How would you say that your business is different from your competitors’? Whether it’s the products or services you offer, your innovative delivery, or exceptional customer experience, there is something that sets you apart and keeps you in business.
So why would you still use the same software as everyone else in your industry? You and your business needs are unique, and to be successful, you need software that is too. Over the years, custom software development has increased in popularity because companies in every industry are realizing its competitive advantage in a world that revolves around technology.
You don’t just want software that “works.” You want software that does the work for you. Here’s how to get there.
What Is Custom Software?
We use software everyday: on our computers, phones, home appliances, and even in our cars. Software makes our lives and our work easier by automating processes that used to be done manually. However, when it comes to businesses, their software needs tend to be more complex.
Custom software development allows businesses to create programs and applications that do exactly what they need, just how they need it. It can be used to create a positive customer experience, increase efficiency with automated processes, and improve management satisfaction by removing bottlenecks and obstacles in workflows.
Custom Software vs Packaged Software
When choosing software for your company, there are two options: custom or packaged. Custom software, also known as bespoke software, is created by the business that will use it, often along with a custom development company, to have the exact features and pricing the business needs.
Packaged software, on the other hand, is bought off the shelf. This is software that is widely available and often solves common problems that similar businesses encounter frequently.
In other words, when you purchase packaged software, you get the same features as any other business who purchases that package. As a result, you often pay for functionalities that you don’t need, or you’re forced to pay extra for features that aren’t included in the base package.
To use some packaged software solutions, called software as a service (SaaS) solution, you pay a monthly or yearly licensing fee. Custom software will run you more up-front, but save you on costs over time.
If you can find a packaged software solution that has everything you need at a price you are comfortable with, it can be a great option for your business. But if you find yourself paying extra every month or your team is using multiple packaged applications to get the job done, custom software solutions may be the better option for your business processes.
Custom Software Advantages
Now that you know what custom software is, how can you be sure it’s the right option for you and your business? To start, here are some questions to ask:
- Are you using multiple programs to satisfy all your needs?
- Do your customers struggle to get what they need out of your current software?
- Are you or your employees wasting time with workarounds and outdated software?
- Is your company moving to remote services and you need more accessible software for your team?
- Do you have a unique idea for software that you can market and sell?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then custom software development is probably the right path for your company.
If you’re still unsure, let’s take a look at the advantages custom software solutions can provide.
Customized for Your Needs
Unlike packaged software, custom software solutions are customized for your needs. That means you get all the features you need and in one place. Your employees don’t have to switch between multiple programs to perform one job. They can perform their jobs faster and more efficiently, leading to better quality work, heightened employee satisfaction, and an increase your business’s bottom line.
The same is true for your customers. Custom software solutions allow you to create an interface with your specific users in mind. The right software can make interacting with your business fun, fast, easy, and convenient. Improving the customer experience means more customers and repeat business.
With custom software systems, you may even be able to automate some processes and functions that are performed manually in your existing solutions, allowing you and your team to focus only on high-priority tasks.
Do you already have an existing system that you don’t want to get rid of, but you know it needs an upgrade? With the right team, building a custom software solution doesn’t mean starting from scratch.
An experienced development team can build enterprise applications to seamlessly integrate into your existing system. Not only does this save you time and resources, but it also often results in lower integration costs.
Here at Geneca, we walk with you through the process of creating the best solution to your unique needs.
Only Pay for What You Need
Are you currently using packaged applications? Do they contain features your team never uses, yet you’re still expected to pay for them? With custom software solutions, you can feel confident that you’re only paying for what you need.
Your software development project will be based on your needs and budget. You can prioritize what features should be included in a build, and you have more flexibility to control the price you pay.
Custom software built with the future in mind helps ensure that as your needs change, your software is posed to change with them.
Ongoing Maintenance
Every business’s goal is to continue to grow year after year. If your business is growing, why shouldn’t your software systems grow with it?
Whether you need to scale your software to allow for more users, want to create mobile apps to satisfy customer needs, or need to automate more processes as your business volume increases, your software development team is ready to help you make changes and adaptations to your software systems, even after you’ve already launched.
