into the app store by Apple® or other phone OS companies. They can block an app at any time for any reason. Rules for an application store can be updated and changed at any time by the companies that control them.
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Storage Space
Traditional apps take up space on the device. A lot of users select devices with the lowest amount of memory space. It is less likely they would keep a dental app on their system if it is using precious storage space. A web based app only puts an icon on the home screen, it is not taking up additional space on the users device and more likely to be kept on their device if trying to save storage space.
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Ease of Use
End users often forget the passwords to their application stores making it hard to assist them with loading the app when they are in your office. Being web based allows easier adding of the app without having to go into the app store.
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Updates
A web based application is much easier to update with changes than one that must go through an app store. Also, see item 4, a revision could be blocked for an arbitrary reason, even if it is had been allowed before. Many users do not keep their apps up-to-date, being web based means users are always accessing the most current information.
These are some of the reasons Dentalfone® decided to use a cloud based app as opposed to an app designed for and limited to a particular device. To learn more about our services please contact us for more information. Our excellent sales team can share more great reasons why Dentalfone is the solution you’ve been looking for.
We are sometimes asked by our clients about putting music on their websites. This was a trend a number of years back. It was fairly common practice for developers to add music to pediatric, orthodontic, or other types of dental websites.
In those days, having other multimedia elements was not as common as it is today. Now it’s more common for a practice to have videos with audio for their patients to view. Having background music can conflict with the videos on the site.
Although controls can be added to mute the music, because there are no standards for placing the controls, locating the method to do so, even if it’s logically placed on the website, can be frustrating for your dental website users.
It’s a good idea to think about the following scenario. Suppose a patient has a dental emergency and needs to look up your website from work. When they pull up the site music suddenly begins playing on their computer which could be viewed as unprofessional at their place of employment. Their most likely action in this case it to immediately close your website. It’s unlikely they will open it later.
Another good reason to avoid background audio on dental websites is the increase in the use of mobile devices. Mobile devices by design do not allow automated streaming of music and video in order to preserve bandwidth. Even laptop users may be accessing your site through a wireless service provider, so streaming audio can use up their valuable bandwidth.
Many people now listen to music through their computers or mobile devices while browsing the web, so having two music sources playing at once can become a huge distraction.
Copyright concerns are also a factor. You can’t legally put the latest top 40 hit on your website unless it’s specifically licensed for that purpose, a proposition that is usually impossible or too costly to consider. This greatly limits the available music choices.
In summary, background audio on dental websites is a trend that has passed. Unless you’re starting a rock band, it’s better to avoid it. We don’t add background audio to dental websites for the reasons above. It’s more likely someone will leave your website because of the music than stay to hear it.
We help you engage with your patients by focusing on the design of your dental website and optimizing it for use on a variety of devices.
No matter the location of your dental practice, patients in your area likely have a lot of choices for their dental care. Standing out among other local practices is imperative to grow your business. You can't do this without a visually appealing and search engine-friendly website.
Your website is a crucial element to the success of the entire marketing strategy for your dental practice. The growth of your practice can hinge on the website designer you hire. Here are some practical tips on choosing the best agency to design your dental practice website.
Quick Points About the Impact of Mobile:
- The new billboard of today’s world is the 3 X 5 inch screen on your patient’s mobile phone.
- Smartphones vs. Desktops: 57% of all internet search is now done from mobile phones.
- Facebook stock recently soared 9% due to a surge in ad revenue (82% was from mobile).
- Google changed their “7-Pack” local search results to “3-Pack” to fit mobile screen sizes.