Database applications have many areas of usage and you might be using them unknowingly in your daily life. Your phonebook is the simplest example of a database and is responsible for storing all your contact details. There are many companies, businesses and organizations that need databases for various purposes.
Today, we look at the different kinds of database users and why they need a database. We will also study the benefits that the database brings to their daily activities and how it makes their work more efficient. Familiarity with who uses databases is important as it will ensure that you know how important a database application is.
E-Commerce Businesses
Online stores and businesses need databases for many areas of their operations. In order to keep the customer information more organized, they will need a database management system which will ensure that they can easily keep track of all the customers. The customers will be stored securely in a database and any new customers will also be added to the database.
Keeping track of the customers using the accounts that have been created on the e-commerce store is made much easier when there is reference information to work with. The web application will provide better services when each individual customer is in the database and all the information about them is tracked. With this in place, the business knows who they are dealing with and they can even build up their businesses by offering services that are personalized to their customers.
In addition to keeping track of current and new customers, the e-commerce business also needs to keep stock of all its logistics. A new database is required for the catalog that the business maintains and this is what will be used to keep track of the stock that the business has. If the business sells off one item and it is missing in the database, then the business will be able to notice this much faster and ensure that an order is made for the items that are out of stock.
The business will also need to have a database in order to be able to keep track of what they have in their catalogue and what needs to be introduced. If the customers have been asking for a certain product, it can be ordered and added to the database. With this database, the functionality of the e-commerce web application is also improved.
Whenever the customer is looking for items in the store, it is the catalog database that will be queried. All the search terms will be formatted and sent in the form of a database query to the database. This will then return a list of all the available items that match the user’s search query. With this in place, the customers will be able to get items more quickly.
The search functionality will ensure that the customer finds what they want on the store much faster and without having to go through many processes. The database will be readily available to reveal what it contains and what it does not. If the database does not have products or items that are related to the search term, then the search will return an empty response.
The customer will be informed through the web application and asked to look for something else. Alternatively, the customer can also be given suggestions and recommendations on what they can purchase that is similar to what they were looking for.
The databases that are maintained by the e-commerce business are also interlinked in order to provide the best services to the customers. The customers will not only be able to keep track of their search history, but the relationship between the database records will be used to provide them with recommendations and search suggestions whenever they are looking for a product or an item in the store.
There are many other databases that will be required by the e-commerce business in order to run their activities. Some databases will need to be created for all the employees. The databases will be used to manage their salaries as well as keeping track of their performance at work over the course of their employment.
Modern businesses have been known to provide value-added services to their customers. These services are guided by the data that is generated from the customers. The use of data science techniques make it possible to provide better services through the use of databases.
For instance, a database that can keep track of all the logistics within the business can be really useful for keeping the business running. The database will ensure that the business can be able to order new items whenever they are running out of stock in addition to keeping in touch and coordinating with their suppliers.
The databases will also be useful when the company needs to keep track of its contacts. A database full of contacts will be quite useful for sealing deals and making successful business agreements.
The e-commerce businesses are also known to provide better services to their customers when they have all the necessary information readily available to them. Easily accessible information is useful in the delivery of better services.
Based on the information that is available to the business, the management can easily create promotions and discounts based on the past history of the users. A user’s purchase history can be useful in determining whether they should get a discount or a promotion from the business. Additionally, the use of a database is also useful as it will ensure that the business knows what it is doing.
A business that keeps a record of all its transactions and operations is able to make better strategic decisions as well as planning better ahead.
Modern e-commerce businesses need database applications as the DBMS is at the core of their every operation. The business will not be able to provide credible and effective services unless it has a reliable source of information to work with.
The use of databases by these companies is widespread and most of the areas of operations need one database or the other to ensure that the business is working with accurate and up-to-date information.
Governments
Governments need databases more than anyone else on the planet. The use of database management systems and even cloud based databases is widespread in the government as it usually deals with plenty of information. The government has millions of records to keep track of and the only way it can manage to keep track of all the information is when they use a database.
A database application is quite useful for enabling the government to keep track of records. The records are also useful in rendering services to the citizens who need these services.
With databases, keeping track of the entire population in a country is made much easier and the processes of providing services to the citizens is simplified. The use of database applications by the government also ensures that the government can keep track of the various projects and numbers that power it.
With the budgets getting bigger and bigger, keeping track of the flow of money in the government will require the use of database systems. The use of database systems in a government is quite useful as it ensures that the government is able to sustain itself. The government will also be more effective when it has a database to work with in rendering services to its citizens.
