What software do you choose for your business?

In the era of technology, our whole life is accompanied with various smart gadgets significantly simplifying everyday duties and introducing something new in our leisure time. Technology influence couldn’t steer clear of our work as a huge part of our living. Show me an office without a simple computer, copying machine or telephone! I bet you can’t find any. But having computer hardware isn’t enough to succeed you should pay special attention to what is inside, to its soul, software which automates complex processes. And here we can see two main options: to have an off-the-shelf software or custom one.

What’s the difference?

Let’s point out the main contraries between off-the-shelf and custom software. First of all, you should realise that it is an important issue for your business and it is something that is better to make a decision about in the early stage of your business development. Your choice influences your future horizons.

Off-the-shelf software is a ready-made application created for a mass audience with the purpose to satisfy fundamental needs. Initially, it is cheaper, has a big number of features and its upgrading may be cheaper or even free. But a big number of features doesn’t mean that there will be those you need and pretty often customization fees can be ridiculously high. Technically you don’t own it, you pay for using it. Off-the-shelf software slowly adjusts to industry needs and sometimes even requires to change the process of work itself.

Customized software or bespoke software is a program created for a specific company and its needs. It is developed by customs software designers for your particular business, it has an individual approach and programmed to solve your company’s problems. Developing bespoke software you can start  with the basic features you need and easily add new ones even from other packages. You don’t need to wait for updating, changes may be done quickly, you are the one who owns this software. Of course, it will require much higher cost and all further changes won’t be free. And applying for custom software you should have a clear idea of what you want after all. Any changes during the process of development cause additional costs. But all these investments will finally result in increasing productivity and finally pay off.

What to choose?

You probably don’t think that software anyhow can make you money, but it is a fact. With automated, centralized processes there are fewer errors which require time for its elimination, your employees spend more time with their core duties, less with correcting mistakes. All this leads to the growth of the company improving business efficiency. At first glance, custom software is more expensive than a ready-made product but comparing all your costs for its maintaining in the long run everything is quite opposite.