It’s 2017, and it’s safe to say that the business sector today increasingly relies on software to carry out day to day activities, tasks, and operations. The reason is simple -- software makes us productive. Companies choose off-the-shelf or build custom proprietary software -- or a mix of both -- in order to meet the operational needs with maximum efficiency.
Of course, your business will have to address the age old question of whether to buy software or build one. While off-the-shelf software have their incentives (limited budget, eliminate in-house resources and so on), more often than not, they are unable to meet the unique demands of a business. Here are 3 reasons why building custom software is a smarter choice in the long run...
- Meet the Business Needs - Think of off-the-shelf software as canned food (let’s go with beans). Sure, it can taste great, be within your budget, and address your hunger, i.e. fulfill your basic need. However, if you’re planning to make your special baked beans with tomato sauce, then you’re probably not going to want to buy the canned version.
So in business, if the software is not able to help address your special needs, then it is not one worth investing in. For instance, you may buy CRM software, but if you have special requirements for specific clients and your work process is not aligned with the software, then you’re only hampering efficiency with the purchase. Custom development is even more important in technology-driven firms. When done right, it doesn’t address some but most, if not all, of your needs.
- Remain Competitive - Technical innovation is often desired, but so rarely achieved with off-the-shelf software. For a technology-driven firm, building proprietary software from the ground up is a necessity to maintain that competitive edge. The best thing about development is that it doesn’t always have to focus on building something new, but improving something that has already been built.
So if a firm gains inspiration from an existing CRM software and builds one from scratch that meets its special needs, without any infringements, it can remain competitive. The firm can now ensure—and guarantee—smooth and more efficient customer management which eventually allows it to:
a) Save time;
b) Save resources; and
c) Improve customer relationships!
So basically, building CRM software is helping you stave off competition more efficiently than buying.
- Ideal for Long Term - Proprietary software enables and empowers business development, especially when the software is the main product. This holds true for business at any stage of the lifecycle. For instance, as a startup, your proprietary CRM software will focus on the core functionality, and as you rake in more clients, it will evolve with time.
What custom software development does is that it creates an environment where the executive level to the top management is involved in the process of improving. It enables that room for improvement factor at different points in time where your business needs to evolve.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you feel is the best choice for your company. Custom software development is very much an evolving industry. Today, companies choose to partner with firms like Advanced Solutions Center to help them with software development and engineering, while keeping the running costs of IT low!