The use of database systems in a government runs through all its branches. The government branches and other arms of governance will require databases to keep track of all its data. The new initiatives that are undertaken by the government such as the registration of its citizens also require the use of a database which keeps the government running.
Most of the governments are digitizing their records to make themselves easier to run and maintain. The governments are converting their manual records into digital form that can be fed and stored in a database. The use of a database also makes the government more effective in its operations as it can easily manage records and statistics on a large scale.
Modern database applications and database management systems are capable of working with huge amounts of data. Working with data on such a large scale ensures that the government is able to offer the best services to its citizens. No matter how large the government might be, the use of database systems will ensure that all the data is properly and safely taken care of.
The use of database systems by the government also keeps it better planned and managed. Budgeting will source data from the databases to ensure that all the areas that need development are well targeted. The government also needs database applications to keep its growth and development agenda on track.
With reliable references for the information that the government works with, they will be able to put development plans in motion that will ensure that the citizens have access to the resources that are provided by the government. Additionally, the government will also need a database to keep track of itself. The use of a database system that can be used by the government sectors and across different areas of the government is also useful.
The use of a database by the government means that the various arms of the government can work on shared information. This prevents the need for replication of data and a central source of data makes the government more effective. Any changes that might be made to the data are reflected on the central database and the government agencies that are working with this information will also be able to be more effective.
The government agencies will also be able to keep themselves better coordinated with the central government when they work using the same database. A common database will not only get rid of inefficiencies in the government processes, but it will also assure honesty and transparency when it comes to providing services and completing government development plans. The use of database systems by the government will ensure that all the promises that have been made by the government are followed up on and completed.
Whenever the government needs to provide services to citizens of a certain area such as the remote areas, it will need a database management system. The database will ensure that the government knows who they are going to visit and what kind of lifestyles they lead.
As such, the government will be better positioned to provide effective development services to all their citizens while ensuring that it is more effective and productive to all the citizens. The use of a database will ensure that the government is also held accountable for all the development projects and does not lag in fulfilling any of its mandates. The use of database management systems by the government is also very useful as it will ensure that the government does not lack any data.
When it comes to planning for government projects, the use of a database management system ensures that the database is able to keep track of all its progress. All the projects that are being handled by the government will be easily accomplished when there is a database to keep track of everything that the government is doing.
Even when the leadership of the government changes, the use of databases will ensure that the government manages to survive. The new leadership will be able to work on the information that was left behind by the predecessors. This will ensure that the government is able to continue running even when the management changes and new people are introduced to the various offices of the government.
The use of database systems also ensures that there is a reliable source of information that the government can work with. When it comes to performance analysis, appraisals and other progress monitoring activities that are conducted by the government, the use of databases will be very useful. The database will ensure that auditors can track the performance of the government and determine where it is performing well and where it is failing to provide services to its citizens.
Hospitals
Medical services are a critical part of our lives and whenever we visit the hospital, we get our records entered into their systems. The use of databases in the hospitals ensures that we do not have to fill out forms every time we pay a visit to the doctor.
The medical databases are also useful for helping doctors make diagnoses and recommendations for illnesses and serious medical conditions that patients may be suffering from. The use of database management systems make hospitals easier to run and maintaining them becomes a lot easier. The use of databases is also important for the hospitals as they need to have a record of all known medical cases and conditions.
A reliable reference for the hospital will ensure that all the medical personnel and the doctors are able to easily make references when they are dealing with serious conditions. The history of the patients will also be very useful when the illness is being treated for a long period.
With the data about the patient in the database, the doctor will be able to provide better treatment plans and recommendations for them. In case the doctor is transferred to another hospital, the records will still remain in the database meaning that the new doctor who replaces them gets to proceed from where the other doctor left.
This ensures the reliable and high-quality provision of medical services to the patients and the doctors also get to be more accountable and transparent about their services. With the use of database management systems, the hospital will also be able to keep track of all their medical personnel such as doctors, nurses and surgeons.
When this information is in place, it will be easier to manage the performance of the hospital employees and ensure that whenever there is a need to get new experts, they can be recruited and hired on time. This prevents the hospital from running on overdrive at any time owing to a deficit in the number of employees.
The supplies that are available in the hospital are also kept track of with the use of database applications and database management systems. The hospital will be able to detect when it is running out of medical supplies when there is a drop in the database records and as such, they will get to order new items and medical supplies in good time.
As such, the hospital gets to be always prepared and never out of the critical supplies that are required to keep it running. For the patients to get better services, the hospital needs to ensure that all the medication that is required by the patients is available. A database is the best way that the hospital can make this data available to the management.
