API Integration for Enhanced UX

How much time ⏳ do some Vendors steal from the channel? Today, efficiency is key, yet vendors requiring distributors and partners to use separate portals for quoting or ordering create a massive time and resource drain. Breaking this down: - Let’s say completing a quote takes 20 minutes on a vendor's portal (I know some are way worse) - Additional 30 minutes for duplicating this task internally - And add 20 minutes for revisions due to competitive pressures. This totals to a hefty 70 minutes per quote (and I haven’t included any other vendor's products that maybe needed on that quote!) Imagine a user processing just 10 quotes daily. This scenario translates to 700 minutes, or roughly 12 hours – far beyond a regular workday, dedicated solely to manual and repetitive data entry – for just 10 quotes 😱 So to be clear that is just a single user in a single day... Multiply that by all the channel partner users are across the globe are quoting in your products... (there is no Emoji scary enough to illustrate this statement) This process is not just time-consuming but prone to errors, leading to further inefficiencies. For international partners it, this inefficiency is magnified. They must constantly adjust quotes to account for fluctuating foreign exchange rates, adding another layer of complexity and time consumption. Such continuous recalculations exacerbate the already burdensome process, increasing the likelihood of errors and missed opportunities. Enter the solution: API integration (I know it's not even new tech 🙄😃!). By connecting systems, the need for redundant data entry is eradicated. Data seamlessly flowing between systems saves time, reduces errors, and adapts in real-time to market changes, including currency fluctuations. A quote entered once is automatically updated across platforms, cutting the time per quote from 70 to merely 20 minutes. This isn't just about time management; it's about strategic resource allocation. Time saved can be redirected to fostering customer relationships, strategic planning, and driving sales. In an era where time is money, API integration isn't a luxury; it's a necessity for competitive survival. Businesses can no longer afford the luxury of isolated systems; the future lies in interconnected, efficient ecosystems that optimize operations and enhance productivity. [PS Apologies for not adding the Distributor quote time cost in this calculation as well but I didn’t want to completely freak you out 😉] #revops #API #channelstrategy iasset.com 💬 comment 👍🏼 Like  📢 share  🔔 ring the bell

Here's a quick trick to make your frontend feel much faster ⚡ Consider a social app where users can 'like' messages. A common approach for implementing this feature is: 1. Sending an API request to like the post 2. Waiting for a successful response 3. Updating the UI Whilst this works fine, there's an opportunity to provide a better UX using optimistic updates. Here's how: 1. Updating the UI instantly when the user clicks 'like' 2. Sending an API request to like the post 3. Handle any API errors gracefully This simple optimization can dramatically enhance the perceived speed of your application, leading to better user engagement. Let’s explore how to implement it using #TanStackQuery #JavaScript #React

💥 Why do we need Unified APIs? 🤔👇 As of 2024, it’s safe to say that we live in an API economy. The API market continues to grow very strongly at 30% annually. This surge is driven by a rising demand for connectivity, interoperability & innovation. The continuous progress of APIs can be attributed to 2 main trends: 1) APIs are now favored for SW delivery due to their agility & ability to innovate quickly 2) The rise of cloud, micro-services & serverless apps has increased the demand for APIs to connect programmable endpoints in complex architectures However, despite their undeniable significance, API integration presents a myriad of challenges, particularly in the case of one-off integrations: 👉 Initial onboarding process, which demands extensive research into documentation, understanding HTTP methods, adapting to custom objects & fields specific to the API This learning curve consumes time & resources, delaying integration & hindering project timelines 👉 APIs often entail provider-specific customizations (including data objects, fields & endpoints within the existing system architecture) complicating integration further. 👉 Even after successful integration, maintaining connections presents hurdles as APIs evolve, necessitating regular updates to prevent disruptions Outdated docs & absence of SDKs in preferred programming lang. compound these challenges, perpetuating industry fragmentation. 💥This is where Unified APIs come into the picture💥 🔧 Unified APIs are an abstraction layer that easily communicates w/ many different APIs & backend data models. Generally speaking, a unified API platform allows you to offer integrations at scale, save developers time, delight end users, expand into new markets, empower your go-to-market teams & build customer loyalty. ✨ Example: Plaid Plaid offers a suite of APIs simplifying integration w/ financial institutions, allowing developers seamless access to banking data for services like account authentication & transaction histories. This saves developers time & effort. For end users, Plaid's integrations improve banking experiences, enabling innovative financial apps like budgeting tools & investment trackers. This enhanced UX fosters loyalty & encourages continued usage of integrated services. ⭐ Unified APIs offer a paradigm shift in data access, integration, & utilization, providing several key advantages: 👉 Scalability: Designed to effortlessly scale, Unified APIs enable orgs to handle growing data vol. & diverse srcs while maintaining performance & reliability 👉 Flexibility: Unlike rigid integration methods, Unified APIs offer adaptability, allowing orgs to easily incorporate or adjust data sources & formats as needed 👉 Simplicity: Unified APIs simplify data integration by abstracting complexities, offering a standardized interface that streamlines dev cycles & accelerates time-to-market for products. What's been your experience working with Unified APIs?