In today’s climate, cookie-cutter solutions simply don’t cut it as your business tries to stay ahead of your competition and provide more value to your customers. Previously, off-the-shelf software was a quick way to upgrade your operations but is no longer efficient for those looking at addressing a unique business issue. Enter custom software: a personalized, scalable, and efficient solution to solving your long-term business needs.

While it might seem like a massive undertaking to start a custom software development project, the first step to the process is recognizing that custom software is a good fit for your business. Here are 9 reasons why your business should choose custom software.

1. You’ve outgrown your legacy application

Your business is likely using an outdated program that hasn’t been upgraded in years. Often, many businesses continue to use outdated programs because they “work well enough” to get the job done. Or your legacy program may have been worked on by various developers over the years, resulting in a cobbled-together solution that is barely functioning behind the scenes. Continuing to use outdated programs could prevent you from achieving more, becoming more efficient, or innovating. While it feels overwhelming to change the way a program has worked for many years (or even decades), custom software enables you to dream beyond your current system.

2. There aren’t any out-of-the-box solutions to fit your need

Each business satisfies a unique need in its market. While there are hundreds (or even thousands) of SaaS products designed to alleviate your pain points as a business, there might not be a solution out on the market that fits your unique situation exactly. While you could use a program that satisfies most of your needs, why not create something that works completely for you instead? Your business is unique and you deserve to use software that fits your needs to a T instead of having to compromise.

3. Your current application is hard to maintain

Many companies struggle to have the staff in-house to support their legacy applications. Often, you end up with an IT team who is stretched too thin and might not have the specific knowledge required to fix your application's issues. Or worse, you might not have anyone in your company who is maintaining your legacy application. This can result in pieced-together functionality, security vulnerabilities, or an application that could go offline at any time – meaning huge disruptions to your business. Working with a custom software development partner to design a custom application means that you’ll have a dedicated team of experts who can maintain and update your program, keeping your best interest in mind.

4. You’re looking to create efficiencies in your internal workflows

Is there an internal workflow that is a pain for your team? Wish your team could spend less time on tedious tasks and automate them instead? Custom software is the solution to this! Many people often think custom software has to be designed for use by your customers but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Custom software is designed to satisfy a specific need and your internal team can benefit from a custom solution. Automating an internal process can help your team free up their valuable time and get back to the essential parts of their job.

5. You want to integrate the programs you work with

Your business likely uses a variety of different applications within each department or on a specific team. Ever wish your separate applications could communicate with each other? Do you need to connect a custom application with a tool like your CRM or accounting system? Custom software can do just that for you. Many custom software development firms have experience in creating APIs and system integrations that allow your most critical tools to communicate and share data. No more siloed interactions and various sources of truth when it comes to your data.

6. You’re looking for more efficiency, scalability, and security

Custom software can enable your business to be more efficient, easily scale as you grow, and give you an extra layer of security. Custom software can be designed in a way to scale up as your business experiences rapid growth and helps to keep you efficient. Also, a custom-built solution is more protected from cybersecurity vulnerabilities, as this is usually at the top of a developer’s mind during the development process.

7. You’re looking for a cost-effective solution

While the initial price tag of custom software might be shocking to some, custom software can help you save money in the long run. Even though off-the-shelf products might have a lower initial cost, the costs associated with training your team, licensing, and potentially adding new programs to replace missing functionality add up over time. With your team in the driver’s seat during the development process, you can maintain control over your budget and initial investment to create the custom solution that fits your needs best. You don’t have to develop the final product all at once either – working with a development team allows you to create the initial solution and build additional functionality on it over time.

8. You want to build a long-term partnership with a local team

If you don’t have the in-house resources to build your dream program, partnering with a local development company to do that for you can prove to be extremely beneficial. A local company will know your company, the market, & the business climate of your city, and provide top-notch guidance to your team. As a bonus, working with a local development partner means more opportunities to meet in person and to connect on a more personal level.

9. You want a competitive advantage in your market

If you’re looking to get ahead of your competitors, building a custom solution that solves a need for your customers is the way to do it. Custom software is a major value-add for your business and can help you stand out among your competitors. The possibilities are truly endless when there are no constraints to your ideas.

Interested in working with a top-notch software development company to explore your idea for a project? Call or email our team today to work with our team of experts!