A successful business relies on computer software to deliver exceptional service to its customers, whether for payment processing, invoicing, or ordering products. For many businesses, however, out-of-the-box software doesn’t meet the specific needs of the operation or industry, calling for a customized solution. However, custom software advantages and disadvantages for businesses should be weighed before committing to a plan.
Notable custom software advantages are the elements of the application that address the specific needs of the users and organization. Conversely, there are also some disadvantages to custom software development. As such, this article weighs the pros and cons of developing custom software for your business.
Key Takeaways:
- Customized software gives business owners the opportunity to help design a tech solution that uniquely supports the organization’s goals.
- Customized software development affects a company’s productivity, finances, and efficiency.
- Potential disadvantages to investing in customized software include implementation delays, initial development costs, and technical proficiency needs.
The benefits of choosing customized software development far outweigh the perceived disadvantages. When you partner with Watkyn for custom application development services, you receive personal attention to your software needs and honest input about the potential limitations of the development process.
Advantages of Custom Software Development
- Tailor-made features and functions
- Higher return on investment (ROI)
- Better cyber security
- Efficient and easy to operate
- Increased productivity with task automation
- Increase efficiency
- Scalable, flexible, and adaptable operational capabilities
- Application integration and compatibility
- Software won’t reach end of life
- You own the development roadmap
- Assisted software implementation and training
- Personalized customer service support team
- Competitive advantage over companies using off-the-shelf software
Disadvantages of Custom Software Development
- Higher initial investment
- Increased time to market
- Stakeholder agreement
- Possible prerequisite points to meet
- Requires a close working relationship with your developer
- Requires an active role in the development process
Advantages of Developing Custom Software
Custom software addresses the unique goals and needs of your company. Rather than mass-produced, off-the-shelf solutions, a tailor-made application uses specific design requirements to fill in the gaps with existing solutions to advance business productivity and efficiency.
The benefits of using a customized software solution for your business include:
- Tailor-made features and functions
- Higher return on investment
- Better cybersecurity
- Efficient and easy operation
- Increased productivity with task automation
- Greater efficiency
- Scalable, flexible, and adaptable operational capabilities
- Application integration and compatibility
- No end of life for the software
- Development roadmap that belongs to you
- Assisted software implementation and training
- Personalized customer service support team
- Competitive advantage over companies using off-the-shelf software
Tailor-Made Features and Functions
One of the leading advantages of custom software is the ability to create a solution that perfectly fits with the workflow and processes of your business. Off-the-shelf software can provide a range of services, but these don’t have the goal of promoting your specific business goals.
During development, you can use insight from the process and the capabilities of the program to optimize processes that lead to increased productivity. You and your team members know what is most helpful from software, and customizing the solution lets you make the changes that matter.
Higher Return on Investment
There is always a cost to investing in new software, and at first glance, there can be a significant up-front cost for a customized system. However, as you look at the benefits, you may find the investment brings a higher return in the long run.
The overall cost is typically comparable to or less than the implementation of a readily built software solution, but in light of long-term performance and functionality, customized development is cheaper. Over time, you pay more in annual licensing fees, high-end services, or product updates with mass-produced products. A higher ROI is one of the top custom software advantages.
Better Cybersecurity
In a world where cyber threats can devastate a business, investing in custom-written software can be a strong offensive move. Your development team is able to build security requirements specific to your organization into the software. It’s much harder for hackers to find weak spots or vulnerable entryways in a tailored solution compared to commercial off-the-shelf or COTS software.
Image Source: https://newsroom.trendmicro.com/2020-12-02-A-Quarter-of-Global-Organizations-Were-Hit-by-Seven-or-More-Cyber-Attacks-in-The-Last-Year#assets_117:19156
Efficient and Easy Operation
Another advantage of developing custom software for your business is the ease of operation. Purchasing a COTS program could leave you with features and functionalities you don’t need or that have generic operating requirements. Having to work around these functionalities is inefficient.
With custom software, you design exactly what you need and at the level your operations require. There is no more or no less, as it is a streamlined approach to keeping your business operating efficiently.
Increased Productivity With Task Automation
With a custom software design, you can automate the tasks and processes that bog down your employees and zap productivity. Custom solutions allow employees to spend less time on redundant daily tasks and focus instead on applying real-time data to multiple activities concurrently.
