The Importance of Custom Software Development in Enhancing Business Efficiency

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May 25, 2023 Business

Did you ever encounter a tool that feels like it was made for your enterprise? You’ll always have this impression when you do something manually and then switch to specialized software. The relief you’ll feel from all the work you’ll save will be colossal; however, after a while, you’ll start seeing some deficiencies.

You see, this software wasn’t really built for your enterprise. It was made for an enterprise like yours in the broadest strokes possible. Your impression came from your initial low expectations and previously inefficient manual methodology.

However, what if you could really make software made for your business? What if you got to choose which features it should entail?

Is this impossible to do? Not really!
Is it expensive? Probably less than you think, but even then, it would be worth it!

With all of this in mind, here are some of the most important reasons to consider custom software development to enhance business efficiency.

It gives you a competitive edge

First, you must understand that you technically don’t have an advantage if you and your competitor use the same tool. You may use it more efficiently, but this is all but given.

However, if you develop your own software, you know this unique solution is available alone. Those few extra features or quality-of-life improvements that generalist software doesn’t provide have the potential to make a massive difference.

Even more importantly, you can adjust the software as your business grows. If you’ve developed it or had it developed for your enterprise, upgrading it shouldn’t be too difficult. The key thing is that most of these tools are always in development. There are patches, fixes, etc. Therefore, you don’t have to fixate on launching a perfect product. Once you drop this idea, the concept of custom software development will look even more appealing.

Better integration with your workflow

Every workflow is unique. Sure, some industries have standard practices, which is what this generalist software is based on. The problem is that every workflow is unique.

You use different tools, proceed through each stage at a different pace and pay more attention to different things. Ideally, you want a tool that will fit in and not have to model your workflow around the tool that you’re using.

This is also important for onboarding. Since this tool will play an integral part, you need to understand where it falls in this process. You’re already using many tools, from resume reader software and onboarding tools to your standard collaboration tools and accounting software. The most important part is figuring out where this particular tool should go in this system.

Much higher security

Custom software is a major boost to your overall security. First, there’s no blueprint for the security methods that you use. You can create an advanced control system, which is not even that difficult. It’s an executive decision, not something complex to pull from a technical standpoint.

Second, you can choose to build this custom software with advanced encryption. This way, you can protect your customers’ sensitive data more effectively. Remember that if you hire professional developers, you only need to negotiate the parameters.

The most important thing about an app is to make it reliable. By being in charge of its development, you’ll have a much easier time doing so. This way, you control how it’s modified and maintained and which security standards are used.

Long-term cost-saving

Making custom software will always cost you more as an initial investment. After all, you can find a premium service, subscribe, and be over with it. However, you need to look at the long-term savings.

First of all, if you don’t get all you need in a single platform, you’ll have to go one of two ways:

You’ll have to handle things manually, assigning more people to the task (which means more work hours and a higher payroll cost).
You’ll have to start using an additional platform (paying for one more service).

It’s also worth mentioning that, if you really wanted to, you could easily convert an increase in productivity and customer experience into profit. Here, upon comparing the prices, it will be more than obvious that you’ve made a cost-effective decision.

In other words, while the upfront costs may be higher, you’ll save a small fortune in the long run.

Long-term support

The benefit of developing your own software is that you’re in charge of the support. This means that you take full control of one of the most important aspects of your software management. This means you can introduce updates at your own pace and ensure continuous optimization and improvement.

Many companies underestimate the importance of being independent in this process. This is crucial for the self-sustainability and controlled growth of your business. Remember, even when your business scales up, this won’t necessarily be the case with every single aspect of it.

Personalized user experience

You have insight into how your customers are using your platform. When developing your own tools, you’ll have a much easier job meeting them where they’re at (not meeting them where you want them to be).

For those who are unfamiliar with how important this is, according to the statistics, 76% of customers express frustration when there are no personalized solutions. This affects everything your business does, from your sales to reviews that you get and all the way to customer satisfaction.

Wrap up

In 2023, no business can survive without reliance on software. While custom software is superior, the question is whether they are superior enough to justify higher initial costs. If you can afford the development, the answer is always yes.

This way, you’ll gain and increase your competitive advantage, boost your productivity, and take your security to a new level. It’s also important to mention that scalability is always a big concern. With custom software, you’ll assume direct control over development and maintenance.

Overall, for those who can afford and endure the process, this is the best long-term solution for any business.