Custom software offers significant advantages over off-the-shelf applications – especially in improving business processes and digital transformations. After all, there are only limited configurations that you can make to off-the-shelf solutions before realizing they’re only sub-optimal for productivity. Custom software development allows businesses to find solutions that meet their very specific needs to a tee, and it is for this reason that bespoke solutions are getting more popular recently. For example, the fintech industry often uses bespoke software to improve customer service (with easy access to financial services) while protecting data using high-end security tools.
What Exactly is Custom Software Development?
Customer software development is the process of creating and designing bespoke software that is designed for specific users. For instance, healthcare providers and banks will use their own custom portals for patients and employees. Popular examples of custom software include Lyft’s ride-sharing app, Netflix’s video streaming platform, and GrubHub’s food delivery app.
The process of developing custom software is often performed by the combined efforts of in-house and third-party developers. In some cases, organizations may outsource the entire process of custom software development to third-party developers because it is more efficient.
Lately, businesses from all industries and sizes are taking advantage of custom software development to increase productivity, improve customer service, and to stay ahead of the curve.
Advantages of Custom Software Development
Let’s take a look at some of the key advantages of custom software development.
Personalization is King
The primary benefit of using custom software is the high degree of personalization. Off-the-shelf software may offer a wide range of features and functionality, but that’s because they are catering to a wide range of clientele – and that means that some of their features may not help you achieve your specific goals.
Organizations that want to stay competitive will soon realize that forging a unique identity is paramount to success. Custom software that is designed for your exact requirements can help you achieve this in additiona to other benefits.
It is Affordable in the Long Run
Using off-the-shelf software may be affordable in the short run, but it often has recurring costs that accrue over the long run. For example, off-the-shelf apps require extensive customization to efficiently support business operations. Over time, they may appear to lack functionality, which leads to their development from scratch.
In other words, you end up paying for developing additional features. By contrast, off-the-shelf software is designed to meet your exact requirements from the get-go. This lowers the risk of coming across a stumbling block in the future that could disrupt operations.
Improved Security
A strong cybersecurity posture is a priority for businesses, regardless of their industry or size, and custom software development helps them improve their security levels. Using bespoke solutions can help them steer clear of cyberattacks and threats that are specific to their industry.
Businesses in the healthcare, fintech and insurance industries often use custom software development to stay in compliant with regulations while also taking into account the risks and problems that they are likely to encounter along the way.
Another advantage of using custom software development is that they are constantly tested, which reduces the chances of data breaches, increases performance, and reliability. Custom software can be updated as many times as you want – depending on your risk profile.
Greater Scope of Scalability and Flexibility
The scalability of custom applications depends on the scope of your business. If your goal is to increase scalability, you can instruct your developers so that they can improve the feature set of the application accordingly. This application can serve your needs even if the scope of the business expands and strategies change.
With off-the-shelf solutions, you may have to wait for the parent organization to add new features to the software to make your operations easier. This is not the case with custom software because you have access to developers who will take up your requests at any time to add new features for you.
Moreover, designers can assess future needs and incorporate them into the applicants. This minimizes your incurring costs by purchasing additional licenses and subscriptions for off-the-shelf applications.
Lower Costs of Integration
A major problem with commercial software is how it will work with existing applications that your organization already uses. If the software is incompatible with your current tech stack, your organization may have to invest more capital in acquiring new software to improve compatibility with existing infrastructure.
All these hidden costs add up over time. By contrast, custom software can be designed to integrate and interface with your tech stack from day one.
Ease of Use
Custom software is often easier to use because they have just enough features that your business requires. Off-the-shelf software often comes with a lot of bloatware and features that could overwhelm your employees. In many cases, you may not be using many of these features and may be using just a few of them.
Productivity depends on how easily application is used. A tech stack that is easy to use will increase your profits and lower your costs.
Additional Things to Consider with Custom Software Development
Although bespoke software has clear advantages of off-the-shelf solutions, there are a few more additional features that you should consider. These include:
Timeline: It may take a long time to develop custom software that fits your individual requirements. An off-the-shelf app is more accessible and can help you get things off the ground until the custom app is tailored to your requirements.
Technician Proficiency: Custom software development requires in-depth knowledge of technologies and tools, as well as a good understanding of your industry. This requirement is met when you work with a trusted business partner like Microsys Inc.
High Capital Requirement: Building custom software from the ground up requires considerable resources at first. This is because you have to hire a team of experienced developers whose goal is to work solely on your project. It may also require cutting-edge tools to build a bespoke solution for your needs. However, the long-term benefits outweigh the initial costs.
Wrapping Up
With so many advantages of custom software development, it’s no wonder that more businesses are opting for a tailored approach instead of off-the-shelf solutions.
Our team of experts at Microsys Inc can help you develop custom software from scratch using a wide range of cutting-edge tools and techniques. Contact us today to learn how we can streamline your business operations with custom software tailored for your unique needs and specifications.
