WISP launches in beta, stays free for early adopters
Cactussoft, a company that develops software, is beta testing its latest offering – WISP. WISP allows an employer to create an employee handbook that is completely accessible through a smartphone app. You upload your logo and company policies for employees to access anytime they want. There’s also a feature that lets you upload employee’s contact information. You can send out company information to all of your staff through the app. One of the highlighted features is that there is no coding required.
WISP says that all beta users will use it for free, for life. There’s no indication of what it will cost if you don’t get in on the beta testing. The app will be available for iOS and Android. There isn’t much more information available about the app. It does have an online presence through Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter, but none of the feeds offer any more data than listed on the website.
This looks like a beneficial app, but there are some things that businesses should address before jumping on the bandwagon. First, all of your employees would need to be using a smartphone. There’s no indication that they can access information on their laptop. While it’s easy to assume that practically everyone has a smartphone these days, according to Forbes, in 2013, only about 56% of adults have one. The second issue that concerns most business owners is price. Without data to evaluate the cost, it’s hard to know if this will be a valuable app for your own business.
Other apps in the portfolio
Cactussoft has a full portfolio of apps, including AppArchitect that lets you develop your own apps, BackUp Assistant, an app that translates your Verizon contacts to your iPhone, and many different games and company-specific apps. They are well established as a mobile developer. This app looks to be professional and well-thought out to meet a need for companies with employees who are connected to their phone.
This will save many trees when you don’t have to print your employee handbook. It also gives employees a way to easily access the information when they need it. Whether it will work for your own business depends on your own staff and their smartphone abilities.