There’s tons of ready-to-use software out there. But what if none of that proprietary software meets all of your users’ needs? Some organizations look similar at first glance, but if you look below the surface, you’ll realize that they have little in common from a unique history of software use (accumulation of systems, technology debt, etc.) to different processes. Even business models may differ between two close competitors! So how do you account for these organizational differences when acquiring a new digital product? Why should you choose to have custom software developed?
What is custom software development?
As we’ve already mentioned, custom software development is the design, creation, development and maintenance of software or an application created specifically for your organization. Regardless of its final form, the digital solution will address a range of needs that are specific to your organization and will feature a high degree of personalization. Having custom software developed is the complete opposite of using commercial software under a paid or “freemium” license. A few examples of those types of software solutions include Tableau or Trello.
Main reasons why you should go with custom software development
Integration with your existing application ecosystem
Unlike a ready-made solution, you can design the form of your custom software during the creation process. From the outset, custom software is designed with your business vision and users in mind, meaning that the end result is a “perfect” application that truly meets your needs. Developing a custom solution for your organization means that you’ll be able to integrate it with your existing application ecosystem. You won’t have to adapt to using an inflexible commercial application—instead, your new custom app will fit seamlessly into the various workings of your existing ecosystem. Since every organization is unique, relying on a custom app is a powerful advantage. The simple fact that your team will need to come together to share their vision and needs during the creation process is already a huge benefit to your organization!
Being able to rely on a strategic partner
The business world is changing rapidly and your industry is no exception. That’s why it’s essential to have software that can also evolve over time so that it has an exceptional lifespan. One criticism of prebuilt solutions is their inability to keep up with growth and changing industries. With custom software development, you won’t have to worry about that. You’ll have a world of possibilities at your fingertips and most importantly, you’ll be able to rely on a strategic partner who can help you prioritize new functionalities for your application. Your organization and your supplier will work together as a team to develop new functionalities that will add value to your organization.
Building independence and resilience
That’s often the main reason for choosing custom software development. You’ll be the only company to own the solution. Not only will you be able to make changes whenever you want, but your app will also become a major asset to your organization. Among the many organizations that come to us to start developing their own application, we’ve noticed that most no longer want to be at the mercy of a single supplier. They also want to minimize any risk associated with their strategic investment. One way to do that is to develop an app using open source technologies that can be maintained by any supplier or by their own internal team. No matter what may happen in your industry, within your organization or with your supplier, you’ll have many options available and won’t be handcuffed to anyone.
A partner that speaks French
As only 8% of SaaS business applications were developed in Canada and France, it’s obviously more difficult to obtain technical support in French when dealing with American, British or Israeli companies, for example. Although some large companies can afford to hire technical support teams who speak the language of Molière, that’s not the case for the majority. As mentioned above, your custom software supplier is a strategic partner for your organization, so if you’re located in Quebec, chances are your team will want to discuss strategic issues surrounding your new digital asset in French. And let’s not forget the technical support! You’ll be able to access it in French and since your supplier developed your application, they’ll also be able to guide you and answer your questions.
Data storage and security
A custom application means custom hosting. When you pay for a license to use commercial software, you usually can’t choose the geographic location where the data is stored or what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the data from the application remains secure. If these security issues are important to you, then another benefit of custom software development is the ability to rely on custom hosting that lets you choose your own settings for your infrastructure, in addition to ensuring that your data is not shared with other users.
Are you convinced yet?
Custom software development offers a wide range of concrete benefits for organizations that wish to create high-performance, secure, autonomous digital products that are adapted to their specific context. This approach releases you from the constraints associated with prebuilt software and offers custom solutions that meet specific challenges.
