Basic Business Management. Lesson 10. Starting with Email and the Internet

Basic Business Management
Lesson 10: Starting with Email and the Internet
1. Email
Electronic mail refers to an electronic message (usually a form of simple text) that a user types on a
computer system and that is transmitted over some form of computer network to another user.
Since the Internet has grown in popularity, more businesses moved over to Internet standards for local
network mail services as it is cheaper and simpler, no longer tied to a vendor and it allows the IT
Administrator to have a wider choice of email client applications.
1.1. Benefits of Email
• They are user friendly and easy to keep records of.
• They are fast, and can be delivered almost instantly, anywhere in world.
• When you reply to an email, you can attach the original message so that when you answer,
the recipient knows what it is about.
• It is possible to automate emails with standard text content called auto responders. E.g.,
Informing the sender that you are on vacation.
• Emails are environmentally friendly as they do not use paper.
• You can attach multimedia like birthday cards, newsletters, audio clips and small videos to an
email message.
• Businesses can use bulk emails to inform their clients about a sale or product launch.
1.2. Web mail vs Email Clients
Both web mail and email clients use the Internet to read and send mail. When someone sends you an
email, it Is stored on an email server. The server can belong to a company that offers web-based email
accounts, your Internet Service Provider (ISP), or even your web hosting provider. How you "collect"
your email depends on what type of email account you have.
Web Mail
If you are making use of web mail, then the emails that you don't delete are stored
on the email server. With web mail, you read or send email through your browser
and the web mail interface. Examples include Yahoo Mail, Gmail, and Hotmail.
Below are some features of Web Mail:
• It has a special web interface, and it resides on a web server.
• The web server can be on any network connected to the Internet.
• You can access your e-mail from any computer in the world that has
Internet access.
• A username and password are required to log-in and access your email.

Email Client
An email client, (or Network e-mail), is a software program on your computer that
you use to read and send emails from your computer. Some advantages of using
an email client are that the emails are stored on your computer and are
accessible faster than using a web-based email interface. You can also compose
your email while offline and send it once you are connected again.
Some examples of email clients are Outlook Express (comes free with Windows), Outlook (forms part of
the Microsoft Office suite) and Thunderbird (comes with Firefox browser). Here are some functions of an
Email client:
• The e-mail software programme resides on each user's network computer.
• The mail server is connected to the same network as the users.
• Mail can only be accessed from a computer connected to the network and with appropriate
rights.
• A username and password may or may not be required, depending on the network setup.
We will now have a look at MS Outlook as part of the Microsoft suite.
2. Microsoft Outlook
There are several ways to open MS Outlook.
• Double-click on the Outlook icon on your desktop.
• Click on the Outlook icon in your taskbar.
• Click the 'Start' button, navigate to Outlook 2016 in the list of programs, and click on it.

2.1. Components of Microsoft Outlook
Title bar
Ribbon
Navigation
Bar
Folder
Pane
Message
List
Reading Pane
2.2. Outlook Tasks
The following tasks can be completed by selecting it from the navigation bar:
• Notes: Quickly record reminders.
• Tasks: Manage and create scheduled tasks.
• Mail: Send, receive, read, and manage your electronic messages.
• Calendar: Schedule meetings and events and send invites to contacts.
• Contacts: Enter all the contact and personal details of your contacts for quick referencing.
2.3. Outlook Folders
The “Favourite”- and “Personal” folders are default folders in Outlook. These folders are used
to organise your e-mails so that you can keep track of all the various types of e-mails you
might receive. New folders can be created as they are needed.
The following default options are found under 'Personal' folders:
• Deleted Items: Any deleted messages are stored here.
• Drafts: Messages in progress are stored here, so that you can complete and send them later.
• Junk email: Spam mail is kept here.
• Outbox: Unsent messages are stored here until they are delivered.
• Sent items: Copies of messages that you have sent to others are held here.
• Search folders: This allows you to find emails using different keywords and search criteria.

