Pre-made software are designed based on operations which are common to most businesses. So it is not essential that they will be able to handle processes that may be specific to your company. This is one of the biggest reasons why you will need a custom application to run your operations effectively and efficiently. When you choose a mass-produced software, there is no assurance that you will be able to handle all your processes.
Custom Software Provides Flexibility
A business is like an ever-changing entity. This means that the software powering your business should be flexible and keep evolving. A custom software development company can design and develop an application that scales according to your ever-changing needs.
A ready-made software has a fixed set of features and functions. If you continue using it in an ever-changing business environment, you can hamper your business operations. Making constant changes to such an application can also be expensive, if not impossible. Often, such changes in pre-packaged software can be made only as a general update. And it is highly unlikely that the developers are going to make a system wide change for millions of users, just to meet the requirements of one or few clients.
Addresses Compatibility Issues
When it comes to your business processes, your employees are going to work with different software and file formats. If your business application can be compatible with all these file formats, it can make your operations more efficient. A ready-made software cannot be updated on a regular basis to ensure that it keeps up with your requirements. You cannot ask the vendor to update it whenever you have a need to work with a new file type.
A custom software development company is going to design a software specifically for your business processes. This means that you can address all compatibility issues that arise along the way. Every time your employees have a new requirement, you can have your software service update the application for compatibility.
Cost Effectiveness
The level of flexibility and compatibility offered by custom software means lower cost over the lifecycle of the application. You can have your developer update the software as and when required to accommodate any changes in your business processes. Since the software is already customized for all your existing operations, it is also less likely to require updates in the future. All this means much lower cost of ownership compared to choosing a pre-made business application.
Custom business applications can be costlier to develop, but the initial costs work as long-term investment. The cost you are ready to bear initially can pay you back in terms of the multiple costs you will have to incur on a ready-made software over its lifecycle. You will be able to realize the cost-effectiveness of using a custom software within a short time. Licensing fee is also a concern with pre-packaged applications. You will have to renew the license on an annual basis. On the other hand, a custom developed application is owned by your company.
Higher Level of Security
The most commonly used off-the-shelf software are hacked most often. This is because such applications are available to the masses and hackers already know about any potential vulnerability. On the other hand, a custom application is available only to your organization. The code is available only to your custom software development company or your IT team. This significantly reduces the chances of any attacks.
Thus, there are many advantages of having a custom software for your organization. It helps boost your business efficiency while keeping the costs low. Such an application also reduces barriers by eliminating compatibility issues.
