CIOs turn to web apps for cost and collaboration

Demand for web-based applications in the enterprise is growing, with CRM and ERP among the areas leading the charge.

The development of in-house web applications and a greater use of the corporate intranet are also major factors in a business shift towards creating a browser-based environment. And the reasons are down to cost, efficiency, productivity and a greater ability to collaborate and share information.

According to Coleman Parkes Research, 94 per cent of UK businesses are using a corporate intranet while 88 per cent have in-house applications that they are running online.

Online or hosted CRM services, as offered by the likes of Salesforce.com, are regarded as the flagship of the software as a service revolution and are being used by 52 per cent of the large enterprises whose CIOs were interviewed by Coleman Parkes.

Hosted ERP solutions have found success with 33 per cent of those interviewed and further growth is predicted. In two years, 68 per cent of CIOs expect to be using web-based CRM within their enterprise while 44 per cent will be using some form of hosted ERP.

As for why, 93 per cent of CIOs said the use of web apps will be an important factor in being able to grow the business. Among the benefits are easier access to data throughout the business, according to 88 per cent of respondents; improved productivity (82 per cent); speed of use and deployment (75 per cent); cost reduction (72 per cent); and improved user experience (71 per cent).

Ian Parkes, founding partner in Coleman Parkes, which conducted the research, commissioned by Citrix, said this latter factor is likely to become increasingly important as employees used to using web applications at home expect business applications to work in the same way.

Parkes added: "Currently as employees go into the work environment they find it quite backwards."