3. Messaging in Outlook
3.1. Creating a new message
When you compose a new message, a message window with several text boxes appears.
The four primary text boxes in the message window are…
• To: Enter the email address or username of the person/business you want to email.
o Separate recipients with a semicolon (;) - Sometimes done automatically.
o When you start typing, you will be presented with a list of· possible matches from
which you can select saved recipients. OR
o Click on the "To:" to access the address book.
• Cc: Enter the email addresses of any secondary recipients.
o People who need to see, but not act, on a message.
• Bcc: Enter the email addresses of undisclosed receivers in the Blind Carbon Copy field.
o These addresses and Identities will not be disclosed to any other recipients.
o Can be used for larger mailing lists.
• Subject: Enter a concise title for your message.
o The subject must be descriptive so that the recipient can get an idea of what the e-
mail is about.
You can now type your message in the message
area.
• After you have completed your message,
you can set a specific status to your e-mail.
• Click on the Send button to send the
message. When the message arrives, a message
alert is displayed briefly in the lower-right corner of
the Outlook window. It contains the sender's
name, the subject, and the first few words of the
message.
3.2. Formatting messages
You can format text in your message just like you would in MS Word, to help you emphasise certain
aspects of your message. You can also insert objects such as tables and pictures in your message.
Spell check your message before you send it.
3.3. Opening a message
Messages received in the inbox are displayed with one or more message symbols next to it. These
symbols represent the type or status of the message.

Here are a few common symbols and their meanings:
Symbol Description Symbol Description Symbol Description
High
Unread email
E-mail with an
importance
attachment
Low
importance
Read email
Replied email
Forwarded
email
Flag email for
follow up
Completed
email
Received e-mails are stored in the “inbox” folder. Select the “inbox” folder to view your messages. New
messages are printed in Bold with the Unread symbol displayed. Select the message you want to open to
view the content of the message in the reading pane.
3.4. Attachments
If the e-mail contains an attachment, you can do one of two things.
Double-click on the attachment to view the content.
Right-click on the attachment and select a download option to save it to your computer.
4. Creating folders
When you receive a lot of emails, it is better to group the related messages together by creating extra
folders. By creating folders with descriptive names, you can organise your messages into these folders by
doing the following:
1. Right-click on Personal Folders to display the drop-down menu.
2. Choose the New Folder option to display the Create New Folder box.
3. Enter a descriptive name for the folder in the Name field.
4. In the 'Select where to place the folder' list box; select the location for the new folder.
5. Click OK to complete the process.
You can also go to the Folder tab in the ribbon, select the New Folder option and continue
from Step 3 above. Follow the steps below to move a received e-mail message manually from
the inbox to a specific folder:
1. Right-click on the e-mail message you want to move.
2. Select “Move” from the drop-down menu and select the 'Other folder' option from the expansion
menu.
3. Select the folder to which you want to move the message to from the list and press OK.
5. Working with contacts
A contact is a person with whom you communicate on a business or personal level and who’s personal or
business information (or both) is stored in the Contact folder. When you create or add a new contact,
Outlook displays a Contact form that contains tabs and text boxes in which you can enter all the
information related to that contact.

Adding contacts to the Address Book
The following steps are used to add a new contact to your address book:
1. On the Home tab in the ribbon, click on the New Items option to display the drop-down list.
2. Select the Contact option, after which you will view the new contact window.
3. Enter the desired information in the text boxes provided.
4. Click on the Save & Close button to complete the process.
Deleting contacts
The following steps are used to delete a contact to your address book:
• Select the Contacts menu from the navigation bar to view all the contacts. Select the contact that
you would like to delete and then click on the Delete button on the “Home” tab. OR
• Select the Address Book option on the “Home” tab; select the contact to be deleted and use the
keyboard combination; Ctrl-0 to delete the contact.
6. Working with electronic calendars
In Outlook you can schedule meetings and appointments with ease. You can mark scheduled time as
busy, free, or tentative. You can also choose when to be reminded for a meeting.
You can schedule activities in your Outlook calendar as appointments, meetings, events, or tasks.
Your choice of entry type will depend on who else is involved and how you want the entry to appear.
To view your calendar, click on the “My day” icon in the title bar or click on the “Calendar” icon on the
navigation bar. In the Calendar Ribbon you can choose to view a day, week, or month at a time. You
can then use the buttons next to the displayed date to go forward or backwards on the calendar. When
you hover over an event, it will also display the details.
Now that you can view your calendar, you can start scheduling. You'll choose from four types of entries.
By knowing the difference between the types, you can more effectively schedule your activities.

