The Top 5 Web 2.0 Applications For The Enterprise

May 23rd, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

In my previous post, we reviewed five possible Web 2.0 technologies that can be implemented in an Enterprise context (aka Enterprise 2.0). Today, i would like to offer a more practical approach and review specific applications that if implemented correctly, can turn your Enterprise 2.0 vision into a reality.

All the applications mentioned below have some common characteristics:

All of them run on the web, and require a simple browser in order to be accessed.
All of them feature a rich yet easy-to-use user interface that provides an exceptional user experience.
Most of them are SAAS (Software as a service, or hosted) applications. SAAS is a new delivery model where companies pay not for owning the software itself but for using it. Normally, SAAS applications are hosted by the vendor itself.
All of them offer a significantly lower TOC (Total Cost of Ownership) and rapid ROI (Return on Investment) when compared to similar traditional desktop based applications.
Most of them offer a relatively open API (Application Programming Interface) that allows developers to integrate its functionality into existing applications.
All of them offer relatively solid user support services.

So here they are - the top five Web 2.0 applications for the Enterprise:

Salesforce.com: Salesforce, a CRM (Customer Relationships Management) web based service, pioneered the SAAS domain. It features a super-intuitive web interface as well as a streamlined set of processes that helps you make the most of your Contacts, Accounts, Leads and Opportunities, and increase your sales productivity. Moreover, Salesforce.com runs Apex, a development platform that allows the build of custom hosted business applications that you can integrate into Salesforce.com (for example: an Human Resource Management Information System) and AppExchange, a marketplace for applications that complement Salesforce.com based functionality (most of them are free). In two words: If you are looking for a CRM solution - i suggest that you evaluate Salesforce.com.

Zoho: After trying them all, i am pretty much convinced that Zoho is currently the most advanced Office 2.0 suite in the market. What i like the most about Zoho, is that although it runs on the web, its set of features is rich, and would satisfy even the most enthusiastic MS Office user. In my opinion, Zoho Writer (the word processor) and Zoho sheets (the Excel like spreadsheet) are excellent choices for organizations that would like to cut their MS Office expenses (they are 100% free). I also like Zoho Creator, a nifty application that allows you to create database applications in minutes. If you don’t like to work on your office productivity suite on the web, you’ll enjoy Zoho Desktopize, a widget that allows you to work in selected Zoho applications in a desktop environment.

BaseCamp: Basecamp, made by 37Signals, is a hosted project collaboration and management solutions that allows for easy interaction with employees and client during the project lifecycle. In my point of view, BaseCamp still lacks in presentation quality (Gantt charts etc’), but still it makes an affordable project collaboration tool you can use in a small and medium business.

Wordpress: I am almost convinced that anyone who’s running a blog heard about Wordpress, the leading blogging platform based on MySQL. The good news, is that also enterprises can leverage Wordpress in order to foster collaboration with business partners and increase product footprint. Wordpress MU allows companies to build a cost effective multi-user blogging platform for their employees.

Google Apps: Last but definitely not least is Google Apps. This relatively young office productivity suite includes GMail (with Chat and calendar), Google Docs and Spreadsheets, as well as personalized live support. The cost is also appealing - 50$ per user/year. The fundamental issue with Google Apps, is that although GMail is an excellent email client, Google Docs and Spreadsheets, still significantly lag behind MS Office and Zoho as far as functionality and usability is concerned.

Your comments are more than welcome. So, what are YOUR top five Web 2.0 applications for the Enterprise ?.

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There Are 19 Responses So Far. »

#1

Comment by Byte OF Technology on 23 May 2007:

Google Apps is definitely the answer for firms who are just budding and budgeting and they have great service
#2

Comment by Everton on 23 May 2007:

Have you ever come across lightapp? They look very interesting

PS. So glad to have the quicktags back!
#3

Comment by Shankar Ganesh on 24 May 2007:

Agreed with Byte of Technology, Google Apps is the best app for budget companies. Good article. Dugg and Stumbled
#4

Comment by Luzzer on 24 May 2007:

There are also some cool mind mapping applications out there, some of them collaborative - I use MindMeister which is pretty cool for brainstorming with colleagues, and also real-time like Google Docs.
#5

Comment by Dirk on 25 May 2007:

I’m totally into the interactivity of web 2.0 applications. There’s this site called Listio and you can chek out new apps and even vote on them. Seriously cool stuff on there too. Look into it if you get a chance.
#6

Comment by Vic Gee on 26 May 2007:

Here’s a list which I believe is complete of on-line mind mapping tools:

Web of Web :: http://www.webofweb.net
Bubbl.us :: http://bubbl.us/
Mindomo :: http://www.mindomo.com/
MindMeister :: http://www.mindmeister.com
Kayuda :: http://www.kayuda.com/
Comapping :: http://www.comapping.com/
Bubble Mind :: http://www.bubble-mind.com/
Mapul :: http://www.mapul.com/
Mind42 :: http://www.mind42.com/

web based, not mind mapping tools but can do mind maps
Gliffy :: http://www.gliffy.com/
Thinkature :: http://thinkature.com/
Touchgraph :: http://www.touchgraph.com/ (read-only mind maps of relationships between web sites)

Web based but not Web 2.0 - expensive
ForceTen :: http://www.eedo.com/products/forceten.html
Thinkmap :: http://www.thinkmap.com/ (read only)

The very first web-based mind mapping tool, a precursor to Web 2.0 and now dead and gone
Mayomi :: http://www.mayomi.net

Cheers
Vic
http:://www.mind-mapping.org
The master list of mind mapping software
#7

Pingback by Expanding the top 5 Web 2.0 apps into the virtual office on 27 May 2007:

[...] over on Connected Internet (one of my fav sites for new and opinion, btw) has picked the top 5 Web 2.0 apps for the enterprise. They [...]
#8

Pingback by More Top Web 2.0 Applications For The Enterprise | Connected Internet on 2 June 2007:

[...] my previous post, I reviewed five Web 2.0 applications that can be implemented in an Enterprise context (aka [...]
#9

Pingback by The Top 5 Web 2.0 Applications For The Enterprise at eMedia Daily on 6 June 2007:

[...] Find out more about why these applications were chosen, and what his ranking critera were with The Top 5 Web 2.0 Applications for the Enterprise. [...]
#10

Pingback by Google and Salesforce.com - a partnership to follow. | Connected Internet on 6 June 2007:

[...] Contracts etc’) is then managed in Salesforce.com. Salesforce.com, which was featured in my Top five Web 2.0 Applications for the Enterprise, is considered to be the leading hosted CRM SAAS(Software as a service) [...]
#11

Pingback by BI in the Web 2.0 era - Gilad W’s weblog » Blog Archive » Create your online database applications in minutes with Zoho Creator 2.0 on 22 June 2007:

[...] month ago, while reviewing my top 5 Web 2.0 applications, i mentioned that Zoho is in my opinion the leading online Office suite in the market. [...]
#12

Pingback by RodeWorks » Top Web apps on 22 June 2007:

[...] The Top 5 Web 2.0 Applications For The Enterprise | Connected Internet BaseCamp: Basecamp, made by 37Signals, is a hosted project collaboration and management solutions that allows for easy interaction with employees and client during the project lifecycle. In my point of view, BaseCamp still lacks in presentation quality (Gantt charts etcâ€™), but still it makes an affordable project collaboration tool you can use in a small and medium business. [...]
#13

Pingback by Create Your Online Database Applications In Minutes With Zoho Creator 2.0 | Connected Internet on 23 June 2007:

[...] month ago, while reviewing my top 5 Web 2.0 applications, i indicated that Zoho is in my opinion the leading online Office 2.0 suite in the market. I also [...]
#14

Comment by iPhone Tips on 23 June 2007:

I am an ardent BaseCamp fan. But lately Google Tools are stealing some of it’s thunder.
#15

Comment by Wayne Byrne on 5 July 2007:

Great article, another webapp you should have a look at is IcebergOnDemand.com its more powerful than the zohocreator and theres absolutely no scripting (drag and drop all the way)
#16

Comment by I-_-I on 6 September 2007:

Good Article !

FYI: The link of the Basecamp website is wrong.

The correct link is http://www.basecamphq.com
#17

Comment by andy on 9 November 2007:

Cool. We use basecamp, google apps (for domain), wordpress and filemaker pro (forms linked via apple-mail to a custom python harvesting app to filemaker and back to the web again… ) - the task for us is stringing everything together with some custom python apps… and area where true convergence will present the winning combo…

btw - we are considering switching over to active collab vs. basecamp, as we can also run this from our server..

http://www.sustain.ca
#18

Comment by Rayn Carron on 12 November 2007:

Hi, great post and interesting comments. I agree that Basecamp is weak in turms of graphics. Gantt charts are very important for project management. That’s why I use Wrike http://www.wrike.com/ for my projects. When I compared the pricing, I saw that Wrike is even more affordable than Basecamp. I love getting more for less.
#19

Comment by Amie Stilo on 11 January 2008:

Thanks for the handy post, where would we be without wordpress! Can’t say that i use the others but wordpress is my friend, lol i didn’t even know that wordpress was a Web 2.0 application until today. Just goes to show how much I know