UK Falling Behind USA When It Comes To Cloud Apps

The UK is slow in its adoption of cloud apps like Slack and Microsoft Office 365, and its businesses are failing to compete with US counterparts because of it, a new report claimed this week.

Findings from app management company Okta, which tracked some 2,500 of its customers using more than 4,000 apps, pointed to just 22 percent of UK businesses using cloud-based HR apps, compared to 57 percent of US companies.

And just 16 percent of UK companies manage their expenses using apps, versus 43 percent of US businesses.

App growth

When it comes to which apps businesses are using, team messaging platform Slack is the one of the fastest growing cloud applications, with adoption rates rising quicker than apps such as Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, and Box.

But the Microsoft Office 365 app, which lets users manage Office documents on their mobile devices, still maintains the lead as the most popular cloud-based app in 2016.

This is according to application management provider Okta, which tracked some 2,500 of its customers using more than 4,000 apps.

Microsoft Office 365 is followed closely by Salesforce, Box, and Google, said Okta.

But Slack is the fastest growing app recorded in Okta’s network with a 77 percent increase in use in six months, said Okta.

Okta said:  “Slack CEO, Stewart Butterfield, claims that, “the whole spectrum of communication within a company can happen inside Slack”, leading many to wonder if it will eventually replace email. While email remains the most widely assigned app today, Slack is picking up speed…and fast. Slack is one of the most widely assigned apps in our network today.”

Of course, the caveat is Okta’s survey is going to be a little more cloud orientated than most, as the company serves predominantly customers that are already fluent in cloud apps, but nevertheless, the result paint an interesting picture between North American and British cloud habits.

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