Scheduling an Appointment
In the Home tab, you will be able to
choose between scheduling an
Appointment or a Meeting.
An appointment is an activity that
Involves only you, at a scheduled
time, while a meeting occurs at a scheduled time, like an appointment, but you invite other people by
using a meeting request that's sent via e-mail.
If you click on the little arrow next to the “New Meeting” icon the drop-down box below will appear:
Here you can select one of two additional options, being an Event or a Task.
• An event is an activity that lasts all day long. With an event, you can still have other entries
appear in your schedule for that day.
• A task is an activity that involves only you, and that doesn't need a scheduled time.
Appointment Setup Window
An appointment needs a descriptive subject and specified location. An appointment also has a
scheduled start and end time, or the 'All day' checkbox can be ticked for such an appointment. Click on
the Save & Close button to complete the process.
Scheduling a meeting
Meetings consist of more than one person. Scheduling a meeting involves notifying other people via e-
mail of the meeting and scheduling it accordingly. Clicking on “Meeting” in the drop-down box above will
open the “Meeting Setup Window” below.
Scheduling a meeting is like scheduling an appointment, but this time you need to involve people to
attend the meeting you are about to schedule,

Insert their
e-mail
address in the "To:" field provided.
You can add the individuals one at
a time, or if you work in a team on
a project, it would be advisable to
add your team members to a group
within the contact section.
Use 'Groups' when managing a
project. To send a meeting invite to
a group, simply click on 'Required”
and the groups will appear in bold.
Click on your desired group(s), and
all the members of that group will
be notified about the meeting when
you send the invite.
Creating a Group in the contact section
1. Select Contacts in the Navigation Bar.
2. Click on the 'New Contact Group' button, that opens the Group Creation Window.
3. Give this new group a descriptive name in the 'Name:' field.
4. Now add members to this group by clicking on the 'Add Members' button and selecting them
from the Address Book or typing in new email addresses.
5. After you have added all the contacts, press OK to view the list of members in your group.
6. Press the Save & Close button to complete the process.
7. Using the Help function in Outlook.
Press the F1 function key when Outlook is open to access the help function for Outlook or click on the
Help tab in the ribbon.
Type a descriptive key word(s) in the search area or select from the recommended topics. Use
computer terminology like delete or create instead of common words like 'get rid of', or 'I want a new
folder'. Keep the search criteria short and to the point.
The search results will be shown in a list. Choose the one that seems to provide help on the exact
topic you require.

8. Business Email Etiquette
Bad e-mail behaviour can damage your personal and professional reputation. It is
easy to click on the 'reply' button and then type up a quick response without giving it too much thought,
but then you may miss a spelling error while typing out an email on your smartphone, or you may come
off as too casual or unprofessional in tone or content. Let's look at some important business email
etiquette rules.
1. Only discuss public matters
An important thing to consider when it comes to e-mail etiquette is whether the matter, you're discussing
via email is a public one, or something that should be talked about behind closed doors.
2. Make your email easy to read and understand.
Use complete sentences and avoid random unfinished thoughts. Include all necessary details in your
message to help your reader get the point. Make your message brief, to the point and only
concentrate on the subject matter.
3. Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Structure your sentences properly. It is very important to at least spell the name of the recipient
correctly. Refrain from using ALL CAPITAL LETTERS; this is considered shouting according to email
etiquette rules and is difficult to read.
4. Keep your emails clean.
When replying to an email, ensure you remove unnecessary clutter. For example, emails that
includes excessive carets (>>>) or many pages of email addresses of all the other recipients is very
annoying. Refrain from using fancy fonts and multiple fonts colours. A business email is supposed to
look formal and restrained. Avoid patterned backgrounds; they will make your message harder to
read.
5. Stick to a neutral tone of communication.
Don't become informal in your email before you get to know the recipient better. Avoid using
sarcasm or irony, or multiple Instances of an exclamation mark (!!!) or a question mark (???), as they
can be misinterpreted. Do not make use of emoticons in business emails, this may look
unprofessional.
6. Always be thoughtful and polite.
Start every email with a greeting and make sure to use an appropriate salutation. Never forget to
Include a closing phrase at the end of the message, for example, Best regards, Sincerely, or Thank
you. If the person with whom you are communicating was of great help, don't hesitate to thank them
for that.
7. Be clear in your subject line.
Inboxes get clogged by hundreds of e-mails daily. It Is therefore crucial that your subject line gets to
the point. It should be reasonably simple and descriptive of what you have written about.
8. Follow your company's emailing rules and policies.
Do not use your corporate email account for private communications and only forward corporate
emails to your company employees, clients, partners, or company service providers. There are many
other company emailing rules and policies, so ensure you familiarise yourself with them.

