An Overview of the QSR Industry

In response to the demand for speedy preparation and delivery of food and beverages, quick-service restaurants were created. A prime example of a QSR or quick food restaurant is McDonald’s. In the 1930s, when Richard and Maurice McDonald came to San Bernardino, California, they opened a tiny drive-in restaurant there called McDonald’s Bar-B-Q.

The eatery became well-known for its ground-breaking “Speedee Service System,” which employed an assembly-line-style cooking method to swiftly and effectively prepare burgers, fries, and other menu items. A more relaxed and comfortable dining experience was intended to be provided by traditional full-service restaurants, which would provide full table service and a wider selection of menu items.

With time, the landscape of the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector experienced a profound evolution due to technological advancements. Technology is significantly influencing the QSR trends relating to its operations, ordering and payment processes, kitchen machinery, and promotional approaches, fundamentally reshaping the methods by which QSRs conduct their operations.

QSR Industry in the 21st Century

As per Zion Market Research, statistics reveal that the global size of the fast-food market reached $647.7 billion in 2021 and is projected to exceed $998 billion by the conclusion of 2028, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 4.6% throughout the forecast period.

Nonetheless, expansion is accompanied by a distinct array of difficulties. Within the QSR sector, the major challenges include cut-throat competition from both emerging and well-established participants, as well as a decline in customer loyalty towards fast-food labels.

Modern customers show a growing preference for brands that introduce innovation into their products and provide meaningful experiences that resonate with their lifestyles. For Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chains, mastering this aspect can lead to the establishment of customer loyalty, increased sales, and unprecedented profit growth. This is precisely where the assistance of technology, particularly data analytics, becomes indispensable.

How the digital-first mentality is Impacting QSRs

The digital-first mentality is poised to have a profound impact on Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) and the trajectory of their digital transformation. This shift represents a fundamental change in how QSRs approach their operations, customer engagement, and overall business strategy.

Customer-Centric Approach:

The digital-first mentality places the customer at the heart of QSR business operations. The popularity of smartphones and online platforms has raised client expectations for convenient, tailored services. To meet this demand, QSRs will need to adapt by providing smart mobile apps, user-friendly websites, and frictionless online ordering alternatives.

Enhanced Customer Experience:

QSRs can offer improved customer experiences by adopting a digital-first strategy. Self-service kiosks, mobile order-ahead functionality, and contactless payments are examples of such services. These advancements make dining faster and more pleasurable while minimizing mistakes and waiting periods.

Data-Driven Insights:

The digital-first strategy makes it easier to get useful customer data. This data can be analyzed by QSRs to learn more about customer preferences, ordering patterns, and peak times. Menu optimization, targeted marketing initiatives, and wise business choices are all influenced by this data.

Omnichannel Engagement:

QSRs can engage customers across multiple channels, blurring the lines between in-store, online, and mobile experiences. This allows customers to seamlessly transition from one touchpoint to another, such as ordering online and picking up in-store, fostering greater convenience.

Innovative Marketing:

digital-first mentality opens the door to innovative marketing strategies. QSRs can leverage social media, influencer partnerships, and location-based advertising to reach customers in novel ways and drive foot traffic to their establishments.

Operational Efficiency:

QSRs can leverage digital tools for more efficient operations. Inventory management systems can be automated, minimizing wastage and ensuring items are always in stock. Staff scheduling can be optimized based on historical sales data and foot traffic patterns.

Global Reach:

QSRs can broaden their reach beyond physical locations by adopting a digital-first strategy. Online ordering and delivery services have the potential to reach customers outside of their immediate area.

Tech-Enabled Menu Innovation:

QSRs can experiment with new menu items, seasonal specials, and limited-time offers. Digital platforms allow for rapid testing and instant feedback from customers.

The digital-first mentality is reshaping the QSR landscape by revolutionizing customer experiences, operational efficiency, marketing strategies, and overall business agility. QSRs embrace this shift and invest in their digital transformation stand to reap significant rewards in terms of customer loyalty, growth, and long-term success.

Top 4 QSR Trends Driving Digital Transformation in 2023

Digital Drive-Thrus

As pointed out by Brian Geraghty, who leads Restaurant Finance at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) that weathered the pandemic have redirected their attention towards bolstering their drive-thru and takeout services. This trend was observable as far back as October 2020 when reports emerged that Burger King, Popeyes, and Tim Hortons were gearing up to enhance over 10,000 drive-thrus in the subsequent year to benefit from the booming customer interest in drive-thru food experiences.

Reports from industry publications highlighted that more than 40,000 digital screens are undergoing installation in drive-thru setups. These screens are set to provide customers with advanced technological functionalities, including:

1. Utilizing Artificial Intelligence for Predictive Selling:

The parent company, Restaurant Brands International, stated that their technology has the capability to intelligently grasp customers’ preferred ordering patterns and display trending menu selections tailored to the specific location. This innovative approach enables the customization of special promotions for individual customers, taking into account their past orders, local weather conditions, time of day, and other relevant factors.

2. Enabling remote and contactless transactions:

The digital drive-thru menu boards have the capability to seamlessly incorporate instant and remote contactless payment methods. This allows customers to place their orders and make payments simultaneously without the need for physical contact.

3. Incorporation of loyalty programs through Bluetooth, scanning, or near-field communication:

The updated menu boards can seamlessly integrate loyalty programs, allowing the menu choices presented to be personalized based on a customer’s preferred selections and their history of redemptions.

IoT in the Kitchen

The world of Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) is no stranger to innovation, and one of the most exciting trends reshaping the industry today is the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the kitchen. 

1. Smart Appliances:

Traditional kitchen equipment is getting a high-tech makeover. Smart fryers, ovens, and grills are now equipped with sensors and connectivity, enabling real-time monitoring and control. This ensures that food is cooked to perfection, reduces energy consumption, and minimizes downtime.

2. Inventory Management:

IoT-powered sensors are keeping a close eye on ingredients and supplies. They automatically track stock levels, expiration dates, and reorder when necessary. This not only prevents food wastage but also streamlines supply chain management, making sure your favorite QSR items are always in stock.

3. Delivery Optimization:

IoT plays a crucial role in delivery services. GPS trackers on delivery vehicles ensure efficient routing, reducing delivery times and fuel consumption. Smart temperature sensors maintain the quality of the food during transit, guaranteeing a hot and fresh meal upon arrival.

4. Security and Safety:

IoT technologies enhance safety protocols in the kitchen. Smoke detectors, fire suppression systems, and even wearable tech for staff can detect potential hazards and respond swiftly, ensuring a safer working environment.

Omnichannel Payments

In the ever-evolving landscape of Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), staying at the forefront of technology is essential. One of the most influential trends driving digital transformation in the QSR industry is the adoption of omnichannel payments.

1. Seamless Ordering and Payment:

Omnichannel payments enable customers to order and pay for their meals across various platforms, including mobile apps, websites, kiosks, and even through voice-activated assistants. This flexibility allows customers to choose their preferred ordering method, making the process smoother and more convenient.

2. Curbside and Drive-Thru Convenience:

Omnichannel payments extend to curbside pickup and drive-thru services. Customers can place their orders ahead of time, pay online, and then pick up their food without leaving their cars. This reduces wait times, enhances efficiency, and improves the overall customer experience.

