Every modern business in this world uses the technologies to its advantage. That includes all the equipment, logistics, and of course, programs. The latter allows businesses to enhance the quality of their services, by creating countless new opportunities and making the already existing ones more appealing to customers.
But to suit their individual needs, a company needs bespoke software. It simply provides anything they need in one application. It can be an app for communication, time management, automatization, and so on. Here’s a list of the most commonly used types of such programs:
- Content Management Systems
- Customer Relationship Systems
- ECommerce Software
- Operations Management Software
- Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
- Automated Invoicing
- Bug Tracking Applications
- Customer-/Company-facing Websites
Also, for many businesses, custom applications are essential. Just imagine a huge international bank using a ready-made program and a database solution. Or a 5-star hotel using a cheap open-source CRM. Of course, it doesn’t mean the programs aren’t well-made, but they can’t meet all the requirements of some companies.
Many businesses consider off-the-shelf programs good enough, and in some cases it is. For example, a small enterprise just launched, and still doesn’t have enough statistics to analyze what features they need the most and which are insignificant. In this case, a ready solution will do, but only temporarily, as it will never satisfy their needs as well as a bespoke system.
Now that we know what is bespoke software, it’s time we learn where to get it. Just like with any custom-made product, the software has its own industry of Bespoke Software Development Services that are ready to create any product you need. Doesn’t matter whether it’s a simple CRM, a mobile application for customers, or a large database.
While all this sounds really good, we still haven’t proved the particular advantages of bespoke software. So, here’s the list of the main ones.
Optimization
All ready-made software solutions come with a list of system requirements. That’s because they weren’t made for a specific type of machine, but for a certain type of company. And that implies that if a business’ equipment doesn’t meet those requirements, it’s time to upgrade their software.
And with all today’s prices, it surely costs a lot. Just imagine how expensive upgrading 200 computers will be. Also, don’t forget that all the unnecessary features and background processes in the app are eating up the system’s performance. That, in its turn, can slow down the workflow.
However, that’s not the case with tailored software. The requirements customers provide them with include system capabilities and the list of used hardware. This ensures that every single system in the company will be able to launch and operate the program easily, and with decent performance.
How is it achieved? The answer is pretty simple – developers know how to make code work on particular machines better than the others. It’s based on the difference in operating systems and hardware. They also know what a client needs, so no useless features are included.
Reliability
What is the first thing you expect from a program? The stable performance with no freezes and interruptions, right? Well, most of the apps on the market do have a good level of quality. Yet, when loaded with too many tasks or used as temporary solutions for processes they weren’t created for, it’s common that some features may not work. Or the application may even crash from time to time.
It happens because everything in such software is made with only one thought in mind – to be used by as many customers as possible. And this generalized approach makes the programs much more fragile. Their code simply can’t sustain certain levels and types of processes.
With a custom application, the level of reliability is much higher. Just like with optimization, all the insides of the software are made according to your requirements and preferences. Developers know how it will be used, what the loads are, and for how long it needs to be supported.
Because without proper support, no application can live longer than a few months. With off-the-shelf products, the support ends whenever its creators don’t consider it profitable anymore. But with bespoke apps, everything is requested by the client and included in the contract. You can always rely on the developers to maintain your app in the best condition.
Integrations
Already have certain crucial systems that cannot be replaced or changed? Or maybe you want to implement something new in the future? Well, then you only have one option – custom-made software. Only the programs that were made with your specifics and requirements in mind will work with whatever integrations you come up with.
And that’s fully logical, as generalized products can’t fulfill every customer’s will to implement whatever they need. Let’s take payment systems as an example. You bought an application that allows your customers to view the services and pre-order them. For money transactions, you obviously need a payment system.
It is possible to create an exclusive one too, but we’re talking about what already exists right now. So, you buy a license for using a well-known system. Now you need to integrate it into your app. And it‘s impossible to do without professional knowledge and experience, so now you need to contact development services anyway.
Even after that, there’s still a possibility that the integration is simply not possible due to software specifics and their limitations. Or maybe the program that you bought wasn’t made to work with payment systems at all.
That’s why ordering a custom application from the start is the best option. You can leave as much room for integrations as you need. And even if you insist that nothing will ever be added, when the time comes, it’s still legally possible and much easier for the devs to work with the code that belongs to you. Because most ready-made products don’t allow users to change anything.
Scalability
Constant growth is one of the most important things in business. And the more every single aspect of a business grows, the more complex software you need and the bigger the database is required.
Imagine that your company bought a CRM system that is intended to be used by a small number of users. For example, not more than 20. Some apps may start performing poorly if used on more, while others may even stop immediately because their license only allows less than 20 operators.
But what do you do if the company is growing and you need a bigger system? Buy a new CRM each time the number of employees increases? Of course not, just contact the development services and provide them with a general growth plan. Or simply tell them that there’s a possibility you’ll need to scale the system in the future.
The code will be written with scalability in mind, so when you’ll need it to support many new features and users, it’s only a matter of a few days or weeks of adjusting it. Of course, the scaling process doesn’t interrupt the workflow in any way, as it’s applied to the separate copy of the application.
Summing Up
Bespoke software can be considered an ultimate solution for any needs. It can contain any feature a company needs, work with any integrations and third-party apps, support any machines, and have endless opportunities for upgrading.
Just remember that if you want it to be made on a proper level, find true professionals like Develux, and provide them with a clear and precise list of requirements. This ensures that you’ll get the full experience and will feel all the benefits of custom software immediately.