9. Manage your emails efficiently.
Make use of a proper email client to help you track all emails in one place and be able to attend to
them in a timely manner.
10. Respond in a timely fashion.
It is impossible to be available the instant an email arrives. Depending on the nature of the e-mail
and the sender, responding to them within 24 to 48 hours Is an acceptable time period.
9. Getting started with the Internet.
The Internet is the world's largest Wide Area Network (WAN). It connects millions of computers all over
the world through a system of smaller networks. The World Wide Web (WWW) is a system of
connected servers on the Internet that hold all the data to be shared among Internet users, such as text
documents called Web pages.
A Web Site is a group of related Web pages grouped together, that resides on a web server and is
accessible through a unique address called the Uniform Resource Locator (URL). An example of a
URL is www.abcStores.co.za. Web pages are each written in a language called Hyper Text Mark-up
Language (HTML).
To access the Internet, one must connect to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). They will charge you a
monthly rate based on the amount of data you will be using, and they will provide you with a modem to
do so. A modem is a hardware devise needed to connect through your ISP onto the Internet.
Intranet vs. Extranet
An Intranet and extranet are network variations of the Internet. Most companies these days have their
own network setup, usually within the confinements of a building. This is referred to as a LAN - Local
Area Network. These networks have the same functionality as the Internet, e-mail send among coworkers,
sending each other files etc., but just on a smaller scale. This kind of LAN that uses Internet
technology is referred to as an Intranet.
The intranet has a server on which all the information resides. This server is placed behind a firewall -
a protective layer against intruders such as hackers and viruses. A password and username is required
to access the server for security reasons. Access to the Internet is also restricted to certain users within
the company.
An extranet is created when a company links with another company's network through the Internet.
The two companies' networks function together like one bigger network and this is referred to as an
extranet. An example of an extranet is; where a manufacturing company links up with Its supplier's
network, to streamline the ordering and inventory management process. Strict security features must
be implemented to protect each others networks from unauthorised access, but still allow connection
between the two to do business - this is referred to as e-business, which supports e-commerce over
the Internet.

10. Malware
Malware is short for 'malicious software,' and refers to software programs
specifically designed to damage a computer system or do some other unwanted action on It. Common
examples of malware include viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and spyware.
• Viruses are generally disguised as small programmes or attachments to your email and once
opened or executed, it causes havoc on a computer by deleting files or directory information.
• Spyware usually gathers data from a user's system without the user knowing it. This can Include
anything from visited Web pages to personal information like credit card numbers.
To help protect yourself against malware, you can install anti-virus and anti-spyware utilities on your
computer that will seek and destroy the malicious programs they find on your computer.
It is important to update the virus definitions on a regular basis because new viruses are popping up on
the Internet every week and keeping your anti-virus programme up to date will ensure your PC does not
get Infected.
Data Privacy and Security
Data security is the practice of keeping data protected from corruption and unauthorised access. The
whole focus behind data security is to ensure privacy while protecting personal or corporate data.
Data is the raw information stored in databases, network servers and personal computers. This may be a
wide range of information from personal files and intellectual property to market analytics and top-secret
company details. The unauthorised access of this data could lead to numerous problems for large
corporations or even the personal home user. Having your bank account details stolen is just as
damaging as it would be to the company who was just robbed of all their client information.
There are several options available to secure your data, from software solutions to hardware
mechanisms.
• You can make use of basic encryption over the internet. Full-disk encryption (FOE) offers some of
the best protection available. This technology enables you to encrypt every piece of data on a disk
or hard disk drive.
• Using a strong User Authentication is another part of data security. This might require individuals
to login using multiple factors of authentication, such as using a password, a one-time password, a
smart card or even a fingerprint.
• Finally, data security wouldn't be complete without some sort of back-up solution, to back-up your
critical information.
11. Web Browser
A Web browser Is an application that locates and displays web pages. Three of
the most popular Web browsers are Microsoft Edge, Netscape, and Firefox. A
Web browser helps locate a specific Web site and displays the HTML-formatted
Web pages containing text and graphical elements.

