Every business needs software to track expenses, pay employees and vendors, update online promotions, track and help customers, perform fulfillment, manage projects, analyze data, and so much more. If you’re using off-the-shelf software for these or other functions and they’re working for you, great. If you struggle with disorganization, miscommunication, and other systemic problems regularly, you might need something different.
Standard software isn’t built for all types of companies or all situations and yours might be unique enough to require a custom software solution. Fortunately, there are people who can help from many places across the globe. For example, in South America, software outsourcing is a growing industry full of knowledgeable, competent professionals.
In the following sections, we explain more about what custom software is, how to know when you need it, and how to find someone to develop it.
What Is Custom Software?
Custom software is software that is designed specifically for your company and its requirements. While off-the-shelf software can be useful and just fine for your company’s needs, it might also lack functionality that can help you cut costs, enhance efficiency, and increase productivity. Such improvements can give you a significant edge over the competition.
These considerations become even more important as your business grows. Ready-made software in a particular area of your company might be just fine in the initial stages but not robust enough for a larger operation. It also may not be sufficient as your business grows more complex, especially if you need to integrate various software systems that don’t “play well” together.
How to Know When Your Business Needs Custom Software
If you’re not sure your company can benefit from custom software, think about the following questions. If you answer yes to one or more, it makes sense to at least investigate the possibility a bit more (see the following section for tips on how to do so).
Do your operations include inefficient manual processes? That includes endless streams of paperwork that keep employees from taking on more important tasks. Such processes slow down productivity and reduce profitability. Custom software can help streamline repeatable tasks.
Are you using Excel to keep track of critical data? It’s not that there’s anything wrong with Excel. It’s just that, as your business grows, this method could be slowing you down and depriving you of critical information that could be gleaned from a more powerful data repository and analysis system.
Is your business growing? If you’re bringing on a steady flow of new employees, creating new departments, developing new products, or opening new locations, your business is growing. To accommodate the changes, you may need specialized software to keep track of all the data.
Do you struggle with efficiency issues? If your employees regularly encounter misunderstandings, disorganization, or problems with product or service delivery, it’s possible there is a software solution that could help. Off-the-shelf solutions may not address your specific challenges.
Are you getting customer complaints? Some issues present themselves not with employee challenges, but with customer challenges. If your customers are unhappy with the same issues over and over, it’s likely there’s a root cause that could be addressed with laser-focused software.
Do you have many workarounds to make your software operate the way you want? Good for you for saving a few bucks and working with what you have. Just remember that every workaround takes time and effort that your employees could be using for more critical tasks.
Where to Find a Custom Software Developer
Before you look for a custom software developer, see if you can save money by getting more out of your current solution, or checking to see if there is another one out there that could better fulfill your company’s needs. If you decide to hire an outsourcing service, keep the following tips in mind:
- Know what you want to accomplish. Keep these goals front and center as you talk to different vendors. Ask them directly, “Have you ever helped a company accomplish X?”
- Look for a vendor that has worked with other companies in your industry. It’s likely they already have some understanding of and practice with the type of software you’ll need.
- Be sure the vendor is willing to help with after-service care. They should be able to train your employees on the software and be available to help when something goes wrong.
- Look for a company whose employees are good communicators as well as good developers. The project will require collaboration, so you want to make sure it will go smoothly.
- Don’t forget about things like security and ownership. These considerations should be included in the contract.
In Summary
When you hear the phrase “custom software,” you may also hear the sound of a cash register charging you way more than you want to spend on something unnecessary. But think about how much money you would potentially save if you could resolve issues that are weighing your company down. These issues could be costing your business way more than any custom software development.
Custom software may not be a solution to all your company’s problems, but it can potentially help you cut costs, increase revenues, make smarter decisions, and be more efficient and competitive.
