Webservices are a technology that has really caught the imagination of many companies across the world. The ability to link a website or application to a webservice anywhere in the world, and gain the same functionality that a business has in their office has changed the way many companies operate. The best way to describe what the power of webservices can achieve is by example:

Example
A travel company has an in-house system available to all of it's travel agents to search for and book holidays. This system is limited to the confines of the business, and is not available to freelance travel agents who work from home. Webservices are able to extend the functionality of the in-house system so that it can be accessible across the internet. This allows travel agents to work from home, as the home-working trend increases, therefore allowing the  business greater flexibility and saving money on office space at the same time. The functionality available to the users outside the office can be limited for security requirements, or all of the functionality can be shared. This webservice can be used by anybody you wish to share it with, but has the security necessary to stop intrusion by unwanted parties.

The key aspect of this increased flexibility is that your webservice can allow customers to book or buy your products through an application that communicates with it. It is not only one application that can connect to your webservice however, anybody you wish to share your data with can do so. This opens up huge possibilities for you to make agreements with customers to 'consume' (an industry term for connecting to and using the webservice functionality) your webservice. These customers can become affiliates of yours, selling on your behalf, so your sales figures will improve significantly. Ask our consultants for more information on how webservices can transform your business.