Most websites have the following basic structure:
• Home page - This is the first page of the Web site that appears in your
browser. It is the table of content or map to the rest of the Web site. The home page will give you
an idea of what the Web site is all about.
• Links - Also called hyperlinks, are either a graphic or text that you can click on which will take you
to another page or part of the Web site. These links should be user friendly, being able to navigate
with ease through the site.
• Search Facility - Most Web sites have a search function to locate what you are looking for quickly.
Usually this appears as a small text box on the home page at the top for quick access.
AutoComplete
MS Edge keeps track of URLs you enter in the Address bar. It also keeps track of data you enter in dataentry
forms on Web pages, such as usernames and passwords, to make it easy for you to re-enter the
same data later. Because of this, as you type the same information again, the browser provides you with
a drop-down list of previous entries that match what you have typed so far. To use this feature, which is
called AutoComplete, begin typing a URL, and then, when the complete URL is displayed automatically
in the Address bar, press Enter. This feature can be turned on or off in the Properties dialog box.
Favourites
You can bookmark your favourite website or webpage by saving its URL, so that you can go and select it
from a menu list later. The following steps can be followed in MS Edge to bookmark a favourite
webpage.
• Go to the you want to bookmark and notice the long URL in the address field.
• Select the Favourites option in the menu bar and select the 'Add to favourites' option.
• You can rename the link and place it in a different folder within the favourites list.
• Click OK to add the URL and complete the process.
To view your list of saved favourites, click on the Favourites option in the menu bar or on the yellow star
icon in the top right-hand corner.
Content Selector
There is a Content Advisor built into MS Edge that acts as parental control, allowing you to block access
to sites with objectionable material. You can adjust the content ratings in four areas of concern: language,
nudity, sex, and violence. There are 5 levels that can be chosen with level 4 being the least restrictive
and level 0 the most restrictive. The requirement is that the Web page was rated by the Web author when
it was created. Enable Content Advisor by following the steps below.
1. Click the Start button in the task bar and choose “Control Panel” for the dialog box to appear.
2. Click on the Internet Options link. Select the Content tab.
3. Click on the Enable button in the Content Advisor section to activate it.
4. Set the filtering levels for each category you can.

12. Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
The URL Is the address, also called the web address, of a web page on the Web.
Each page or document on the Web has a unique URL with the following structure.
The URL protocol.
A protocol Is a set of rules that ensures that data is sent correctly from one place to another as internet
browsers and Web servers communicate. It ensures that the data format is maintained, and that the data
arrives in one piece. Different protocols are used in different setups, but the most common are TCP/IP,
HTTP and FTP. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is the protocol used to connect to a remote server and transfer
flies to and from it.
WWW prefix
Indicates that it is a document on the World Wide Web.
Domain name
Most organisations use the name of their organisation as the domain name.
Domain type
Also known as the op-level domain. This part provides a hint as to the type of organisation in which the
Internet Hosting resides. Here are a few that you will encounter.
Domain Type Used By Example
.com Commercial businesses www.amazon.com
.org Non-profit organisations www.redcross.org
.ac Academic institutions www.unisa.ac.za
.net Network organisations www.caboom.net
.mil Military sites www.anny.mill.za
.co.za Country indicators www.junkmail.co.za
13. Search engines
Search Engines are websites that are specifically designed to scan through the
WWW, using precise keywords to look for specific information such as text,
images, video data etc. The user enters a few keywords that explains the
information he/she is searching for into a search textbox. The Search Engine
then scans through thousands of Web sites looking for those specified
keywords. It then returns the URLs of the Web pages containing those
keywords with a short extract from each page as preview.

