Do you find yourself contemplating how to run your business more efficiently? Is technology leaving your business behind? Do you see an opportunity to provide better service to your clients? There are many reasons why businesses should invest in custom software.
Here are 10 signs your business needs custom software:
1. The Right Software Is Not Out There
Do you have your own business style that doesn’t mesh with standardized solutions for the masses? Are you trying to use a program for an unintended purpose? There may not be any commercial software that meets your technology needs. If so, you need custom software that is designed to be as unique as your business.
2. Commercial Software Requires Your Business to Adapt
You shouldn’t have to change your business practices to adapt to software that just doesn’t cut it. Instead, you should consider a custom solution that will optimize your current processes. Custom software is flexible and can be updated as your business grows.
3. You’re Drowning in Paperwork and Admin Tasks
Chances are you don’t get a thrill spending hours searching for the right piece of paper, entering data manually or performing other tasks that should be automated. By utilizing custom software you can focus time and energy on more important things.
4. You’re Still Using Spreadsheets
You may be the spreadsheet master, but Excel won’t accelerate your business growth. Spreadsheets can also be risky, as they lack security and others can easily revise them. Additionally, they are difficult to maintain and time consuming. Using custom software is a much more efficient way to store, maintain and utilize your company’s data.
5. You‘re Using Multiple Software Systems That Don’t Communicate
If you find yourself entering the same data into multiple software systems, it’s time to integrate them using custom software. This will minimize data entry and reduce redundancy, saving you time and money.
6. Your Commercial Software Has Gaps
You may have found an off-the-shelf software solution that works for your company and meets some of your needs. In this case, custom software can be built to work with your commercial software to give you a complete solution.
7. You Aren’t Getting Enough Out Of Your Business Data
Collecting business data is one thing, but translating data into relevant insights is another. Here are some red flags that you aren’t getting enough out of your data:
- You’re creating your data reports manually
- You’re collecting data and don’t know what to do with it
- You don’t have a bird’s-eye view of your data
- You find yourself entering the same data into multiple software systems
- The standard analytics associated with off-the-shelf software aren’t giving you a deep enough look
A custom solution will give you the insights you need in the format you want, making your data easier to interpret.
8. Custom Software Gives You A Competitive Edge
Building custom software can improve workflow and enable you to offer services at a superior level. Any custom software built specifically for your business becomes your intellectual property, adding value to your company. Using the same commercial technologies as your competitors keeps you on the same level, whereas effectively implementing a custom solution puts you ahead.
9. Your Customers Are Creating Demand
You may offer an amazing service to your customers, but find that technology is leaving you behind. Perhaps your customers are asking if you have a mobile app or online store. You can develop custom software to enhance your services and make it as easy as possible for people to business with you.
10. You See An Opportunity To Solve Your Client’s Problems
After spending time listening to your client’s woes you may have great ideas regarding how technology could solve them. You may be able to offer them a Saas (software as a service) solution and create additional streams of revenue for your company. Act on your ideas before someone else does and build them the custom solution they’re looking for.
Ultimately, wasting time and energy is costly, as is losing clients and missing out on new ones. Technology should be what sets your business apart, not what holds it back. In an increasingly niche marketplace, a custom software solution is not only an advantage, but a necessity for business survival.