“If only our software did this one thing!” That’s a common frustration with business owners and their team when working with off-the-shelf software. Pre-built software serves a great need -- it’s ready to go and it’s cheap. However, as businesses grow, they quickly see the need to have a more customized solution. That’s where custom software comes in. What may seem like a significant expense at first quickly turns into an investment, as your software starts to make the whole operation run more efficiently. So, what are we talking about here with this ‘Custom Software’?
Custom Software is any piece of software created by a software developer to meet one or more needs of a business. Since it’s not a generic solution, its whole purpose is to address one area, or category, of the business.
Going with a custom engineered software solution has two distinct advantages:
Because of these advantages, businesses often move to a custom solution when existing solutions don't meet their needs. At Ping! Development, we had a client create their own solution because existing industry software did not fit their niche market's needs. They needed customized business logic. Now, because they own the intellectual property on the software we created, they're going to be able to license this to others in their industry and create a new revenue stream.
You may see the need to go custom when you have to cobble together three or more platforms to handle different aspects of your business, or when your search for a new solution yields no results that provide the functionality you need.
Finally, some businesses don’t wait until they encounter challenges with off-the-shelf solutions. Startups who are doing things differently, disrupting an industry, will see the need for custom software right out of the chute.
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Knowing the risks of developing a custom software solution will help you be prepared and mitigate those risks. While the advantages are great, there are a few things to consider or be ready for, including:
Working with a reputable, experienced software developer (like Ping! Development) will help you avoid mistakes, keep costs down, and ensure that you’re getting a solution that improves the performance of your business.
Ready to talk custom software for your business? Contact us, and we’ll help you determine how your business may benefit from a custom software package. Then, we can put together a proposal, a budget, and timeline to get this going for your company.