Most companies require a software system that makes their work easier. But, building that kind of software system by yourself isn’t easy. You might have tried dozens of different software to manage your projects or customers and failed to achieve what you wanted. You might even need more specialized software tools to complete your company’s objectives.
The thing is, most available off-the-shelf software isn’t made for what your company needs. It’s made to meet a series of generic requirements which don’t necessarily have to do with what you do.
Is your software system working for you or against you?
CEOs and Project Managers dream of software that will integrate teams, tools, and data. A solution that will swiftly take their company to the next level.
You started with one single software, and now you have 10. All of which are unknown territory for your employees. There are no protocols on how to use them. Every time someone new enters the company, you need to give a whole course on navigating the labyrinth your software system has become. Only to change it all a few months later with update after software update. Your productivity starts dropping while the bills keep getting bigger, paying for programs you don’t even use.
We have solved this problem for many clients and are confident that tailor-made software can do marvelous things for any company that wants to successfully GROW.
Read this article if you still have doubts about the difference between off-the-shelf software and custom software…
Here are 8 advantages of tailor-made software.
1. Increased Productivity
Many of our customers used to have employees running too many programs on their computers. Teams try to keep up with the apps instead of working on what they should do. Employees are tired of trying to figure out how to use the software to benefit their workflows.
Software development based on your real needs allows your team to work faster, smarter, and more efficiently. You can develop many apps and integrate them, simplifying the user experience. This avoids using lots of apps to complete a single task.
Concentrating on the most critical features ensures that your program is intuitive. Eliminate confusion, guessing, and slow computers. Streamline and automate processes. Tailor-made software turns time-consuming operations into fast and easy tasks.
2. Reduced Maintenance Costs
Let’s address the elephant in the room: developing custom software requires a significant upfront investment. It’s hard to disburse a high quantity of money at the beginning of a project. But ask any CEO if a software decision should be long-term or short-term. The answer is simple: this software will accompany your business’s growth throughout its life. When it comes to software, you want to think about the long term investment.
We call it an investment because maintenance costs lower as time goes on. Developers have a thorough knowledge of the processes involved and understand your needs. You can also easily make adjustments and evolve your systems. This provides an excellent long-term return on investment.
There will be no extra fees or expenditures because you won’t need new hardware or licenses. Despite their initial costs, the benefits of custom software will grow over time, just as your company should.
3. Competitive Advantage
It is tough to stand out when you use the same exact software as your competitors. You are one more company using the same software solutions, getting the same tools, and building the same strategies around them.
That’s not how you win the game. You win by developing a unique growth strategy and then building the tools to support it.
With tailor-made software, getting a competitive advantage becomes a reality. Your company’s capacity will develop and grow proportionally as you invest in your software.
4. Data Privacy & Security
Software purchased on the open market is inevitably insecure. The fact that this software is popular doesn’t mean it is safe. Third parties constantly manage your information and the information of your clients.
Publicly accessible APIs show the vulnerability of specific software. This allows hackers to target commercial off-the-shelf goods to get data from thousands of firms.
You gain high data privacy by developing your software and coordinating all the connections, data input, and output. This context becomes much safer for operations and users. When you purchase custom software you also purchase better security systems.
5. System Compatibility
Having numerous systems that don’t communicate with each other can become a real headache. Some developers may offer to integrate this system only to make them even more complex and difficult to use.
That’s why compatibility between software and operating systems is essential to consider. When a solution is compatible with the user’s system, people can make more intelligent use of the available resources.
Even if you just need to address a specific problem in your business, a tailored solution can seamlessly interact with your existing systems. As a result, business processes are simplified and software-related issues are avoided.
6. More Control
Off-the-shelf software may be customizable. To a degree. What if you need a function that doesn’t exist in that program? You start looking for APIs that will solve the issue and end up with a super complex process to achieve something that seemed so simple in the beginning. You start losing control of the process and stop attaining those results your investors are looking for.
Having a tailored software solution gives you total control over each structure that supports it. Security protocols, basic functions, and advanced characteristics are defined and built according to your needs. It’s significantly more probable that a tailored solution will achieve all the planned objectives, revenue and profit projections defined by your company.
7. Tailor-Made Software Is More Reliable
As a business owner, you depend on the developer of the products you buy on many levels. For example, you cannot decide on pricing, user agreements, or terms and conditions. If the developer you purchased software from goes out of business or doesn’t update his product, your company may be impacted until you find a replacement.
Tailor-made software is yours to use without restrictions. You can modify it, update it, integrate new features, and adjust it to whatever your business needs.
8. Increased Scalability
Business is about iteration. You are constantly adjusting and developing to remain competitive. The reality is most packaged software is not suitable for most users. Taking your company to the next level may be difficult with a pre-made solution. You don’t want a software that demands your company to adapt to it. Instead, you need software that helps propel growth by making systems more efficient.
This is where tailor-made software helps you out like a good friend. When it comes to a changing environment, you want software that adapts to YOUR NEEDS, not software that demands you adapt to it.
Software tailored to your business’s specific requirements will evolve with your company. It’s as simple as collaborating with a development team responsible for maintaining and developing your solution. Look for a software that helps you today, and will continue to help in the future; as your business expands.
If you want to know more about tailored software solutions, we’ll be happy to speak with you and find what suits you best.