Search the web for better results.
When using the search facilities on the web, knowing how to search effectively can
mean the difference between finding appropriate matches or not. The expressions AND, OR
and NOT can be used to narrow a search and make your searches more powerful. However,
not all search engines accept these keywords or expressions.
Keyword Description Example
AND
+
OR
-
NOT
Finds both words on the same
web page
Finds both words on the same
web page
Finds web pages that have one
word or the other on the page
Excludes web pages that contain
the word following the -
Excludes web pages that contain
the word following the NOT
chocolate AND cookie (will find pages that have
both the words on the same page)
+ chocolate + cookie (will find pages that have
both the words on the same page)
chocolate OR cookie (will find pages that have
either the word chocolate or cookie on them)
+chocolate - cookie (will find pages with the word
chocolate but not the word cookie on them)
chocolate NOT cookie (will find pages with the
word chocolate but not th9aword cookie on them)
14. Microsoft Bing Interface

15. Downloading a program or file from the Internet
The WWW is a rich source of information in the form of web pages, text, video,
sound, and files. Data items such as videos, music, data files, games and programs can be downloaded to
your computer in a few easy steps. Downloading means transferring the data from another computer onto
your computer.
Usually, a website will provide a link on which you will click to download data from a specific location on
the Internet. These links can be text on a web page called 'Download' or even a colourful button with the
words 'Download' written on it.
Follow the steps below to download a program or file from a website.
1. Navigate to the place where you can choose to download the file you want.
2. Click on the hyperlink pointing to the file that says, 'Download file' OR the file name itself is the link on
which you must click to download it. (The text will be blue with a line underneath it.)
3. A pop-up notice at the bottom of the page will appear, asking you what to do now. Read the
instructions carefully to ensure that you download the file correctly. Some sites might request you to
select the RUN option if you are downloading a program.
4. In general, you will click the “SAVE AS” button and specify the location on your computer where you
want to save the file to.
5. Click SAVE. You will see a progress bar at the bottom indicating the progress of the download as a
percentage.
6. After the download has completed, the progress bar will ask you if you would like to open the file to be
viewed. You can ignore this and view the file later.
To save an image on a web page quickly, simply right click on the image and select “Save Picture As”.
Remember that using a picture you have downloaded as your own without the consent of the owner is
Plagiarism.
16. Skype and instant messaging
Skype Is an IP or VoIP telephony service provider that offers free calling between Skype users and lowcost
calling to people who don't use the service. Skype uses VoIP {VoIP is a method used to transmit voice
over networks using IP (Internet Protocol)) to let you make phone calls and video calls over the Internet
instead of using traditional phone lines. It also enables file transfers, texting, and video chat, Video
conferencing and even a sketch pad. Skype can be loaded and used on desktop computers, notebook and
tablet computers and other mobile devices, including mobile phones.

Skype was the first application that allowed people to communicate with integrated voice and instant
messaging (IM) in one application. It is still popular but have lost market share against Zoom, Google Meet
and MS Teams over the last five years.
What is IM?
IM is a type of communication service that enables you to create a private chat room with another
individual, allowing you to communicate in real time over the Internet.
Is Skype totally free?
It is only free if the two or more communicating parties are using a PC, or some other Skype-compatible
device, and are using the Skype service over the Internet. if a Skype user wants to call a mobile or landline
phone from his PC, then he must pay a specified rate. This service is called Skype-Out. To receive
calls through Skype from a mobile and landline phone, the Skype-ln service can be used.