Your partnership with your software development company doesn’t have to end once your software is released. If you realize you want to add new features, you can have a team of software engineers perform ongoing maintenance on your custom solutions.
Ownership
With packaged software, you’re simply paying to use someone else’s product. You must wait for someone else to perform updates or bug fixes, and you have no control over how the software evolves over time.
With custom software solutions, on the other hand, you own the code to your software. That means:
- You can make changes as little or as often as you’d like.
- You don’t have to worry about monthly subscription or additional licenses fees.
- You can market the software to other businesses.
With custom software solutions, you have the freedom to do what you want, when you want, rather than waiting on someone else to perform the job for you.
Tips for a Successful Custom Software Development Project
Are you convinced that custom software is the best option for your business requirements? If the answer is yes, you want to take steps to maximize your ROI. These tips can help to ensure you have a successful custom software development project.
Have a Clear Vision
One of the most common issues with custom software projects is failed or unmet expectations. The easiest way to avoid this pitfall is to have a clear vision from the beginning. With your development team, leverage your business intelligence to create a list of functionalities you’d like included in your software solution, and prioritize them from must-haves to lowest priority.
Then, once the scope of your project has been determined, you can pick and choose which features will be included in the finished product.
During the planning process for your digital transformation, you’ll also want to establish deadlines with your development team. By doing so, everyone will be on the same page, and your project manager can plan out the development phases accordingly for your custom application.
Determine a Budget at the Start
When you establish clear guidelines at the beginning of your project, you’ll also want to determine a budget. Not only will this help you and your development team decide what features can fit into your scope, but it will also prevent you from spending more than you’re able.
By establishing a budget from the start, you can feel comfortable and confident knowing what you owe and exactly what you’re receiving for that price tag. Plus, if unforeseen changes or obstacles arise, your development team can work with you to either adjust your scope to stay in budget or to help you decide how much more you can spend on a project.
Understand Your Pricing Options
While planning how to spend your money, look into the different pricing options available and determine which is best for your business. Typically, you’ll have two options: fixed price or time and material. The best fit for your company will depend on your software goals. Here are some questions to ask when making your decision:
- Would you rather pay per hour as the time builds or pay a lump sum up front or at pre-determined intervals?
- What is your communication style?
- How involved would you like to be with the project?
- How strict are your deadlines?
Fixed Priced
With the fixed price model, you will pay a sum of money determined at the beginning of the project. The price will include the cost of the developers’ time and the resources used to complete the project. This model requires the least involvement from the client, so it may be a good choice if you have fewer business resources to dedicate to collaboration and close supervision on the project.
One of the biggest drawbacks of the fixed price model is the lack of flexibility. Adding or removing features, or changing the original plan in any other way, will often require extra costs you may not have accounted for and additional resources to accomplish.
Time and Materials
With the time and materials model, you’ll pay for the software development costs per hour and for all of the materials used to complete it. The flexibility of this model makes it especially useful when you can’t accurately estimate the software development costs or how much time it will take to complete. It also offers more flexibility for the timeline, allowing you to speed up or slow down as needed.
The biggest downfall for this model is budgeting. With no contractual max budget set, it’s easier for your costs to rise without your or your team realizing it. This model also requires more supervision and collaboration on the client’s part.
If you have a strict budget and don’t have the resources or time to devote to a project, time and material may not be the best option for you. But if you’re looking for the most flexibility and the fastest start time, this model may be exactly what your business needs.
Find the Right Team for Your Business
Don’t partner with the first software development company you find. Make sure the software team understands your business needs, has expertise in various development methodologies, has experience in your industry, and is willing to work with your budget and expectations.
The software industry is flooded with failed projects, so look into the success rate of your potential partner. Once you’ve established that the team can do what you want, for the price you need, in the timeframe you propose, you can finally get started on your custom software project.
Establish a Competitive Advantage with Custom Software
If you’re ready to get started on your custom software project, contact our team to learn more today. We measure our success by our clients’ success, and we’re ready to do what we can to make your software dreams a reality.