3. Contactless Payments:

The rise of mobile wallets, NFC technology, and QR codes has ushered in an era of contactless payments. QSRs are leveraging these options to offer a secure and hygienic payment experience, aligning with the changing preferences of customers in a post-pandemic world.

4. Data-Driven Personalization:

With omnichannel payments, QSRs collect valuable customer data that can be used to create personalized offers and recommendations. By analyzing purchase history and preferences, QSRs can tailor promotions, increasing customer loyalty and sales.

Ghost Kitchens

Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) are no strangers to innovation, and one of the most intriguing trends reshaping the industry today is the rise of Ghost Kitchens. These digital-first culinary hubs are changing the game in how we experience and enjoy our favourite fast-food delights.

1. Digital-First Approach:

Ghost Kitchens thrive in the digital realm. They heavily rely on online ordering platforms, mobile apps, and third-party delivery services. Customers can explore a diverse array of food options from various brands in one virtual space and order with just a few taps on their smartphones.

2. Local and Global Expansion:

These digital kitchens can pop up in strategic locations, bringing diverse cuisines to neighborhoods that may not have had access to such options before. Moreover, Ghost Kitchens can easily expand their reach to different regions or countries, bridging culinary gaps and catering to a global audience.

3. Chef Collaboration:

Ghost Kitchens often collaborate with celebrity chefs, popular food influencers, or emerging culinary talents. These partnerships bring fresh and exciting flavors to the virtual table, attracting foodies seeking unique dining experiences.

4. The Future of Dining:

Ghost Kitchens are not just a trend; they represent the future of dining in a fast-paced, digitally connected world. They offer convenience, variety, and accessibility, making it easier than ever for customers to savor their favorite meals without leaving the comfort of their homes.

Importance of Testing the QSR Apps and Websites

Testing Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) apps and websites holds immense significance in ensuring a seamless and satisfying digital experience for both customers and the business itself. In the modern era, where digital interactions are paramount, rigorous testing safeguards against potential pitfalls that can tarnish a brand’s reputation and customer loyalty.

User Experience:

Ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience is paramount for QSR apps and websites. Testing helps identify usability issues, navigation problems, and design flaws that could frustrate customers and lead to poor user experience. A positive user experience can encourage repeat business and customer loyalty.

Order Accuracy:

QSR apps and websites often involve complex ordering processes with various customization options. Testing ensures that customers can accurately place their orders, customize them according to their preferences, and receive the correct items. Order accuracy is essential to meet customer expectations and reduce the number of complaints and refunds.

Performance:

Users expect QSR apps and websites to be fast and responsive. Testing helps identify and rectify performance bottlenecks, such as slow page load times, unresponsive buttons, or crashes. A smooth and responsive app or website can enhance customer satisfaction and encourage frequent usage.

Security:

QSR apps and websites handle sensitive customer information, including payment details. Security testing is crucial to identify vulnerabilities, prevent data breaches, and protect customer data. A breach not only compromises customer trust but can also result in legal and financial consequences for the restaurant.

Compatibility:

QSR apps and websites should function correctly on various devices and browsers. Testing helps ensure compatibility across different platforms (e.g., iOS, Android, web browsers) and screen sizes, allowing the restaurant to reach a broader audience and maximize customer reach.

Competitive Advantage:

In a highly competitive market, QSRs that offer a flawless digital experience through their apps and websites gain a competitive edge. Testing helps maintain and enhance the quality of the digital platform, attracting more customers and outperforming competitors.

The accuracy and reliability of these digital platforms significantly impact customer trust and business credibility. Testing plays a pivotal role in validating the accuracy of menu items, prices, and nutritional information. In an industry where precision matters, any errors in this realm can lead to customer dissatisfaction and potential legal complications. Regular testing also ensures that online ordering and payment processes are secure and user-friendly, guarding against potential data breaches and fraudulent activities. By consistently evaluating the performance, security, and user experience of their apps and websites, QSRs can remain competitive in a tech-driven landscape, attract and retain customers, and ultimately bolster their brand’s digital presence and profitability.

Conclusion

In the dynamic realm of Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), the digital transformation journey is unveiling a landscape of innovative possibilities. As we delve into the trends shaping the industry in 2023, it’s evident that technology is becoming an integral force driving operational efficiency, customer engagement, and overall success. From the surge in ghost kitchens and virtual brands to the embrace of contactless payments and personalized experiences, QSRs are strategically adapting to meet the evolving preferences and expectations of modern consumers.

The convergence of data analytics, smart devices, and intuitive applications is not only enhancing customer experiences but also providing QSRs with actionable insights to refine their strategies and offerings. As digital drive-thrus emerge as a game-changer, optimizing every aspect of the ordering process, and IoT finds its foothold in kitchens, the path ahead holds exciting potential for both established QSR giants and emerging players.

As we navigate this landscape of transformation, it’s clear that the fusion of innovation and customer-centricity is the cornerstone of success. By harnessing these trends, QSRs can continue to meet the demands of today’s tech-savvy consumers, create memorable dining experiences, and solidify their place in an ever-evolving industry. The journey towards a tech-driven future is not just a necessity; it’s an opportunity for QSRs to shape the way we enjoy food and redefine convenience in the years to come.

How Can TestingXperts help you with the QSR Apps?

TestingXperts can be your invaluable partner in ensuring the seamless and robust performance of your Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) digital services. With our expertise in software testing and quality assurance, we offer a range of services tailored to meet the unique demands of QSR digital platforms. Here’s how we can assist you:

Comprehensive Testing Solutions:

Our team specializes in end-to-end testing of QSR apps, websites, and digital solutions. We conduct functional, usability, performance, security, and compatibility testing to ensure your digital services meet the highest standards.

User Experience Enhancement:

We meticulously analyze the user experience to identify pain points, inconsistencies, and areas for improvement. This helps in creating an intuitive and seamless journey for your customers, boosting engagement and satisfaction.

Performance Optimization:

With our performance testing services, we assess how your digital services handle various loads and conditions. This ensures that even during peak usage, your platforms remain responsive and efficient.

Continuous Testing:

Through automated testing solutions, we help you maintain the highest quality standards as your digital services evolve. This ensures that each update, feature addition, or change is thoroughly tested without disrupting the user experience.

End-to-End Support:

From initial testing to ongoing maintenance, we offer continuous support to ensure your QSR digital services maintain their high quality and remain competitive.

By partnering with TestingXperts, you can focus on delivering exceptional dining experiences while we ensure the seamless operation, security, and performance of your QSR digital platforms.

The post Top 4 QSR Trends Digitally Transforming the Industry in 2023 first appeared on TestingXperts.

Digital transformation is no longer a buzzword for organizations; instead, it has become a necessity to adopt for every business to beat the competition. The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have mandated the adoption of digital technologies and processes. Digital transformation helps organizations keep up with the emerging customer demands and allows companies to perform better in today’s digital economy that is constantly changing to various technological evolutions.

Content

An overview of digital transformation

Digital Transformation represents a shift from the conventional and manual way of working to the new digital way of doing business. Digital transformation is the process of adopting and integrating digital technologies in all areas of business. Its main goal is to improve existing business processes, culture, and customer experience.  According to Wikipedia, Digital Transformation (DX) is the adoption of digital technology by a company. Some of the common goals for its implementation are to improve efficiency, value, or innovation. Further, it brings innovation and helps businesses keep pace with the latest technological trends. Undoubtedly, today almost every industry is moving towards digital transformation or at least has realized the importance of digital transformation for delivering high value to customers.

