B2B. B2C. Check. Check.
B2D. Wait…what is that?
B2D is Business to Developer and it’s an exploding market. It’s selling into enterprise and visionaries. It’s software and hardware startups that cater specifically to developers.
With our gig economy, developers are changing the way people work, produce, and live. Developers today are not just creating solutions to problems but helping people reimagine the world and realize their dreams. To make these solutions cost-effective, they use APIs which save time and budget dollars.
What is an API? An API is an Application Programming Interface which is a software go-between that allows two applications to talk to each other. Large companies integrate APIs into their platforms for their customers or for internal use, while software development companies integrate the APIs to offer affordable solutions to various markets.
Have you ever used software that incorporates text messaging to log in? If so, you’ve probably used Twilio, an API that companies integrate into their platforms to make it easy for you, the consumer, to validate your log in via text. This is just one example of an API used by larger companies to make their platforms faster, more secure, and easier to use.
Pain Points
As more and more businesses look to streamline processes or solve customers’ problems with technology, the B2D market is flourishing. Developers make the connection between their client’s pain points and look for an API that helps solve the issue. APIs are used to integrate features for businesses and consumers.
Every industry has its own pain points. In education, delivering an encrypted diploma is a safer option than sending a PDF version via email.
In human resources, the pandemic has shifted many businesses to utilizing a remote workforce. How do you know the new employee being onboarded is who they say they are? How can you onboard securely and trust the documents you are receiving as legitimate?
In healthcare, are consumers getting their health records and test results securely, especially the COVID-19 related test results?
APIs don’t dictate the workflow and business of companies. They are integrated into platforms to make processes run smoother and more securely. Programmers, with the help of APIs, design software that is integral to the specific business need.
API Developer
Businesses look to developers to help tighten security for their customers. Developers can build their own solution, but it’s easier, less expensive, faster, and more reliable to utilize APIs in the solution.
With so many businesses getting hacked, customers’ personal data is at risk. These companies have Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, email address, banking, and credit card information stored in their systems somewhere. When this data is breached, identities are stolen. A consumer’s life is permanently shattered when identity theft happens.
Today’s consumer readily (or reluctantly) gives their private information online as required by the websites and businesses they visit. They have been conditioned to do this. If consumers had the choice, they would allow a business to view their information without having to permanently give up the data.
One set of APIs that developers are implementing to allow this choice are the WAULT APIs. The solutions they create provide consumers and businesses with an unprecedented level of trust as they exchange this private information for their online transactions.
WAULT provides a secure system so consumers don’t have to go through normal channels when providing their personal information. Liwen Yaacoby, co-founder and CEO of Wymsical Inc. (www.wault.com), says “Consumers have no privacy nor control over their data today. Our vision is to provide the tools so every person, and the businesses they interact with, can know where their vital documents and assets are anytime, anywhere.” Users have transparency and control with WAULT.
Yaacoby is proud that WAULT won the 1st prize at a FIN-TECH Hackathon competition in Tel Aviv, Israel, received a patent in 2019, and was selected into the Microsoft for Startups program.
Developers Changing Role
Developers are now agents of change. Their expertise allows them to influence businesses.
Developers not only determine pain points and create a technology solution, but they educate business decision-makers. This is a huge difference from traditional decision making.
With entrepreneurship and startups up over 20% year over year, these businesses along with established, perhaps larger, businesses understand the need to be agile, differentiate through a safer virtual experience, and have software that comes in at or under budget. Developers focus on ways to integrate, or “plugin,” a solution that addresses the business’ pain points and makes it easy for the consumer to use.
Scott K., developer and owner of The Digital Protextionist LLC (https://protextionist.com), said, “We put our consulting hats on first and map out the process to help steer the conversation to test and validate perceived issues.” The Digital Protextionist, LLC combines business consulting, business analytics, and business solutions to present a solution with defined functions and features and a tighter scope on cost.
“Finding the right API for the job is crucial now with the B2D market growing so quickly,” he said, “And we can provide instant value due to the integration of the WAULT APIs into our solution… one that will drive a major paradigm shift and move cultures.”
The B2D market is making businesses run smoother and enhancing the consumer experience without the high costs of businesses developing the API themselves. And developers are instrumental in guiding businesses decision-makers towards APIs that make sense for their applications.
Laurie Enos is the owner | marketing communications director, Blue Lilac Marketing Group, Penfield, N.Y.
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