What is Custom Software?
Custom software (also known as bespoke software or tailor-made software) is software developed specifically for an organization to accommodate that organization’s preferences and expectations. Custom software is built to fit company’s specifications and business needs and is different from traditional off-the-shelf software which is available to a larger audience.
Advantages of Custom Software
With custom software you dictate how you want your final product to look and you can expand it as new tools become available. Nothing can beat that. You can start small, with only the core-essentials, and then add features later on.
The top advantages of custom software are:
01
It’s tailor-made to the specific needs of your enterprise
With custom-made software, a direct relationship is established between you and the development company. A knowledgeable developer can adapt to your requirement changes more easily and collaborate with you on making the application the best it can be. The software is yours alone; it belongs to you and there’s no other one like it.
02
It’s a smart long-term investment
Developing a custom software can be expensive since you have to start from scratch, but it’s a smart investment in the long run. There’s no need to purchase unnecessary additional hardware or pay for licenses and pointless features you will probably never use. So the long-term benefits far outweigh the headaches of dealing with off-the-shelf software.
03
It Increases productivity
This one is no-brainer. By using software designed to meet your needs, your team will be more confident and perform tasks faster and more efficiently.
04
Your software is maintained as long as you require
This is another main difference between custom and off-the-shelf software. With custom software, you own the application and can do anything you wish with it. But with off-the-shelf software, you’re at the mercy of the software developer you purchase the app from. It puts your business in a vulnerable position. You’re dependent on someone else to update and improve your software. All you can do is cross your fingers and hope the developer stays afloat for many years to come. Otherwise, you’ll have to change the supported software which will cost you time, money and leave you frustrated and dissatisfied with the product that’s not going to help your business grow.
05
It’s more secure against external threats
Commercial off-the-shelf software is more vulnerable to hacking attacks since it is available to everyone. Custom developed software, on the other hand, is more secure and harder for hackers to infiltrate, because it’s only used within your organization. Hackers see no point attacking bespoke software when they can access software shared by multiple companies.
06
Scalability
Businesses constantly grow; that’s the whole point of starting them in the first place. Off-the-shelf software may not be able to handle the heavy load while custom software is developed with all the changes in mind. Custom software evolves as the company grows.
07
Support
With custom software, you also get a dependable technical support team that was involved in the development process of your application. They are familiar with your software and can handle any issues that arise along the way.
Every organization has different needs. Most of them realize that off-the shelf software will fall short of their expectations and is not going to make their dreams come true. By using custom software, companies can turn their ideas into reality and get advantage over their rivals who are still stuck with off-the shelf solutions.
At Tornado Software providing software solutions and services is our passion. We build custom software to fit your unique needs and improve your business processes.
Regardless of the industry you’re in or the size of your company, you can always rely on Tornado Software for successfully implementing your requirements.