According to Statista, In 2022, the spending on DX is projected to reach 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars. By 2025, global digital transformation spending is forecasted to reach 2.8 trillion U.S. dollars. Moreover, according to IDC, By 2022, 70% of all organizations will have accelerated the use of digital technologies, transforming existing business processes to drive customer engagement, employee productivity, and business resiliency.

What is the significance of digital transformation for businesses?

Customer-based benefits

Improves customer experience:

Provides better buying options:

Business-based benefits

Improves operational efficiency:

Digital transformation enhances the operational efficiency of businesses by minimizing the complexity and time spent on repetitive processes. The automation backed by advanced technologies and digital tools helps improve the productivity and efficiency of the day-to-day business operations.

Helps with informed decisions making & ROI:

Digital transformation helps businesses analyze the data in real-time. It helps business leaders in making an informed decision regarding ways to increase sales, retain customers, improve the quality of product/process. This ultimately helps businesses increase their ROI in the long run.

Ensures business to become agile:

The technology landscape is advancing rapidly, and businesses should keep themselves updated with the latest technologies. Digital transformation helps businesses survive in the highly competitive and technologically advanced marketplace and allows them to become more agile to beat the competition.

Cost-based benefits

Helps to save costs by reducing human-prone errors:

Any kind of human error can cost businesses to incur high expenses. However, with the help of digital transformation and automation, chances of human errors are significantly reduced, resulting in higher accuracy and significant cost savings for businesses.

Boosts productivity:

By adopting new-age technologies and automating repetitive tasks, businesses can save the time and cost spent on training workers and updating digital resources. Thus, with the help of digital transformation and digital tools, businesses can lower expenses and increase productivity.

Truly, today, businesses across industries, such as healthcare, eLearning, retail, BFSI, etc., are all adopting digitization, and interestingly, this digital impact is seen more in the eCommerce sector, which is directly connected to customers. The ever-changing customer needs largely drive the eCommerce sector, and hence, the retailers are bound to deliver a great customer experience (CX) which is all possible by adopting DX.

Impact of digital transformation on the eCommerce sector

24/7 online market presence:

Digital transformation helps businesses strengthen their market presence by making their products available online 24/7. With the help of digital eCommerce, brands can now sell products to customers 24×7 from anywhere and any time.

Effective selling through social media:

Another way digital transformation has strengthened eCommerce is by facilitating sales through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.

A personalized shopping experience for customers:

Digital technologies such as AI, and ML gather customer interest and purchase data and help eCommerce businesses to make a personalized recommendation to the customer based on their browsing and purchase history.

Digital payments:

Digital technologies have now simplified the way payments are made. With the help of digital payments enabled through net banking, payment gateways, etc., customers can easily purchase products from eCommerce channels seamlessly on the go. These digital payments have been increased more due to the COVID-19 pandemic also.

Supply chain simplification:

Digital transformation has also simplified every aspect of the supply chain, such as Inventory management, Stock Keeping Units (SKU) management, Warehouse management, Delivery management, etc.

Forecasting future customer demands:

Advanced technologies, such as AI and ML, collect customer purchase data from various sources. Based on this data, businesses can predict the future requirements of customers. This way, eCommerce businesses can suggest to customers what more they can add to their cart while shopping and deliver a seamless shopping experience.

Accurate order management:

Digital transformation has helped eCommerce businesses simplify the order management process. With the help of advanced order management platforms, retail companies can easily track orders/returns.

Global customer reach:

Digital transformation has helped the eCommerce sector expand its global footprints. With the help of digital channels, businesses can now sell their products globally without any hassle.

Undoubtedly, digital transformation has been creating a great impact across industries; however,  businesses should ensure their mobile/web apps, and websites deliver a seamless experience to their digital customers, for which digital testing should be leveraged.

What is the need to leverage digital testing for enterprises digital transformation?

Protects cyber attacks:

Protects digital apps/systems/networks from cyber-attacks

Improves usability:

Ensures proper app navigation & Improves the usability of the app

Seamless app performance under peak loads:

Ensures the app performs seamlessly even under user loads, especially during peak holiday sales

Easy navigation through websites:

Improves eCommerce website performance and navigation to deliver more personalization to the customers

Accessibility:

Ensures the app is accessible to all people, even for the differently-abled population with hearing loss, vision impairment, moto impairment, etc.

Delivers greater CX:

Ensures payments do not get stuck due to poor payment gateway integration and ensures effective cart functionality to deliver a great CX.

An overview of various digital testing types to leverage

Functional testing:

It is performed to test the functional aspects of the software. This testing method helps validate the app’s functionality to ensure its works properly as per the requirements. There are various types of functional testing methods that businesses can leverage, such as:

Automation testing: It is an advanced software testing technique, wherein testers use test automation tools for conducting the test. It helps in reducing regression time, ensures faster bug identification, and helps businesses go to market early.

Regression testing: This testing method validates the proper functioning of the software even after frequent code changes and should be taken up whenever any changes are made in the software.

Mobile application testing: In this testing type, the apps designed for hand-held devices like mobile phones and tablets are tested thoroughly. Mobile app testing validates mobile apps’ functionality, performance, compatibility, usability, etc.

Non-functional testing:

In this testing type, the non-functional aspects of the software, such as performance, security, reliability, accessibility of the web/mobile apps are checked thoroughly.

Performance and load testing: The main aim of this test is to check the performance, speed, responsiveness, stability, and reliability of the app under high user loads, fluctuating networks, varying bandwidths, etc.

Security testing: As the name itself suggests, this testing type helps identify and remove security loopholes or vulnerability issues from the software. There are various types of security testing methods such as vulnerability testing, penetration testing, ethical hacking, etc.

Usability testing: The main aim of this test is to ensure the proper usability of an app to the end-user. Usability testing involves the validation of app navigation, content readability, multimedia visibility across the app, etc.

Accessibility testing: This test ensures equal access of apps to all people, including people with certain disabilities like partial blindness, hearing loss, motor limitations, etc. Accessibility testing validates the app’s compliance with accessibility guidelines like W3C’s i.e., WCAG 2.0, WCA 2.1, WCAG 2.2, Section 508, Stanca Act, etc.

Next-gen testing methods

AI testing: In this testing type, the AI-powered smart apps and bots are tested comprehensively to deliver fully-functional AI apps and bots.

AI-based testing: It is an advanced software testing technique wherein advanced technologies like AI and ML are used for testing the software. This testing type helps testers speed up the testing process, identify bugs faster and deliver software at speed. Tx-SmarTest is an AI-enabled comprehensive platform that systematically caters to faster releases enabled with DevOps CI/CD processes. It helps boost the software quality through production enabled by combining AI, ML, Deep Learning, and neural network algorithms.

Conclusion

Digital transformation is changing the world in leaps and bounds, and every business is digitally transforming by adopting digital apps, tools, technologies, and more. Digital-first and customer-first approaches are transforming the way of doing business across the globe. However, the significance of digital transformation is significant in the eCommerce sector as it has allowed businesses to sell their products directly to the customer without any hassle. This digital transformation impact has been amplified with the pandemic when customers started to buy products online. However, effective digital testing is necessary for businesses to ensure their mobile/web apps deliver a seamless digital experience to their customers. Businesses should leverage end-to-end digital testing from an independent software testing service provider for high-quality digital solutions.

How can TestingXperts help?

