There comes a point in many businesses when the off-the-shelf software solutions are no longer sufficient. This issue is especially true for firms with niche markets or innovative practices. At this point, it’s time to consider investing in custom business software.
Developing custom business software is a significant undertaking with many barriers that deter business leadership from committing. Here are six reasons it’s well worth the return on investment to help you drive the process.
Eliminates the Need for Multiple Applications
One of the most significant benefits of investing in custom software is centralization. If your business requires multiple integrations or web applications that don’t interact smoothly, replacing them with one centralized tool is incredibly beneficial.
Keep in mind that creating an entirely new piece of software isn’t the only option. Consider how you can make custom integrations or connections to streamline communications between various tools in the meantime. For this makeshift approach, you could hire a Spark engineer to bridge the gaps while outlining a larger customization project.
Solves Unique Business Challenges
Not all businesses are built the same; some have unique products or limitations that create uncommon challenges within the business.
Consider two seafood wholesale companies that ship internationally. One company stores and ships frozen shrimp. They require temperature control throughout the supply chain. The other company ships live lobster. They have to keep the product stored in a living state and account for mortality during the shipping process.
At face value, the businesses look the same — international seafood companies. However, their core business needs are vastly different and could require nuanced software.
Using custom software allows you to create a solution that suits the specific needs of your processes and systems, accounting for the considerations that aren’t included in standard software solutions.
Creates a Competitive Edge
Another benefit of having custom software that no one else uses is that your competition won’t have it. This aspect creates a competitive edge that could help you gain footing in the marketplace and provide solutions that your competitor can’t if they’re using a standard software solution.
Of course, your competition could also use custom software. When working with a development team, it’s integral to put the right legalities in place to protect your intellectual property.
Streamlines Processes
Improving productivity is a common goal for most businesses, and for a good reason— getting more done in less time increases profit margins without making cuts. When your business uses multiple applications or has process gaps, it creates clunkiness in the workflow. Furthermore, the more gaps there are, the more likely a mistake will be made or erroneous information will be captured.
Using custom software helps streamline the process by eliminating communication gaps and the need to move between different platforms. The more streamlined the process, the better the productivity will be, and fewer errors will be made.
Easier to Scale and Modernize
If your company is using a legacy system, you’re overdue for an upgrade. Choosing a custom software solution to replace your legacy system will bring your company into the new millennium and prepare it for future adaptation and change.
Using a custom solution also makes it easier to scale the software with your business as it grows. For many startups in the growth stage, it’s common to outpace your tech stack in growth. Working with a development team to create custom solutions and grow with you will help keep the quality of work consistent over time.
Improves Employee and Customer Morale
Finally, providing your employees and customers with tools that work seamlessly will help improve morale for both groups. This benefit can help with retention, cutting costs further, and creating an engaging experience.
For these reasons and many others, you should consider investing in custom software for your business. It may not be necessary at this juncture, but you’ll be ready to hit the ground running when the time comes.
