As much attention as is put on the games and fun parts of using mobile devices, their potential for business and sales is nothing to look down on. Turning better communications technology into more sales can be tricky without a technical background thought, which is exactly where Appnetic, the Herndon, VA.,-based startup comes in. Run by Tech 2000's Tien Wong, Appnetic aims at being a mobile sales platform for sales and marketing that won't require extensive programming knowledge.
"There's no other app in the world for non-technical app making," Wong said. "It allows you to make dynamic changes in the app whenever you want."
Wong explained that the "sales enablement" app is set up as a platform that can be used to make personalized apps for different companies to coordinate sales and marketing internally as well as store information and presentations to use on sales calls and for meetings. Essentially it acts as a very compact briefcase filled with continually updated information and tools to make sales. While there are plenty of platforms out there to make sales apps, they all require a level of technical and programming knowledge that's entirely unnecessary with Appnetic according to Wong.
"They should within a matter of minutes be able to select a template for the app," he said.
Another key part of the app is flexibility within those templates, making them as useful for small sales staff of 15 up to an army of thousands, Wong said. He calls it a "just in time" app because of how it can be used to get information at need to sales staff in the field, whether that's updated specifications for products, comparisons to rival companies or in reverse if the sales team sends back information to update everyone on a new situation.
"Mobility is so important in sales now," Wong said.
Analytics play a key role in the app as well, useful to measure not just how many sales and where, but to see what parts of the app are getting used for successful sales and to measure how salespeople do on an individual level. The app was released as a beta on Monday after being announced at the TechCrunch New York event over the weekend but Wong said he expects a full general release within a few months.
"It was very well received," Wong said, adding that while he wants Appnetic to stay independent, it's possible that there will be future partnerships of some kind with big corporations like IBM.
For the most part, he believes easy app-making for marketing and sales will draw plenty of interest from companies wanting to license Appnetic.
"The bottom line is using it will close more deals," Wong said.
