Technology Record - Issue 30: Autumn 2023

98 VIEWPOINT Driving innovation with the Power Platform Small and mid-sized organisations can use low code/no code solutions like Microsoft Power Platform to rapidly build and deploy applications that will drive innovation and business growth Over the last decade technology has brought a growing number of enterprisegrade applications and tools to the small and mid-sized business sector. By helping to level out the playing field, these applications and tools have introduced new competition to just about every industry. Businesses are being forced to innovate to keep pace and differentiate themselves from their new-found competitors. This presents a unique technology conundrum whereby the cause ends up being the cure. Microsoft’s Power Platform is a low code/ no code solution that helps empower every organisation to promote and support its innovation efforts. With Power Platform, businesses can design, build and deploy applications cheaper and faster than ever before. This rapid development capability fuels greater innovation by allowing for more ideas to make it beyond the dry erase board. Recently, for example, LBMC Technology Solutions helped US firm Southern Technologies Corporation as it struggled to innovate to meet the demands and expectations of clients in the railroad industry. Like many businesses, Southern Technologies was limited by aging technology that could no longer support its operational goals or objectives. It was using Microsoft SharePoint to store key data about customers, their equipment and service records, but could not host this information outside of its local network. Consequently, Southern Technologies needed a solution that could support its client engagement strategy and process automation requirements. LBMC Technology Solutions designed, deployed and configured a custom Microsoft 365 Power App in the Power Platform to provide the modern business application Southern Technologies needs to support its growing organisation. The new Power App is easy to use, promotes operational consistency, acts as a more comprehensive and accurate data source, and provides new levels of efficiency through process automation. In addition, the Power App offers an enhanced level of reporting and analysis that was not possible before. Jason Barnes is customer relationship management practice manager at LBMC Technology Solutions JASON BARNES: LBMC TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=