TestingXperts (Tx), an award-winning and leading next-gen QA and independent software testing services provider, has been at the forefront of enabling digital testing services for businesses across industries. With proven experience in mobile and web app testing services and with an end-to-end service portfolio, Tx addresses various customer challenges associated with digital apps like functionality, performance, security, usability, cross-device compatibility, and more. Tx teams closely work with clients in various methodologies (Agile, & DevOps) to offer digital testing services for mobile and web applications. Tx also ensures businesses achieve faster time to market with quicker ROI.

The post Impact of Digital Transformation on the eCommerce Sector first appeared on TestingXperts.

Content 1. What is the importance of Digital Transformation? 2. Latest industry statistics on Digital Transformation 3. What are the benefits of Digital Transformation for your business? 4. Latest Digital Transformation trends to look for in 2023   4.1 5G to lead the boards   4.2 AI adoption to continue   4.3 API based integration platforms   4.4 Digital twins to rule   4.5 Reimagining customer and employee experience   4.6 Blockchain to smoothen supply chains   4.7 RPA to move up the digital transformation charts   4.8 Smart cities, connected vehicles & drones to become predominant   4.9 XaaS to take a smooth lead 5. Conclusion

What is the importance of Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation (DX or DT) is a buzz word that has had its own dominance in the recent years and it is gaining immense momentum due to the connected applications and booming mobile devices. Enterprises across industries are at a juncture of the integration of digital technology into all the areas of their businesses with an underlying objective to deliver value to their customers.

Wikipedia defines Digital transformation as the use of new, fast and frequently changing digital technology to solve problems and it is about transforming processes that were non-digital or manual to digital processes. This DX technology is more about how businesses can better connect with today’s digital customers and has been influencing major sectors like eCommerce, banking, healthcare, pharma, supply chain, and many more of them.

DT is not a simple change but an organization wide change that is brought about by people, processes, operations and the use of latest technology. It is more about the integration of digital technologies into all the areas of business operations. Necessarily, it is the integration of information and data from one end, and technology and mobility from the other end. These together when embedding into an organizations business strategy, are bound to deliver a better digital customer experience.

Therefore, every business has to ensure they transform their approach more towards engaging and enchanting their customers with scalable and high performing digital applications. The process of digitization helps businesses to better track their operations, enhance productivity, augment effective digital strategies and deliver great experience to customers.

Latest industry statistics on Digital Transformation

–> According to Meticulous Research publication in Globenewswire, “The digital transformation market is said to be $3294 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 22.7% from 2019.”

–> According to Markets and Markets, the global digital transformation market size is expected to grow from USD 469.8 billion in 2020 to USD 1009.8 billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.5%. Major growth drivers of the market are the increasing penetration of mobile devices and apps and the increasing adoption of cloud services.

–> According to a Forbes article, 70% of companies have a digital transformation strategy in place or are working on one. 21% companies think they have already completed digital transformation. Nearly half of all companies say improving customer experience and customer satisfaction were the leading influences to start a digital transformation.

The digital transformation success has been stated as, companies that earn $1 billion a year, earn an additional $700 million over three years, by investing in customer experience. 56% of CEOs say digital improvements have led to increased revenue.

–> According to Grand View Research, “The global digital transformation market size was valued at USD 284.38 billion in 2019 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.5% from 2020 to 2027.” Digital transformation holds the potential to streamline and integrate all business operations for increasing business performance efficiency.

What are the benefits of Digital Transformation for your business?

– Transforms customer experience by delighting customers with user-friendly applications

– Ensures to deliver better insights with data driven metrics and predictive analytics

– Ensures to develop customer aligned digital products and services

– Helps to achieve culture change with greater collaboration between departments

– Leads to increased agility and speed across the entire organization

– Delivers greater resource management and fosters a digital culture across the channel

– Opens new doors for increased transparency and opportunities with better collaboration

– Delivers more improvised dashboard insights with advanced data analytics

– Paves way for continuous improvement across the organization and a new way towards innovation

Latest Digital Transformation trends to look for in 2023

Businesses across industries should be well aware of the below digital transformation trends which are likely to dominate the digital world.

1. 5G to lead the boards:

This technology will be used in recent technology advancements such as smart manufacturing, smart vehicles, and smart cities. It is also likely to revolutionize the other industries such as education, healthcare, agriculture and other business sectors in a huge way. This 5G accelerates the digital transformation journey by transmitting huge amounts of data with extremely high speed to deliver data at unimaginable speed.

2. AI adoption to continue:

3. API based integration platforms:

Organizations can use EiPaaS (Enterprise integration platform as a Service) tools which will become the new norm for most mid-sized and large-sized organizations. Going forward, using API based integration is likely to become the very survival mechanism for organizations.

4. Digital twins to rule:

Typically, the collected data is mined to get insights and patterns using advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms. These algorithms can predict outcomes based on reading historical data and can be used to identify various downtimes, malfunctions or quality errors across applications.

5. Reimagining customer and employee experience:

Forbes in one of their article on digital transformation trends that will shape 2020 states that: moving forward, digital transformation will be less about traditional benefits like cutting costs and more about reimagining experiences for customers, employees and partners.

6. Blockchain to smoothen supply chains:

7. RPA to move up the digital transformation charts:

8. Smart cities, connected vehicles & drones to become predominant:

The simplified access to various real time data improves and simplifies human lives with various IoT connected devices as digital is invading humans to make tasks easy.

9. XaaS to take a smooth lead:

Saas (Software as a Service) & PaaS (Platform as a Service) have already been in use for some time now, but XaaS has so many more benefits both for businesses and customers which includes scalability of processes with cost effectiveness with no CAPEX and OPEX. This way of everything as a service will ease the way services are offered to digital businesses.

Conclusion

Digital transformation is the way forward for businesses as it helps organizations in improving their customer experience along with theirs, and streamlines their operations to save time and efforts. There are many benefits businesses get by leveraging DT, and it is recommended to integrate new technologies into their everyday business operations. Leverage next-gen testing services digital testing services to get digitally suitable products that are bound to deliver great value to your customers.

The post Top Digital Transformation Trends to Watch in 2023 first appeared on TestingXperts.

What is Digital Transformation in Healthcare?

Forbes in their article on Healthcare Growth Drivers 2020 states that the digital transformation of healthcare will gain momentum. The drivers include better tools such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) and virtual trials to empower patient outcomes, maturation of funding to public markets, regulatory innovation, technology adoption and more alliances between entrepreneurs and large companies.

With digitalization on the rise, these health-care systems have become safer, more affordable, and more accessible to patients. Moreover, it has made healthcare companies to rethink business processes and make it more patient-centric and affordable. Therefore, using digital technologies in healthcare places the patient is at the center of the eco-system and ensures to deliver better healthcare outcomes.

Significantly, an effective digital transformation in healthcare requires at first place a cultural change. This facet encompasses implementing new business models, along with evolving new and different ways of thinking within the healthcare enterprises. It perhaps also demands effective management and communication delivered to patients, and handling of various compliances and regulations while ensuring to be digital. Primarily, digital health ensures and drives effective patient engagement and better healthcare outcomes.

What are Benefits of Digital Transformation in Healthcare?