When the management has access to data about the supplies that are currently available in the hospital, they will be able to restock and replenish all the supplies which means that the hospital will run more smoothly. The provision of medical services to the patients will also be made a lot easier when the hospital keeps track of the patients and all their medical records.
The medical history of any one patient can be kept as a single record in the hospital database. When the patient moves to a new hospital, the use of the database will ensure that the other doctor can still be able to access the information about their patient.
Keeping track of the progress that a patient is making is also important. Entire treatment sessions and schedules have to be accounted for which means adding more information to the hospital database. Whenever there is a change in the medication routine of the patient, the database will need to be updated accordingly in an effort to ensure that the performance of the hospital is maintained.
The use of database management systems will also be useful for the hospital as it will always be aware of which patients are undergoing long-term care and the ones that are in for temporary consultation. This information is very useful for budgeting and planning for the hospital activities as well as ensuring that the hospital is better managed.
The management of the hospital will need to be guided by the data that is generated each day such as new patients, medicine supplies running out and new doctors replacing the old ones. Things are never the same in the hospitals and with the use of data, it is much easier to see what is going on in the institution.
Database applications ensure that the hospital is able to keep running even when there has been a change in the management. The use of the data will also provide a reliable point of reference for all the new staff that are hired by the hospital. There will be no interruption in the delivery of services by the hospital when it has a database to refer from whenever it is handling their patients.
The patients will also experience a uniform kind of experience that will remain the same owing to the sameness of the data. In the database, their records will not change much unless they have been edited. This means that the patients will be working with the hospital on a friendlier basis thanks to the use of database management systems and database applications to keep track of all the data that the hospital is working with.
Modern information systems and databases are also making the provision of medical services easier for the patients. Setting up appointments and consultations with the doctors is getting easier thanks to the use of database applications.
By referring to the schedule of the doctor, one can easily arrange a meeting with them over the internet. As such, the patient will not have to visit the hospital without setting up an appointment which is more appropriate and respectful.
Non-governmental Organizations
NGOs are another category of people or organizations that need to have database management systems. These organizations are charged with delivering services to people in marginalized areas of the country and when they have a record of all the people that they deal with, they will be able to provide their services more efficiently.
The use of databases also makes it easier to manage these organizations. When the NGO knows the areas that it is targeting and the kind of people that live in these places, its projects will be much easier to implement in these places.
Keeping track of the development projects that are carried out by the NGOs will also be made much easier when they have a means of keeping track of the information. The use of database systems will enable these organizations to stay independent in their operations. They will also be better guided and will avoid making mistakes when deciding on what course of action to take when carrying out various activities in the places they intend to help.
Budgeting and planning for their projects will also be made more effective when they have a database management system. The use of the database management system will ensure that these organizations can easily plan for their projects and get everything that is planned for in place. Anything that is needed for the projects will also be planned well in advance such that the supplies are bought in plenty before the NGO can travel to these places.
Some of the places that the NGOs target are usually very far off from the cities and it requires a lot of planning to ensure that they have all the supplies that are needed in these places. When they have a database of all the supplies and logistics that are needed in the target areas, the organizations will be able to provide better services. They will also get to run their operations more efficiently while avoiding the many challenges that inconveniences that come with not planning properly for their undertakings.
Whenever the organizations are about to undertake a project, they will first put efforts into getting everything in a database. A database of the people that they are taking the services to, for instance, will be a requirement. The database will ensure that the organization has all the information about the people that it is going to help and their details.
This information will also be used for accountability and reporting to donors and other investors about the much progress and development they have been able to take to the remote corners of the world. The database will also be useful for building a profile of their people that are going to receive the aid from the NGOs and as such, no one will miss out from the many goodies that will be provided by the organizations.
The use of a database also makes it possible to easily update the records that the NGO has in place. Whenever they need to add new beneficiaries to their list, the NGOs will simply use their existing database to add the new records.
As such, they get to have an updated list of beneficiaries. Accountability for the NGO will also be made much easier when they have a database to work with. The NGO will be more transparent in their operations and the database will ensure that they know what they need to do.
An NGO can be able to accomplish a lot more when it has a database of all that it intends to carry out in a certain area. The organization will, for instance, not be in a position to make mistakes as the database will be an accurate source of information for them to work with.
Any progress that is being made on these projects will also be tracked with the use of the database applications. In case of any challenges that are met in the field, the NGO will keep an accurate and reliable record of all this in their database to ensure that others get to know about the real state of things on ground.
The productivity of the NGOs will also be increased when they can easily keep track of what they have managed to accomplish and what stands in their way. All the information that the NGO gathers from the field also needs to be stored in a database in order to be easier to keep track of.
