A Tale of Two Applications: Lessons Learned from Building a Successful Cloud Application [Webinar 62min]

Workshop Software (WS) is a cloud-based application for managing automotive workshops. WS rolled out its first web-application offering approximately 3 years ago to small workshops with limited IT knowledge. Two years after it was deployed, the application had limited success.

In June 2014, WS rolled out a new application developed in partnership with Mertech. Within 6 months of its deployment, the new application has enabled WS to significantly increase its user base, and has created quite a buzz in the Australian automotive industry with large parts retailers seeking to partner with WS.

So why did the first application fail and the second one succeed? Is it just building an application and putting it on an Amazon instance that will make your offering a success, or is there more to it? A Tale of Two Applications walked us through the challenges of building a successful Cloud platform from the ground up and discussed how to take advantage of the new business opportunities opened up as a result.

In This Campfire session, we were joined by James Mitchell, CEO of Australia-based Autosoft Pty. Ltd., the owner of Workshop Software. James provided insight into how he turned Workshop Software into a successful Cloud application and the impact it has had on his business.

Topics covered included:

• Importance of designed UI and customer engagement

• Importance of a software ecosystem

• Integrating securely with other apps using OAuth

• Importance of time zone handling

• Open source technology and impact on pricing

Presenter: Riaz Merchant, CEO, Mertech Data Systems Inc.
Panelist: James Mitchell, CEO, Autosoft Pty. Ltd.
Panelist: Oliver Nelson, Director of Software Engineering, Mertech Data Systems, Inc.