Digital transformation in healthcare redefines how people, technology and devices interact and connect seamlessly further:

– It helps to promote better patient care

– Reduces overall healthcare costs

– Improves patient outcomes

– Enables a superior healing experience for patients

– Helps clinical and administrative staff to deliver safer, timely, and higher quality care

– Supports new care approaches and solutions to make healthcare delivery less expensive and more efficient

– It makes healthcare accessible to all and enables enhanced healthcare pathways

Although digital health has tremendous potential to improve quality and reduce costs in healthcare, there are five major areas of digital healthcare that need effective testing solutions to fully realize its potential.

Therefore, it is essential to bring together the emerging trends of network infrastructure security, mobility and cloud access, IoT smart devices and usage of AI in healthcare, to be properly aligned to ensure the success of digital healthcare.

Which Emerging Trends in Digital Healthcare Need Testing Solutions?

1. Mobility and Cloud Access Priority:

Today, undoubtedly the game-changer is an expansion of mobile apps access to data that is maintained on the cloud, ensuring quick and easy access. This sort of continuous access through mobile apps eases patient care and clinicians also get to know the clinical reports and patient data instantly. With electronic medical records (EMR) in the cloud, patients and doctors can access medical data 24/7.

Moreover, in hospitals, the concept of mobile-first has been on demand. These mobile apps should be tested thoroughly by embracing mobile application testing as patient data is critical and only accurate data stands valid.

Any error in medical record data would cost the healthcare providers largely and hence, end-to-end mobile application testing has to be taken up by manufacturers.

2. IoT Smart Healthcare Devices:

There has been an increased usage of IoT connected devices that prove to improve outcomes and patient engagements. Specifically, these IoT systems range from connected medical devices such as MRI, CT scanners, wearable devices, remote patient monitors, video conferencing digital devices, telemedicine devices, and security cameras.

These connected devices have made digital health accessible even in remote areas. These connected healthcare devices ensure better patient care and deliver better patient outcomes but evidently, medical devices and software should be tested thoroughly to ensure effective results.

3. AI Role in Digital Health:

Forbes states that Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare is a giant opportunity to help revolutionize patient outcomes and reduce costs. AI is a powerful way to redefine data and its predictions by using algorithms. It provides a profound understanding of critical diseases such as cancer, genetic diseases, and others, thus paving the way for enabling better treatment to patients with quick identification of disease stage.

It has also been observed that various pharmaceutical and other healthcare companies are deploying machine learning algorithms for exploring chemical and biological interactions to develop new drugs and get predictions replacing the age-old process of conducting only clinical trials.

4. Network Infrastructure Security:

The network infrastructure of healthcare organizations is the foundation of digital transformation, as robust, secure and resilient connectivity is vital. This infrastructure component optimizes the pathway across the healthcare ecosystem. Therefore, it is evident that a secure network lays the ground for delivering secure data, applications, mobility and IoT connectivity that ultimately drives outstanding patient care and improves healthcare outcomes. Thus, in order to ensure network security across the digital platform, it is essential to leverage security testing to avoid threats and vulnerabilities.

5. Cyber Security Across Digital Devices:

Hacking and cyber-attacks are common today in the data networks which has become a major concern for healthcare organizations. The massive Wannacry cyberattack infiltrated hospital networks across Europe and North America and posed a halt to their medical services.

Healthcare IoT systems are more vulnerable to hacking and threats as the proliferation of sensors and connected devices greatly expand and ease network attacks. Many healthcare IoT devices are manufactured without following security measures and continue to be more susceptible.

Hence, these connected systems and devices are becoming susceptible to attacks affecting hospitals, and clinics. Further, the manufacturers should leverage security testing services to ensure effective devices are set in place.

6. Chatbots Serving as Digital Assistants:

The digital assistants also commonly named Chatbots are a subset derived using AI, ML and NLP technologies. A digital assistant can speak different languages and becomes handy through its support for voice and text messages. These chatbots effectively store and process the data as self-learners. They provide a personalized experience to patients and some of them even provide emotional support to patients.

Particularly, these assistants can be used to answer frequently asked questions FAQ, suggest products, take orders, handle payments and organize meetings and notifications on a need-based across the digital healthcare domain. Chatbots should be tested with real-time scenarios to enable the best outcomes while embedding them in healthcare channels.

What are the challenges faced with healthcare digitalization?

Challenges with Respect to Incurring Costs: Healthcare organizations aim to drive more revenue from the small investments they do and this could be an essential factor that hinders them from moving towards digitalization. But, incurring costs is essential for today’s enterprises as without digitalization businesses cannot survive in today’s competitive healthcare world.

Challenges with new change adoptions: Another reason why many of the healthcare businesses place a back step is due to the fear and concern to accept any new change. Legacy systems or remaining on the same platform may not be a good sign for them as new technologies are trending and need to be adopted to stay aligned in the industry and be ahead of competitors by adopting new changes aligned with digitalization.

Challenge to maintain effective data aggregation: In healthcare industries, the amount of data generated in a day is massive. Yet, the challenge is how the data is managed. With the siloed data across the industry, it becomes inefficient for the industries to perform the required data segregation and interoperability. And, this largely affects the customer experience and might affect their brand. Thus, it becomes essential to integrate the data from all systems and ensure proper collaboration to ensure proper data access and usage.

Challenge to maintain secured data: The ever-changing digitalizing technology within the healthcare industry is providing many ways to increase productivity and at the same time it is experiencing security issues with cyber-attacks. When considering the medical sector, every electronic medical record maintained by the enterprise maintains the personal and sensitive data of the user. If the growing number of cyber-breaches continues to occur, it probably affects the user’s trust and the company’s brand. Hence, to ensure a secure environment that can overcome the cyber-breaches, healthcare businesses need to adopt security testing services from a next-gen testing service provider. 

Conclusion

By taking a comprehensive approach to digitization, healthcare organizations can deliver services more quickly, and deliver better patient care with low costs. The major facets of the digital healthcare domain are revolving around network security, IoT smart devices, usage of AI and chatbots in the healthcare channels.

Undoubtedly, digital technology in the healthcare industry is fast proving to be a game-changer and in order to get the complete benefits out of the system, end-to-end software testing services should be taken up by next-gen testing service providers.

The post How Digital Transformation is Redefining Healthcare in 2022? first appeared on TestingXperts.

]]> https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/Accelerate-Digital-Transformation-by-Reinventing-Testing?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=accelerate-digital-transformation-by-reinventing-testing Mon, 13 Aug 2018 14:11:11 +0000 https://www.testingxperts.com/?p=9901

It is evident that the digital transformation is reinventing business practices. In this digitally-driven era, technological capabilities are continuously improving, and in order to sustain, organizations MUST be innovative and agile as they integrate digital technologies into their business practices. Contents 1. Role of Digital Transformation 2. Advantages of Moving Forward with Continuous Testing 3. … Continue reading "Accelerate Digital Transformation by Reinventing Testing"

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It is evident that the digital transformation is reinventing business practices. In this digitally-driven era, technological capabilities are continuously improving, and in order to sustain, organizations MUST be innovative and agile as they integrate digital technologies into their business practices.

Contents 1. Role of Digital Transformation 2. Advantages of Moving Forward with Continuous Testing 3. Conclusion

Having a digital transformation strategy in place has become a necessity in order to stay competitive in any market.

 

Role of Digital Transformation

 

The evolution from normal business to digital is no easy task as the digital world is changing rapidly and unpredictably. Keeping up the pace can present challenges and leave many uncertain of how to continue. This is where the need for re-inventing software testing arises.