Accountability is key in most NGOs and the use of a database ensures that the organization has a source of information to use whenever they are making their reports and requesting for additional funding from donors. This way, the NGO will be able to complete their projects successfully and ensure that the communities that were targeted in their undertakings are fully taken care of.
The use of databases is also important for these NGOs as they will be able to have a record of the communities and projects that they took part in. The use of the database management systems will also be useful in keeping the organization small and easy to manage.
No matter how long the projects might take, the use of database applications ensures that the NGOs still have information to work with even when it is several years into their development projects. Additionally, the use of database systems will also ensure that the NGO does not lose track of any of the projects that it takes part in which is also important for keeping the organizations on track with all their undertakings.
Without the database applications, it would be very hard to keep track of the various projects that the NGOs take part in. The records would be disorganized and getting help and aid to the community would be a lot more complicated and stressful for the organization. Explaining their actions to anyone would be hard without the hard evidence which would also make getting funds a lot harder for the NGOs.
Industries
The manufacturing sector is very important for the modern economy. It ensures that all areas of daily life are supplied with the products that they need. It is also important as it ensures that the other companies that depend on these supplies get everything that they need.
The manufacturing industry needs database applications and database management systems to keep track of everything that it needs in order to make the manufacturing process a success. There are a lot of ingredients that are needed for the many products that are manufactured by these industries and when they have a database to keep track of how much of each they have, then delivering on time will be a lot easier.
The industries will also not have to worry about the schedules and the orders when they can easily keep track of the orders that have been made. Delivering on time will no longer need to be an issue for the industry when it has a database to work with as a reference.
The manufacturing sector has been known to be one of the most critical parts of the economy and the use of database applications keeps it running without interruptions. With the use of database applications, the factories will be well supplied with everything that they need.
Additionally, the management will be able to make orders for new parts and supplies when they are running low on some of the key ingredients that they have been using in their manufacturing process. Maintaining the factories and the industries will also be made much easier and the quality of the products will be improved.
The use of a database will also ensure that the manufacturing industry has connections in all the right places and it can easily call in favors and connect to suppliers using the information that is on their database. The use of the database management systems has been known to keep the manufacturing industry running without interruptions as well as delivering products on time.
The database ensures that there is credible information to work with and the industry is also kept more accountable. The use of databases is very useful for the industry as it not only improves their efficiency but also ensures that they can be able to provide the best services to their clients.
For instance, a company that has been charged with the manufacturing of cleaning products for the community will need many supplies. A database of all the suppliers will ensure that the company can order more when they are low on the parts that are needed in the manufacturing of detergents.
Additionally, the company will also be able to provide better services when it has enough information to work with. Most of the time, the lack of reliable information is the reason many companies are unable to meet their demand.
Why Databases are Useful
Databases are useful applications regardless of the areas they are applied in. The use of database applications ensure that all the information is kept in record where it can be referred to with ease. No matter how many years have passed, the information that is on the database will be the most reliable source of information that any company or organization can be able to work with.
Additionally, the use of database applications has been known to make companies more effective at delivering services to their clients. The use of the database applications ensures that providing other services that depend on the same data is possible.
Companies that have databases can be able to provide the usefulness of the data to their customers and clients. Other applications can be built which will interact with the data that is on the database. These applications can even include search functionalities that will make the retrieval of information on the databases easier.
Additionally, the businesses that provide these services can be able to get extra profits when they have databases that can be used by customers. Customers that are able to find a product they wish to purchase easily on the business website are also more likely to make a purchase. Faster discovery of products and services leads to more conversions which results in better revenue for the businesses.
Databases keep organizations and businesses accountable for all their actions. They are able to keep track of all their performance as well as plan ahead more effectively.
The use of the database applications and the database management systems will ensure that the business can be able to improve itself as well as render better services to their customers. The use of database applications has also been known to make business more effective at customer service.
Conclusion
Making the move from traditional means of keeping information to modern databases is very important for businesses as well as organizations. The businesses that are adopting databases are seeing an increase in their operational efficiency as well as the scale at which they are capable of operating at.
These businesses are now able to reach more customers, offer better services and scale further than they were capable of when they still relied on the traditional paper records. The shift has also been known to have an impact on the economy. Digital means of managing information are more effective than paper-based document management systems which makes the database management systems the engine that powers the modern economy.
Whenever a business, organization or even an individual needs to work with a lot of data, the use of a database will not only make their work easier, but it will also present them with more capabilities than they would have ever imagined.
The database applications will also be one of the ways that these businesses and individuals can achieve a lot more as they will be able to realize the full value of the data they are working with when they have a database to use in obtaining summaries and other useful insights into the data.
