You need to be unique to thrive in today’s overcrowded global marketplace. Business leaders try all sorts of things to build a brand that will stand the test of time by giving its customers a genuinely memorable experience. Whether that involves offering a wider range of services, changing business models, or going after a different demographic, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Many business leaders don’t realize that there’s also a great deal of value in custom-built software solutions. But even for those who do, proprietary software is often dismissed as an expense that only large enterprises that have their own in-house IT departments can afford to have. However, custom-built software can be highly beneficial for small businesses too, and here’s how:
#1 Personalization
Every organization has a unique set of needs, depending on internal processes, customer-facing systems, and employee skills and preferences. The one-size-fits-all approach of a lot of mainstream software makes it unsuitable for certain applications, and your digital transformation strategy will fail if the software isn’t tailored to your needs.
It’s best to align technology with your goals, so have your software solutions and integrations match your specific processes and business model. You’ll have complete power over the whole process, so you can easily brand and customize your software and ensure that it optimizes, rather than replaces, your existing business processes.
#2 Support
When it comes to technical and customer support, your business can’t afford to end up waiting for hours or days for issues to be resolved. An hour of unscheduled downtime can lead to thousands of dollars of lost revenue. Support can be difficult to come by, hence the need to partner with an authorized vendor who also offers 24/7 technical support.
The best option is to work with a software development and technology support firm that can offer you a complete package that will take care of all your IT needs. When you have bespoke software developed for you, you have full control over it. Furthermore, customized software receives regular updates and support, guaranteeing its continuous improvement.
#3 Security
If there’s one thing that keeps business leaders awake at night, it’s the safety of their confidential corporate data. Not only are the threats very real — they’re constantly growing in scope and complexity. As such, using mainstream solutions for mission-critical systems that handle highly confidential information may not provide enough protection.
Naturally, hackers target vulnerabilities in industry-leading software, simply because these give them a far greater attack surface to exploit (i.e., everyone using the software). Since your software is custom-built, it is inherently more secure. There’s no unnecessary bloat with features you don’t need but can increase the attack surface.
#4 Cost
Small business leaders often assume that custom software development is prohibitively expensive. Because every project is priced according to its scope and complexity, it’s more important to think about the cost-saving benefits that tailor-made software can bring to your company.
Among the biggest cost savings will be reduced acquisition costs. Custom software is designed to work with your existing infrastructure, so you’ll be able to save on hardware and additional software licensing. Having control over the direction of the project also means you have more control over the costs, not to mention the ways in which your new software can improve your company’s bottom line with improved productivity, scalability, and efficiency.
Online Computers provides custom software-development services to businesses in Hanover, Morristown, and Madison. Our in-depth experience allows us to create cutting-edge solutions for organizations in healthcare, education, nonprofit, and other sectors. Call us today to learn more.