Reinventing the software testing process is essential for achieving the speed and agility that is required to succeed in the digital future. This has become an easy method for organizations that are looking to move forward in the digital world and accelerate innovation while improving cost-effectiveness and reducing business risks.

The question remains- how does an organization get there?

Few organizations have the amenities and the knowledge of building a new quality process from scratch. However, most need to address extremely complex systems and monitoring requirements in the transition phase in order to avoid disruption to business-critical operations. So how do you rearrange your established quality process with the firm drive towards continuous everything?

Answer- Leveraging Continuous Testing

Continuous Testing leverages agile approach and methodology to execute end-to-end testing of applications. The goal is to facilitate continuous delivery with continuous quality and quicken time to market.

 

Advantages of Moving Forward with Continuous Testing

 

1. Identifies defects/bugs faster, driving cost-effectiveness

Software testing and development approaches are transformed to identify bugs faster and reduce business risks. Continuous Testing makes the software development process collaborative and open to change in the production environment. It helps in to identify defects quicker in the overall software development lifecycle, making the process cost-effective.

2. Quickens the release cycle, driving competitive advantage

Continuous Testing shortens the development cycle time, thereby increasing the frequency of releases. This helps companies to reach faster to the market. The teams can release the minimum viable product (MVP) at any point during the project.

3. Jumpstarts DevOps approach

Continuous Testing is the initial step towards driving the DevOps approach. It boosts continuous feedback that is crucial for the DevOps approach to display noticeable results. DevOps is primarily an organization’s cultural shift towards collaboration between the development teams and operations teams. This boosts continuity and accelerates the development cycle. Continuous Testing and DevOps together helps in making the process quicker and seamless.

4. Empowers experimentation

Businesses are implementing digital technologies to get more responsive and efficacious in the competitive marketplace. They are bringing a change from the legacy systems and are transforming. Continuous Testing encourages collaboration between developers and testers within the development environment. This collaboration also enables team members in devising efficient ways of implementing certain features. Continuous testing also promotes experimentation, helping the teams experience immediate success.

Conclusion

The new digitally-driven era needs an improved approach in terms of speed and agility. By re-inventing the process of testing, implementing continuous testing, and with trending technical and agile practices, an organization can be successful in driving digital transformation. A digital transformation strategy necessitates a creation of capabilities to efficiently leverage new technologies and strengthen their impact in a faster, better, and a much more innovative manner.

TestingXperts, a frontrunner in implementing the agile DevOps practices, is helping in automating the clients’ tests, achieving timely delivery schedules, and strengthening the agile processes. Connect with us to know more about continuous testing and allow us to help you deliver your software applications faster and better.

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]]> https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/How-DevOps-and-Continuous-Testing-will-Impact-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-devops-and-continuous-testing-will-impact Mon, 15 Jan 2018 08:29:23 +0000 https://www.testingxperts.com/?p=9341

Businesses nowadays have not just exposed most of their internal applications to the customer, but have also developed additional software that outspreads and complements those applications. Software failures have severe business consequences, which is why application-related risks have become evident constituents of a business’ public financial filing. As a result, enterprises are embracing comprehensive software … Continue reading "How DevOps and Continuous Testing will Impact"

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Businesses nowadays have not just exposed most of their internal applications to the customer, but have also developed additional software that outspreads and complements those applications. Software failures have severe business consequences, which is why application-related risks have become evident constituents of a business’ public financial filing. As a result, enterprises are embracing comprehensive software testing techniques for their applications.

Contents 1. How Did 2023 Embrace Change? 2. Faster Release Cycles Will Require DevOps and Continuous Testing 3. IoT and Cross-platform Engagement Will Require More Devices and More Applications 4. Conclusion

How Did 2023 Embrace Change?

In 2023, we saw remarkable growth in adoption of agile methodologies such as ATDD and BDD. Besides this, organizations have left legacy tools behind, supporting faster and agile-ready testing. This move emulates the need to cater to every role that touches continuous testing such as development, testing, or operations.

In 2023, organizations will witness the above-stated solutions growing to a higher scale, whereby the manual and legacy tools skills will transform into more modern ones. The evolution of continuous testing (CT), continuous integration (CI), and DevOps will also transform into much shorter releases acting as a channel towards real continuous delivery (CD). Leading organizations will be forced to invest in people and empower their developers with continuous testing capabilities that reflect a better range of quality checks, i.e. focusing more on DevSecOps. QA will no longer be a bottleneck, rather it will become the crux of the entire CI/CD cycle. The year 2023 will also bring a clear focus on Test Data Management as businesses will continue to find the accessibility of test data to be one of the most crucial aspects that drives lead time in test cycles.

Faster Release Cycles Will Require DevOps and Continuous Testing

DevOps is meant to trace an entire organization; though it’s profoundly weighted in the software development lifecycle. This is the reason that DevOps will be going mainstream in 2023. Companies will be making the adoption of DevOps practices a top priority. The main objective of companies will be delivering value to the customers faster through the automation of the release processes. This will only happen if the organizations realize that in order to establish their DevOps processes, they would require continuous testing as a part of their continuous integration process. In order to achieve faster and timely release cycles, companies will have to migrate away from the legacy testing solutions that inhibit them from shift left methodologies by leveraging cloud-based and open-source testing solutions.

IoT and Cross-platform Engagement Will Require More Devices and More Applications

With organizations’ ever-changing processes and innovations to mix different digital technologies, there will be an evident rise in the IoT (Internet of Things) devices. This transformation will create a need for more applications, further insisting on continuous testing of those applications.

In this year, industries such as healthcare, financial services, e-commerce, and automotive will all completely embrace the IoT. There might be transformations in the current processes and applications, as consumers and developers embrace the continuously evolving innovative capabilities coming in 2023.

Conclusion

To maintain and nurture customers and productivity, CIOs must identify the significance of empowering developers with the right tools and time to implement continuous testing across the SDLC. Tools that are powered by automation and the cloud solutions are increasing competency, reducing the time that is spent by developers on manual quality-checking. It also helps to produce apps that are synchronized with customer expectations.

The value of an efficient, or not-so efficient DevOps process can effectively ‘make or break’ an organization. In this year, organizations should include IT leadership in these conversations to make sure that developers are getting what they require, when they require it, in order to keep businesses moving as anticipated. TestingXperts specializes in market-leading devops software testing tools for enterprises. TestingXperts has constantly been growing with the transformational changes in the industry and is equipped to take on forthcoming changes effectively this year.

The post How DevOps and Continuous Testing will Impact first appeared on TestingXperts.

]]> https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/Artificial-Intelligence-and-Its-Impact-on-the-Software-Testing-Industry?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=artificial-intelligence-and-its-impact-on-the-software-testing-industry Mon, 08 Jan 2018 14:25:30 +0000 https://www.testingxperts.com/?p=9332

Software testing industry is becoming extensive with each passing day. Applications these days have started interacting seamlessly with other applications through APIs. With the sudden increase in the technology challenges, applications are growing in complexity, which creates an incessant need for effective software testing. Contents 1. Importance of Artificial Intelligence 2. Why do we need … Continue reading "Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on the Software Testing Industry"

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Software testing industry is becoming extensive with each passing day. Applications these days have started interacting seamlessly with other applications through APIs. With the sudden increase in the technology challenges, applications are growing in complexity, which creates an incessant need for effective software testing.

