The demand for business software solutions isn’t something new. From supply chain management, operations, administration, analytics, and customer satisfaction, software is a required part of nearly every aspect of modern business. Without it, chaos and mismanagement run rampant.
When it comes to technology, businesses have more diverse and complex needs today than they have ever had before. Off-the-shelf software products and services become more and more inefficient and inadequate every single day. For this reason, many companies look to custom software development as the solution to their specific problems.
What is Custom Software Development?
Custom software development refers to the process of creating custom applications designed to meet the specific needs and requirements of an organization. In-house development teams or outsourcing services from a company such as BairesDev can build these programs.
Custom software is developed for an individual company so that it addresses their needs precisely while providing exclusive, in-depth solutions. Off-the-shelf software products cater to a multitude of companies or users who have similar requirements or problems. Custom software development builds programs from the ground up to meet the hyper-specific needs of a single organization.
Common Types of Custom Software
As long as a software architect or engineer is able to design it, custom software can take care of nearly any job out there. However, no matter the business vertical, it generally falls into one of three main categories or combines all three together into one custom system:
– Employee-Facing Software – This type of software streamlines internal processes. Custom solutions automate previously labor-intensive, time-consuming processes. This includes tasks such as tracking projects, collecting and storing information, and generating custom reports. Examples of employee-facing software solutions include project management platforms and accounting software.
– Customer-Facing Software – Fewer off-the-shelf solutions exist for customer-facing software. This includes end-user applications and programs as part of a product or service offered by a business.
– Partner-Facing Software – Partner-facing software solutions help to optimize internal processes similarly to employee-facing options. They provide streamlined experiences for outside parties or partners interacting with a company.
How Custom Software Development Helps Businesses
Custom software sometimes seems like a major expense for companies. However, it’s incredibly beneficial and can help businesses succeed over time, making it a worthwhile investment. Here are just a few ways that custom software boosts businesses:
– Saves Money – Developing custom software solutions obviously takes more work than choosing an off-the-shelf solution. It’s also a larger up-front charge and will take much longer to obtain because of the development process. However, once it’s done, the new custom software pays for itself through efficiencies, saved wages, and the attraction of new business.
– Improved Performance Standards and Efficiency – Custom software programs help reduce human error and produce a higher quality of work overall. They also help companies run more efficiently thanks to better tech support. Dedicated support teams are normally a part of contracted development services, so issue responses don’t take days (or just don’t come at all).
– Security – Security is one of the most important aspects of any software or technology in general. Custom software solutions are more secure than mainstream or off-the-shelf options. This is partially due to the fact that hackers are much more likely to target mass-produced solutions compared to software used by a single business. Mainstream solutions allow them to gain access to a lot of data from a variety of different organizations.
During the process of custom software development, companies have the ability to control the security technologies and protocols integrated into the program. This means industry-specific or company-specific regulations become a part of the software as well.
– Personalization – While some off-the-shelf options allow for a bit of customizing, custom software development gives companies the ability to fully personalize the features, look and feel of their program. This ensures that the software fits seamlessly into the company’s existing workflow while aligning with the existing business model and branding.
– Scalability – As companies expand and grow over time, their software needs become more complex and require more advanced tools. With custom software programs, businesses can scale to meet their growing needs. This prevents the restrictions that mainstream software sometimes puts on growing companies.
– Competitive Edge – With off-the-shelf solutions, there’s a good chance that a company and its competitors are using the same programs to get the job done. After making the switch to a custom-built solution, organizations give themselves the opportunity to solve problems that the competition can’t do with their existing programs.
Is Custom Software the Right Choice?
Companies rely on many different software programs to operate on a daily basis. While custom software development may seem like an expensive up-front cost or a time-consuming process, it helps solve problems that cost organizations a ton of money and time on a daily basis.
If a company has unique requirements or problems that aren’t fully solvable by off-the-shelf, mainstream products existing, custom development will help make doing business an easier, more streamlined, and efficient process.