When thinking about launching a new product or automating your in-house work, there’s two routes you can take – either use a pre-existing solution or develop something custom from scratch. Depending on your objectives, one choice might seem instantly better than the other. But if you have the budget for it, it’s almost always better to invest in a custom-made solution. And here’s why:
Custom Solutions Align With Your Business Goals More
The thing with pre-existing solutions that you can either build on or use as they come, is that they won’t fit you 100%. Similarly to clothing, there’s no “one-size-fits-all”. Working with a software development company is the way to ensure that all of your needs are met and that the money you’ve invested into the software will actually directly benefit your company. It’s especially useful for niche industries or heavily-regulated businesses (for example financial institutions). Custom solutions are longer to develop but they should be treated as a long-term investment that can later on grow along your business.
The Software “Grows” With You
If you develop a custom solution, you can always adjust it along the way. With pre-existing solutions you will most likely need to just switch them out when they can no longer support your needs. And that’s a problem. Your employees or users will already be used to a certain look and feel, so switching it out might decrease employee efficiency or decrease customer retention. That’s not something you want, especially if you’re a quickly growing business. When working with a software development company that has built your software from scratch, they can add new features to suit your changing needs.
Competitive Edge
Having a tailor-made solution will give you the competitive edge on the market. Especially when it’s a product made for your customers. For example, many retail and eCommerce businesses who decided to build a custom solution have seen enormous success and increased customer loyalty. That’s because, contrary to a CMS, you’re able to analyze, test and improve your software all the time. With pre-existing solutions you don’t have that kind of control. When it comes to custom internal software, you will also have the added advantage of being able to improve features that your competitors have no control over. Pre-existing solutions are often limited when it comes to integrations etc. A custom one can help you manage your whole operation from a single place.
When A Custom Solution Might Not Be The Best Idea?
Although, in most cases, a custom-made solution is best, there’s some downsides to this approach you should definitely consider. First of, custom software is not cheap. It is an investment. Both money and time-wise. Pre-existing solutions can be implemented much quicker and usually at a lower cost. When developing something custom you need to be aware that it will take time. From ideating, designing, prototyping and testing to developing the software. Second, to have a truly great custom software you need to find the right software development company to help you. If you choose an unreliable vendor, you risk delays and bugs. And that’s not something you want when investing a lot of time and money. You can read our article on how to find a software development company and be sure they can deliver. Another thing you need to consider is ongoing maintenance and support. It’s not always going to be necessary but that’s definitely something to keep in mind.
Custom software is a great choice if you’re ready to invest in your growth. As well as have the time and budget to do it. If you’re looking for an expert, reliable partner to help you – contact us and let’s schedule a meeting!