Contents 1. Importance of Artificial Intelligence 2. Why do we need Artificial Intelligence in Software Testing? 3. How Artificial Intelligence benefits software testers? 4. What are the AI tools for software testing? 5. In Conclusion

Software testing is the only premeditated way where an application can be observed under certain conditions and where testers can recognize the risks involved in the software implementation. Testing, on the other hand, is gradually transitioning to greater automation to ensure maximum precision and accuracy in the journey towards digital transformation. In an attempt to make the application foolproof, the world is turning towards Artificial Intelligence (AI). This implies that instead of manual testing and human intervention, we are moving towards a situation where machines will be slowly taking over.

Importance of Artificial Intelligence

Simply put, Artificial intelligence (AI)is the science behind computers performing tasks that are traditionally performed by humans. AI provides machines with the skill to process information about its conditions and learns to adapt to the transformations with problem solving techniques. Machines are learning faster than ever given the technology advancements. The computer is fed with a huge amount of data to adapt as per a set of inputs so that it can identify patterns and logic and as a result make an effective connection between similar input and output pairs. It is through machine learning that websites like Amazon and Netflix are able to deliver targeted ads to their customers by using huge amounts of data based on the web pages the customer searches. Personal assistants like Google Assistant, Alex, and others use AI technology extensively to deliver results.

Machine Learning has come a long way with people using it to drive cars without a human. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become quite famous in the field of healthcare also as it is used to identify cancerous tumors. As Artificial Intelligence begins to progress, technology experts across the globe are finding ways to leverage its potential in the software testing field as well. It is only a matter of sometimes when training applications to be familiar with problems for agile and more efficient testing becomes a reality.

Why do we need Artificial Intelligence in Software Testing?

Software testing is usually a time-consuming process. Artificial Intelligence ai is the best choice for developers looking for faster deployments with insufficient infrastructure. It is best to leave the arduous work to the Artificial Intelligence-powered automation which leaves only 20% of the testing work to human ingenious and cognitive ability. It would ensure more fail-safe results as hand-crafted testing does not only require extensive human hours but is also susceptible to imprecisions and discrepancies.

Adopting to the algorithms of Artificial Intelligence will help the testing industry to provide smart productive software for their users. Also, the inclusion of AI into the software development lifecycle effectively helps the developer and testing teams to find and resolve the errors quickly before the software becomes available for QA teams. The methodology helps in speeding up the software testing process as the repetitive tasks can be efficiently performed and this can result in saving more money and time.

How Artificial Intelligence benefits software testers?

Reduces the test-cycle time:

With the AI methodology, it is easier for a tester to understand which test cases are required to be executed in each test cycle. AI is efficient in gathering data from the previous test executions made for the application. This helps AI to easily identify when any changes are made in the code. Also, it automatically states the test suites as per the application risk. The application risks are defined by considering several factors such as the most used parts of the application, tests having the risk of failure or complexity, etc. This way of finding defects at earliest and running the test cases that can get affected at the start of a test cycle helps to receive faster feedback from delivery teams and ensures to find solutions when any defects are identified.

Helps to find bugs faster:

 

Unlike the traditional test methods, the AI methodology is an expert to find the defects faster in applications. In the previous methods, error detection was at the later period and this resulted in several drawbacks for the app before its launch. AI helps in automating the processes, it automatically corrects the code and assigns bug tracking to the QA teams. This effectively benefits the teams to track the errors at the earliest and achieve a bug-free app before production.

Encourages Script Execution:

 

There is no need to perform a test script automation when using AI because test scripts are executed automatically by the AI. Also, it enhances test cases to be more stable so that there won’t be any change experienced when the locators get changed.

Improves the speed of Test Coverage:

 

AI is efficient for increasing the scope and depth of the test cases. AI monitors the memory, file contents, internal programs, and data tables of the app to verify the functionality is as needed or not. Also, with the use of the AI-powered test automation tools, thousands of test cases can be executed in one test run. This ability of AI effectively helps in speeding up the test coverage.

Reduces Costs Requirements:

 

Bugs or the errors in the application can become expensive when they are not resolved at the earliest. With the help of AI, instant feedback can help to find and resolve the errors at the earliest and this significantly helps in cost savings. In addition to this, AI is even more efficient to sort files, detect errors and scan code at a lesser time. This reduces the effort of manual work and human errors and thus, yields more accurate results at a lesser cost. 

Improves Accuracy:

 

A well-experienced tester can even make mistakes while carrying out repetitive tasks in manual testing. This is the reason automation came into effect to reduce the scope of repetitive tasks. When automation is powered with AI, the repetitive tasks are performed by the AI and the testing teams are provided with the scope to perform exploratory activities and find automation solutions. Thus, the time consumption is reduced and the accuracy for achieving quality results increases. 

What are the AI tools for software testing?

– Functionize

– EggPlant AI

– AppVance

– Testim

– Applitools

– TestCraft

– Test.ai

In Conclusion

Digital Transformation is becoming impossible without the implementation of new and emerging technologies. The consumer market has become dynamic, organizations that do not leverage these technologies will end up way behind in the race. Businesses need to experiment and innovate to make their product success with the end-user. This can only be possible when these technologies are tested extensively against the odds and under all conditions.

TestingXperts brings machine learning together with analytics to unleash the power of software testing and drive automation and innovation, consequently improving QA efficiencies. Our intelligent frameworks are based on industry best practices and standards, to efficiently evaluate clients’ testing maturity. Connect with our experts to understand and improve all QA focus areas across the delivery lifecycle.

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]]> https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/3-Major-Trends-Driving-Change-in-the-Banking-Sector?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=3-major-trends-driving-change-in-the-banking-sector Mon, 30 Oct 2017 08:29:16 +0000 https://www.testingxperts.com/?p=9216

Banks and other financial institutions have been facing deep disruption in the form of new regulatory pressures and evolving market demands. They are reconsidering their established processes, priorities, and products, in order to lay the foundations for future success. Contents 1. Major Trends Driving Change in the Banking Sector 2. The significance of Software Testing … Continue reading "3 Major Trends Driving Change in the Banking Sector"

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Banks and other financial institutions have been facing deep disruption in the form of new regulatory pressures and evolving market demands. They are reconsidering their established processes, priorities, and products, in order to lay the foundations for future success.

Contents 1. Major Trends Driving Change in the Banking Sector 2. The significance of Software Testing in Banking 3. Conclusion

As digital transformation is in full swing, software is regarded as the key to success. Most of the banks have started to hire a fully-fledged team of software developers. The challenge lies in creating high-quality and innovative customer experiences at the speed with which the market is moving, while remaining submissive with shifting market guidelines.

 

Major Trends Driving Change in the Banking Sector

 

The banking industry has changed tremendously in recent years, and there are three major trends that have acted as a facilitator.

1. Growing Customer Expectations

The explosion of digitalization and connected devices has made it obvious for customers to expect easy and anytime/anywhere services from financial institutions. In the economic world, this translate into global expectations for fast and hassle-free transactions, whether they are making payments or looking for statements.

2. Digital Disruption

To meet customer expectations, organizations are finding new ways to offer digital services to customers and to provide greater value. Banks have come up with new technologies such as digital wallets, 100% connectivity with wearables for fraud alerts, and much more. Also, new advancements such as blockchains and distributed databases have started to impact on the way banks and financial institutions are doing business these days.

