10 Reasons Your Company Needs Custom Business Software
Custom business software is a common request from small and midsized companies looking for something more suited to specific requirements than what’s available “off the shelf,” digitally speaking. While standard software may be a good fit for some businesses, others require something more specialized – the right mix of features and functions to better meet their individual needs. Here are 10 reasons your organization may potentially need custom software development.
What Is Custom Business Software?
Custom business software can be created using various software development platforms such as Microsoft Visual Studio, NetBeans, XCode, and others. Some support a single programming language (for instance, XCode is for programming MacOS or iOS applications), while others allow developers to work in any programming language they desire, such as Java, Python, PHP, or C#. Custom software is different than a website or database because it contains specific functionality and can be used to serve specific purposes; however, it almost always includes a database to store and deliver information, and it’s certainly possible to include web pages if necessary. The whole idea is to deliver the exact interface and functionality that your company needs.
Custom business software is written from the ground up to meet your specific needs, whether yours is a small company or major corporation. The cost of custom software development will vary, and if done right, will build efficiencies and enhance revenue by improving processes and collaboration or supporting new income streams.
Reasons for Custom Software Development
1. Better Features and Leaner Solutions
Custom software allows developers to create features and functions that are not always easily obtained with off-the-shelf software. This can lead to interfaces that are more intuitive for customers or internal users, as well as delivering the right data faster and without massive “hacks” to standard software. The faster it is, the more efficient your company can be and, hence, profit from the added efficiency of your business.
A few examples of custom software are tools to automatically respond to customer requests with artificial intelligence (AI); perform thorough analysis of data, processes, and systems; or connect a point of sale system to both an ecommerce website and inventory management tools. There is almost no limit to what can be done with custom web applications or other custom software development.
2. Lower Costs
Over time, because you are having custom software developed, it’s often possible to save money on licenses (sometimes called seats). You won’t be at the mercy of a large software enterprise that can increase annual licensing costs or change to more expensive pricing models at any time. When you discuss pricing with your software development company, ownership of the code and design, as well as any ongoing support costs, should be reviewed. Depending on the size and complexity of the project, you may be able to launch in just a few months. No more waiting for the next version of standard software and hoping that the features you need will be included, or spending months trying to customize off-the-shelf packages only to find they still don’t meet your needs.
3. Improved Workflows
By having your own software developed, you can customize it to better suit the way your company works. This allows for less frustration and better decision making. With custom business software, your company can streamline all the important aspects of the business – from how you work with customers to how you do things inside your organization.
4. Improved Efficiency
Custom business software can provide a means to interconnect all of your company’s existing information in one place. You can integrate data from different systems and databases, such as accounting, sales, and inventory. This makes it easier for employees to find the information they require and also eliminates the need for repetitive data entry, searches, and manual report building.
5. Better Security
Rather than having your security standards dictated by off-the-shelf software, custom software can include specialized security components based on your business needs. This ensures that your information is safe because the software is built to your exact specifications.
6. Better User Experience
Once your company takes advantage of custom software for your business, customers and/or employees are usually pleased with the upgrade of the interface and overall user experience. This is because the software has been developed based on customer feedback and input from a company team that understands how the application needs to work.
7. Improved Ease of Use
Custom software applications can feature interface designs that make them easier for your customers or employees to use and understand than standard software applications sometimes allow.
8. Maximized Functionality
Custom business software allows for the creation of specialized and connected features based on your needs, including but not limited to media delivery, collaboration, research, planning, reporting, and systems integration.
9. ERP Integration
When it comes to ERP integration, you may want to consider a custom solution. While many standard business software applications offer limited relevant functionality for your project needs, custom software development allows for the creation of a full-fledged, integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with all the features you need for accounting, inventory, and supply chain management. By integrating different components of your business in a single place, you can save time and money by consolidating.
10. Scalability
Off-the-shelf business software is built with predefined levels of concurrent user support and usually offers tier-based pricing. As you move up the licensing ladder, the software becomes more expensive to support, while you may receive features you don’t need and lack features that are vital to your operation. With custom business software, you can discuss your needs for features and expansion with your software development company to get exactly what you need when you need it.
Above, we have reviewed 10 considerations when looking into custom software development. However, this is not an exhaustive list. Good software development firms or web app development services will have a series of questions to help determine the best path to your custom software solution. Plego specializes in developing custom applications from basic website tools to complex enterprise software. Contact us for a free, no obligation custom business software quote.