17. Social media and the workplace
Social media is the broad term for a variety of internet-based tools used on PCs,
tablets, and smart phones to help users make contact, interact and to keep in touch. Its impact on the
workplace is increasing, and organisation must put good policies and procedures in place to protect itself.
While the positive use of social media can be an effective tool for marketing and brand awareness, social
media also presents employers with some new problems. Employee use of social media, inside and outside
the workplace, can expose employers to serious legal liabilities.
Here are some key points to take note of when incorporating social media within the workplace:
1. Develop a policy that includes what is and what is not acceptable for general behaviour in the use of
the internet, emails, smart phones and social media (such as networking websites, blogs and tweets)
at work.
2. Employers should never assess job applicants by looking at their social networking pages; this can be
discriminatory and unfair.
3. Advise employees to regularly check the privacy settings on their social networking pages.
4. Employers should inform and consult with their employees if they are planning to monitor social media
activity affecting the workplace.
18. Using cloud solutions
Cloud computing enables businesses to become increasingly competitive through cost reduction, greater
flexibility, and optimal resource utilisation. Some of the most useful cloud solutions are discussed below.
Infrastructure as a service (laaS)
These are self-service cloud computing models where the laaS client makes use of existing infrastructure
on a pay-per-use scheme. They can access, monitor, and manage remote infrastructures, such as
computer, storage, and networking services (e.g., firewalls), instead of purchasing the hardware. laaS
clients can purchase laaS, based on consumption, like electricity or some other type of utility billing.
Software as a service (Saas)
Saas currently represents the largest cloud market. Saas uses the web to deliver applications that are
managed by a third-party vendor and whose interface is accessed on the clients' side via a browser.
This model reduces the cost of software ownership by removing the need for installing, managing, and
upgrading software, as well as reducing the cost of licensing software.
Data analytics
Social networking platforms are providing the basis for analytics on consumer behavioural patterns that
organisations are using to derive meaningful information. Retailers and suppliers are extracting
information derived from consumers' buying patterns to target their advertising and marketing campaigns
to a particular segment of the population.
File storage
Cloud computing offers businesses the option of storing, accessing, and retrieving files from any webenabled
interface. Organisations are only paying for the storage they are consuming.
Backup and Disaster recovery
You can automatically backup data to any location across the Internet with the assurance that it will be

secure, available at any time and will never run out of storage space.
Another benefit derived from using cloud computing is the cost effectiveness of a disaster recovery (DR)
solution. It recovers your lost data quickly from a mesh of different physical locations and at a much lower
cost.
19. Mobile Apps
A mobile application (or app) is a type of application software specifically designed to run on mobile
devices, such as smartphones or tablet computers. A mobile app is also referred to as a Web app, online
app, iPhone app or smartphone app.
Mobile applications provide users with similar services to those accessed on PCs. They are generally
small, as not to take up too much storage space and with a small GUI to function on the smaller smartphone
and tablet screen sizes. They are designed with the Intent to have a specific yet limited function.
Advantages of having a mobile app for your business
People, especially the younger generation, are constantly using their mobile devices to browse the Web.
Whether you have a small, medium, or big business, going mobile is an important avenue to tap into, and
if you aren't there, you are missing out on the opportunities. With a mobile app, you can achieve results
you simply cannot with just a mobile-friendly website.
Why do you need to create a mobile app for your business?
Let's look at some advantages of creating a mobile app for your business:
1. Developing an app gives you an easy way to showcase your products or services to your customers
and prospective customers. This will boost interest in your company.
2. When updating your content, you give them a glimpse of the new products or services you have on
offer. This excites and interests’ customers and they will keep an eye on your updates regularly.
3. Most of us cannot resist the temptation of a good deal or a great discount, especially when one via an
app on your mobile device stares you in the face, and many people need to share that on a social
media like Facebook. Your business app can enhance engagement in such a way.
4. Engage your customers with offers and incentives in real time, that Is simply too irresistible. This is an
ideal way to promote your brand even more.
5. Apps can offer customer support. An appropriately designed app can deal with the hassle to
6. receive and respond to a customer support request. With a mobile app that can offer instructions and
how-to-do 's, you are sure to win customer approval.
Before you start designing an app for your business, it is important to first determine what ii will be for. One
can easily categorise apps; those that make life fun (Angry Birds), those that simplify (WikiHow), those that
Interest (Yahoo Sports), and those that let people shop (Amazon).