3. Increasing Competition

Today’s market is full of competitors and potential partners hoping to get into the digital wave in the form of new products or brand-new startups that are building modern financial services. Some are directly competitive, while others might be imminent in only a specific part of the institution’s capabilities.

The significance of Software Testing in Banking

A newly set-up digital bank has its own share of technological / business challenges to handle. Software testing has been contributing to digital banking immensely. Some of the advantages are listed below.

User Experience

A digital bank needs to offer an online interface and interaction that can imitate and enhance the interaction of a conversation with a person. The objective should be to push the whole interaction out to the customer and to put them in control. Through a complete workflow / UI testing, one can ensure that the functional navigation is instinctive and simple to use.

Application Performance

Days such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday create a spike in online traffic; more so across the payment gateways. Websites can have performance failures due to heavy traffic and can have a serious effect on the customers. It has become essential that the banking applications are able to handle peak volumes of the payment transaction, etc., in high traffic as well. Application performance testing can, therefore, help in checking the estimated load that the application can withstand.

Transactional Security

Banking portals, by their very nature, are the main targets for fraudulent activities such as hacking. Penetration testing and vulnerability scanners can expose significant system vulnerabilities. It also helps in making the application compliant to international security standards, such as PCI DSS.

Multiple Interfaces

The external feed possesses the main challenge, for which it has to be tested thoroughly. Imitating real-time environment and testing in such conditions can really be a daunting task. To solve some of the challenges in interface testing, choosing the right emulators to replicate a real-time testing environment is really necessary.

Failover and Recovery

The ruggedness of the Failover and Recovery systems do not help in gaining the confidence of the customers or encourage them to transact online. Losing out on an alluring deal or money getting stuck in transit is a major put off and can lead to customer alienation. Testing for accessibility and business continuity is imperative.

Conclusion

The team at TestingXperts specializes in providing testing solutions to the banking and financial services industry. TestingXperts has been working with the largest banks and various other financial organizations, across geographies, to help them embark on their digital journey.

Our intelligent platform ‘Tx-Automate’ augments our independent testing services and addresses gaps in commercial tools to improve test authoring and execution productivity by 25% and early defect detection by 40%.

The post 3 Major Trends Driving Change in the Banking Sector first appeared on TestingXperts.

]]> https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/Digital-is-Disrupting-Is-your-Testing-Strategy-in-Place?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=digital-is-disrupting-is-your-testing-strategy-in-place Tue, 26 Sep 2017 14:44:04 +0000 https://www.testingxperts.com/?p=9149

Digital transformation is revolutionizing the way businesses are operating these days. If industry reports are to be believed, “90% CEOs believe the digital economy will have a significant impact on their industry, but only 25% have plans in place, and less than 15% are funding and executing the plan”. Digital testing, therefore, assumes greater importance … Continue reading "Digital is Disrupting – Is your Testing Strategy in Place"

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Digital transformation is revolutionizing the way businesses are operating these days. If industry reports are to be believed, “90% CEOs believe the digital economy will have a significant impact on their industry, but only 25% have plans in place, and less than 15% are funding and executing the plan”. Digital testing, therefore, assumes greater importance than ever before.

This infographic will showcase TestingXperts’ viewpoint on the importance of digital testing in transforming the industries and helping them embark on their digital transformation journey.

Importance of Digital Testing in Transforming Industry

Also Read: Digital Assurance: The Key to Ensuring Optimal Business Growth

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]]> https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/Achieving-Agility-and-Scalability-Becomes-Reality-with-Microservices-Architecture?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=achieving-agility-and-scalability-becomes-reality-with-microservices-architecture Mon, 25 Sep 2017 11:29:39 +0000 https://www.testingxperts.com/?p=9137

Every enterprise trying to succeed in the digital economy is seeking for two things: speed and scalability. If it’s important for a company to get to market faster, it’s equally important to be able to scale up appropriately to support increasing customer demand. But the key motto that should be followed here is speed and … Continue reading "Achieving Agility and Scalability Becomes Reality with Microservices Architecture"

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Every enterprise trying to succeed in the digital economy is seeking for two things: speed and scalability. If it’s important for a company to get to market faster, it’s equally important to be able to scale up appropriately to support increasing customer demand. But the key motto that should be followed here is speed and security at scale.

Contents 1. What are Microservices? 2. How can an enterprise benefit from microservices? 3. Testing Microservices 4. Conclusion

Agile and DevOps models support distributed and decentralized ownership of software assets and promote faster turnaround of changes and rapid deployment. However, to skillfully segregate complex, monolithic applications into independent units, a design strategy namely “Microservices” is essential.

What are Microservices?

Monolithic applications were once effective in the digital economy, but not anymore. Development teams across enterprises have been struggling hard to deal with large applications pertaining to deployment, development time, and scalability. With the extensive adoption of DevOps frameworks and agile methodologies, development teams felt the necessity to break down complex application silos into simpler code blocks, which enlightens microservices.

Microservices has successfully made its mark in the software architecture market. The Microservices architecture differs from the traditional monolithic architecture where the application was built as a single entity. However the monolithic architecture is rather sound, obstructions around it are building precisely when almost all applications are being deployed on the cloud platform. Microservices architecture constitutes an integrated skelton where rather than plugging the components together, the software is fragmented by breaking it down into services.

By fragmenting a big application into microservices, development teams become more active with updates and deployments. Whereas, it also removes dependencies to create complex and large builds, by eliminating the need for over-sophisticated architectures.

How can an enterprise benefit from microservices?

Every enterprise has different needs; there can be times when microservices would be a good solution and, times when a monolithic application would make more sense.

For enterprises on a digital transformation journey, with the need to be agile, implementing a microservices architecture has several advantages in the app economy.

1. Easier to scale: In the microservices architecture, only the components that need improved scalability are affected, than the entire app. This also provides substantial cost savings to the enterprise.

2. A Grander architecture for larger applications: In this architecture, components can be built or swapped at will without having an impact on the entire application. In this case, if something goes wrong, only that component is affected.

3. Agility is the key: Microservices architecture provides more agility and makes it easier to pivot segments of an application.

However, microservices based applications also have:

1. Trouble testing the entire API app but becomes far easier to test individual components. 2. Extra moving parts than a monolithic app, which becomes difficult to monitor. 3. Extra modern back-end infrastructure requirements to the growing codebase.

Testing Microservices

Evidently, the testing strategy that is applied to the traditional monolithic application needs to change with the shift to microservices. Considering that applications that are built in the microservices architecture offer high performance and functionality, testing has to cover each layer of the service. A microservices architecture comprises of small, focused services that create a whole application together. Each illustration of a microservices represents a distinct responsibility within the application. The actual advantage is these services are independent of each other, which makes them independently testable. However, due to the disseminated environment of microservices development, testing can often become a challenge. Some of the challenges are given below:

• Accessibility of a dedicated test environment since development is agile and not integrated.

• Recognizing the right amount of testing each time in the test lifecycle

• Complex extraction logs during testing and data validation

Conclusion

Today’s DevOps and Agile-focused enterprises are endeavoring for fast changes and quick deployments. Microservices architecture is a boon to all these companies. Organizations can facilitate smaller development teams with more objectivity and agility, resulting the business being more in tune with their changing demands. At TestingXperts, we ensure that effective testing is implemented by the right set of testing specialists. Our intelligent test automation framework Tx-Automate ensures accelerated testing to provide you with higher productivity and the desirable time to market.

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