This question comes up a lot! That’s because choosing between custom software, generic ERP-type software, or a SaaS software package is a common dilemma for business owners and IT project managers.
Whether public or private, businesses have different needs and objectives: eliminating paper, automating certain processes, increasing productivity, facilitating the work of their employees, gaining a competitive advantage, saving time and money, and so on. Their common goal is to foster their growth, which requires strategic decision-making.
Creating custom software to develop your business is therefore an excellent option. Custom software has many advantages and can greatly boost the efficiency of your teams. However, this solution also carries concerns regarding development costs and production timeframes. No need to panic! We wrote this article in the hopes of providing you with some answers to all your burning questions.
After all, Uzinakod has been developing custom software for 7 years, so we know a thing or two about this topic. Think of it as a small practical guide that will allow you to explore all the facets of custom software development, discover how it can boost your digital transformation, and help you make a strategic choice.
What is custom software?
Custom software is highly personalized application software designed after a thorough analysis of a business’s needs and objectives. Custom software has unique aspects that are specific to a business and the workload of its users. As a result, it responds directly and precisely to your needs and business goals.
Available for all business sectors, custom software offers well-designed and useful features. Its main objective is to improve the efficiency, enjoyment, and performance of its users.
Since 2015, Uzinakod has acquired significant expertise in various sectors, including union, energy, healthcare, and maritime transportation. Year after year, our specialists have gained knowledge and insight into the different business areas of our clients. They’re able to draw similarities between projects and help you benefit from best practices in both related and unrelated fields.
What are the differences between standard and custom software?
Adaptable or standardized software is an efficient and expeditious solution for companies that want to implement it immediately or have a small budget. They often come with monthly or annual subscriptions, allowing for better cost management over time.
On the other hand, this type of software has limitations when it comes to customization. In addition, the number of standard features built into the software can quickly become annoying to users or fail to address problems and needs directly.
The advantages of opting for a custom software
Competition is becoming increasingly fierce in many industries. Choosing a custom software is a critical step in maintaining a competitive edge. For example, by using the same software as your competitors, you run the risk of levelling the playing field. A custom solution allows you to stand out. It also gives you a strategic advantage by reducing your administrative costs, increasing your productivity, and improving your bottom line.
Here is a short list of benefits that could help tip the scale in favour of custom software:
- Optimization of your internal processes: customized software is adapted to the realities of your company, thus improving business performance and facilitating the perfect execution of daily tasks thanks to features designed to meet the specific needs of your team. For example, it can be used to reduce the number of operations (accounting, report generation, data entry, etc.) to simplify their workload.
- Optimization of your external processes: continuous process improvement leads to profitability and progress. By focusing on your external processes, you can increase the value and quality of the service you provide and, in turn, increase your profits.
- Interconnectivity between existing software: confident in and satisfied with your existing software? Do you know that several existing software can be interconnected to improve data accessibility? Software interconnectivity allows you to avoid data silos, giving you a more accurate global view of what is really happening in your company.
- Scalability and flexibility: a system can be adapted to support new uses, recent technologies, and internal processes. The solution isn’t permanent, which means you can always revisit and adapt it to your reality, which, let’s face it, often changes over time.
- Multiple gains: because it’s tailored to your existing processes, custom software can save you significant time, improve performance, and reduce costs by automating various processes and standardized working methods. Standardizing your business processes is an important factor to consider, especially when it comes to employee retirement. You’ll be able to better organize your tasks and benefit from unparalleled robustness on a daily basis, including easier information retrieval, customizable access, and automatic task reminders through a notification system.
- Added value: a custom software solution provides real value to your business because it’s yours. You don’t have to depend on an external company or pay a subscription; it’s your intellectual property. It’s therefore an investment that pays for itself over time and brings you great added value.
- Cutting-edge technology: tried, tested, and built according to the latest tech trends, custom software is a reliable technological and operational tool. It’s a high-quality, innovative solution designed to meet the specific needs of your business and set you apart from your competitors.
- Data security: with a software package, your data is often stored on third-party servers with a high risk of attack or breach. Owning your own custom software gives you secure control over your data. With our solutions, your data is hosted on a trusted server. At Uzinakod, we decided to develop cloud software solutions because it’s the most secure option available on the market today. When collaborating on a project, we also support our clients in their efforts to comply with Law 25.
3 tips to build a solid project framework
Embarking on a custom software development project with a trusted local IT partner is a worthwhile investment. Thanks to the latest technologies, you’ll be able to optimize previously defined and selected business processes in order to stay on top of the competition.
Before starting your new project, be sure to consider your specifications. Then, follow all the steps in the right order and remember that you need to actively participate in the creation of your project!
1. Clearly define your needs
There’s nothing better than clearly defining your project before you start. Think about your primary business needs, as well as your company’s challenges and unique characteristics, so that your IT partner understands your situation and can provide you with a reliable technical and technological solution with security at the forefront.
At Uzinakod, we assign a project manager and a business analyst to your project right from the get-go. This dedicated duo will be with you all the way to help you ask the right questions and provide the appropriate answers. They have the expertise needed to define your requirements and can even uncover other unspoken needs in order to provide you with an adequate solution.
Asking the right questions from the start is essential to optimizing your internal processes:
- Where am I wasting time?
- Is my outdated system at risk? (Critical software that is no longer supported can threaten your operations)
- Where can I potentially benefit?
- Are human errors common?
- What are my priorities?
- What do I have to gain from this?
When it comes to optimizing your external processes, the following questions can help you make the right decisions:
- Who is my target customer?
- How can I improve operations with my customers?
- How do I stay competitive?
- Can my processes be integrated with my customers’ systems?
- Should I opt for a self-service counter?
- How will I benefit from this?
2. Remember to follow the steps and stay on budget
Stack the odds in your favour by following the steps recommended by our experts when developing your custom software solution:
- Establish your goals and expectations
- Identify milestones and an MVP
- Co-design the software in Agile mode
- Perform user acceptance testing and training and gather feedback
- Perform development iterations and deliver without delay
Software development depends on a variety of criteria, giving you control over a multitude of aspects so you can maximize the value of your investment. While you may not be able to satisfy all your users’ wishes, you can set priorities to deliver what they need and ensure the project’s success.
We’re currently working on another article that will serve as a how-to guide for investing in custom software development! Stay tuned!
3. Help your project come to life
If we could give you one last piece of advice about custom software development, it would be to play an active role in your project! Be present and involved throughout the process, especially during the crucial testing phase, as this will ensure that your software performs to its full potential!
Let’s end on a high note with a few success stories
Uzinakod has developed a wide range of custom software for many clients in various industries. Take a look at these three key projects with clear scope statements that are included in our portfolio:
- Syndicat des Cols bleus regroupés de Montréal – Union Portal
- Prehos – Continuous Product Improvement: New Feature Development
- CSL – Customer Portal
Conclusion
Investing in custom software is a strategic decision when starting or continuing your company’s digital transformation. A custom software solution is an obvious choice when there’s no tool on the market that truly meets your business needs because it’s fully adapted to your daily tasks, thus simplifying your workflow.
Uzinakod’s clients value our expertise, strategic support, use of cutting-edge technology, and quality of service. We’re not bragging! We’re simply sharing what they told us! 😎
We’re truly committed to supporting your strategic projects and driving your growth through cloud software solutions tailored to your needs.
Don’t hesitate to contact our custom software designers if you have any questions on this topic. They’ll be more than happy to assist you!