Greater Efficiency
Customization improves how accurately and quickly your business processes take place. It can eliminate the need for manual tasks while also streamlining workflow processes. Automation’s ability to reduce errors, free up resources, and simplify tasks improves overall efficiency and profitability.
Scalable, Flexible, and Adaptable Operational Capabilities
You may be a small business now, but as you grow, you need software that still works. COTS programs typically have user or functionality restraints, requiring additional purchases or upgrades as your operations grow and change. This gets expensive.
With a custom program, you have the flexibility to adjust to whatever changes your business goes through. It covers your necessary functionality but can adapt as needs change over time by adding new features or increasing the capacity of the product.
Application Integration and Compatibility
Rather than fitting a mass-produced product into your company’s processes, quick and efficient integration is another of the custom software advantages. The developers build the system to match your existing processes and systems and ensure seamless integration.
Image Source: https://docs.tasktop.com/knowledge-resources/integration-patterns
No End of Life for the Software
Thankfully, an investment into customized software doesn’t have a shelf life where updates stop fixing bugs or support stops for older versions. The development team can make changes as needed without worrying about compatibility or obsolete features. Critical functions are never discontinued, and there is no stress over missing an important update.
Development Roadmap That Belongs to You
When you are in charge of software design, you develop a system that works for your business processes. With a boxed solution, you are forcing the system to work or making changes to your own processes to work with the software. With customization, you get total control of the program to ensure that it fits your needs now and in the future.
Assisted Software Implementation and Training
Rather than spending hours on the phone trying to figure out how to make a COTS program work with your processes, your development team is there to help integrate your custom software for you. They can also provide the training necessary to move seamlessly between programs and learn the new features of the customized solution.
Personalized Customer Service Support Team
When you work directly with the development team, personalized customer service becomes one of the best custom software advantages. You have individuals who know your system and processes and can walk you through problems or fix them in a flash.
Competitive Advantage Over Companies Using Off-The-Shelf Software
You gain a significant advantage over your competitors with custom-developed software. Both you and your consumers get a unique, personalized experience that improves product delivery and employee performance, raising the level of quality and customer service. Increased consumer loyalty and a stronger customer relationship lead to higher revenue streams.
Disadvantages of Using Custom Software
While there are numerous custom software advantages, there are a few potential disadvantages to this digital solution.
Higher Initial Investment
There is generally a higher upfront cost for custom development. It requires hiring experienced developers as well as investing in updated technologies to handle the system requirements.
However, when you compare the upfront cost with the long-term savings and financial benefits of using a custom program, the end results are cost-efficient when compared to a COTS solution. It is easy to justify the investment knowing customization can save your company money in the long run.
Increased Time to Market
Because the program is being built from the ground up, it can take longer to integrate the final product with your existing systems. The initial planning phase can get tedious, as each detail needs the right solution or plan before starting the build. Tailoring each element can take time, but the overall results of a perfect fit are a worthwhile tradeoff.
Stakeholder Agreement
All stakeholders need to be in alignment with the strategic goals of the software, but this can be difficult to achieve when there are divergent concerns about functionality, cost, or the timeline. Having a clear plan for the software can help put everyone on the same page concerning the custom software advantages for the company.
Possible Prerequisite Points To Meet
It could be difficult to get your project going if there are technology, equipment, or other prerequisites to meet before getting started. Any specifications or requirements could consume extra resources, leading to concern over the value of the project.
Additionally, the goals for custom-built software need to be clear and understood by all involved. All the processes and workflow details should align, which can take time to develop and hammer out.
Requires a Close Working Relationship With Your Developer
Because of the detailed planning that goes into custom software and the need for your developer to fully understand your organization’s goals, open communication and a trusting relationship are key to succeeding with this software solution. If you aren’t available or aren’t comfortable talking about your needs and changes, the design can get off track.
Requires an Active Role in the Development Process
You can’t sit back and let the developer and their team handle the design process. While having an active role in the process is a benefit of developing custom software, this is a time-consuming role that can also take you away from other business needs. It also requires being responsive and proactive in clearly laying out your desires for the software.
Custom vs Off-the-Shelf Software: Determining the Right Fit for Your Business Needs
Comparing the custom software advantages with the disadvantages gives you more insight into which approach is best for your business. If you have more questions or would like to know what a custom solution could look like for you, talk to our team at Watkyn. We provide simple, easy-to-use software tailored to meet your company’s goals.
