What Is Custom Software Development?

Every business has its own specific peculiarities and needs that off-the-shelf software can not always meet. This is the case when custom software development would be a wise choice. Large enterprises, SMBs, and startups — all can benefit from the customized approach to development. In this article, we will explore custom software development and the benefits it brings to businesses. Continue reading to learn more.

Custom Software Development: Definition

Custom software development is the process of building unique solutions for customers according to their definite business requirements and needs. Unlike ready-made solutions, they are aimed at specific companies and help them stand out among industry competitors.

The apps are created in line with the business’ brand strategy, management policy, and pivotal business processes. Such solutions help when the installed software doesn’t meet all the business requirements. In this case, software developers can create a new product and enhance it with additional unique features.

The investments in custom software development are justified as it resolves specific issues. For instance, if one of the initial aims was to enhance the efficiency of business workflows, the positive results can compensate for all the money spent on the solution. With a proper custom software solution, it is possible to optimize time and money investments in the business and simultaneously increase ROI.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Custom Software Development?

Pros

• Specificity: Custom software provides one-of-a-kind features that off-the-shelf software can not offer. All companies have their own peculiarities regarding their business workflows, business operations, and distinct product characteristics. Therefore, such development is a great decision when it is necessary to meet the specific demands of the business’ stakeholders.
• Safety: Safe functioning of the system is the guarantee of secure data storage and exchange. Custom software increases the level of protection against malicious cyber attackers. With a customized approach to app building, it is possible to employ several protection measures and increase security. In comparison with off-the-shelf solutions that have limited protection functionalities, such systems are better equipped against hackers.
• Compatibility: Custom software can be easily integrated with the current web or mobile software that businesses use on a daily basis. Developers build custom software that is compatible with important programs that make the business more productive and efficient.
• More Control: Business owners have full control over upgrading the apps and are free to introduce adjustments easier than in the case of off-the-shelf software.

Cons

• Сostliness: The price for custom software development is high. Contrariwise, building standard application is rather more affordable. Nevertheless, the results cover all the skyrocketing prices, as custom software offers rich functionality and is tailored to the specific needs of the business, which results in delivering attractive user interfaces and enhanced user experiences to clients, which in turn leads to more profits.
• Time-intensiveness: To create custom software solution, a lot of development time is needed. When companies seek a quick and instant solution, then it will be probably better to resort to ready-made standard solutions.
• Accessible Commercial Option: The ready-made commercial software is a more affordable ready-to-use option. Off-the-shelf solutions can cover the basic needs of the business that comply with the requirements of the specific industry domain. Many companies offer similar products and services in such sectors as retail, clothing and apparel, automotive accessories, etc.
• Profound Tech Expertise Needed: When dealing with custom software, it is important to find well-versed tech specialists who can help handle all the complex technical issues and meet all the business requirements. An experienced IT company can help you with this.

Types of Customized Software

• Content management systems (CMS) are a software type that businesses can use to design, manage and edit the various types of content on their websites with no tech expertise.
• Customer relationship management systems (CRM) help businesses in managing their relations with customers. With advanced modules and automation, such systems can optimize communication and sales activities.
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems assist in the management of key business procedures in real time. Usually, they comprise interrelated apps that organizations implement for collecting, storing, managing, and interpreting data from multiple business activities.
• Fintech software helps enhance such business activities as managing banking and investments, cryptocurrencies, and other financial endeavors. With effective fintech software, companies can eliminate business risks, enhance user experience and protect their customers against fraudulent access and data theft.
• Operations management software represents digital tools that companies implement for the automation of their business activities, used for streamlining their business workflows and cooperation improvement. Such tools can be customized to comply with definite project goals.
• Healthcare solutions are used in hospitals and medical centers to manage patients’ data, schedule doctor visits and appointments, and establish effective cooperation among all medical personnel.
• eCommerce software is aimed at streamlining online sales. Online stores help engage more buyers, expand markets, promote brand recognition and carry out effective marketing campaigns.
• eCommerce apps represent probably the most popular type of custom software applications because they follow the stable trend of bringing businesses online. These solutions enable companies to establish a visible online presence and generate online revenue as a result.

Best Custom Software Examples

Netflix

This tech company provides streaming services that offer various prize-winning series and films of different genres and styles. You can find anything here — from documentaries, dramas, and musicals to animated and silent films. The services are available by paid subscription. The company uses a personalized approach in its business. The custom solution helps them gather huge amounts of data and analyze user tastes in order to provide them with personalized, customer-oriented services.

Amazon

The international tech company focuses on multifaceted eCommerce services, cloud computing, advertisement, and AI. The custom solutions help their business clients to enjoy a convenient and user-friendly shopping experience. AI helps understand the customer’s needs better and displays via ads the products that they would be interested in. Moreover, advanced custom software provides users with a high level of protection against cyber attackers.

Google

Google uses custom software that offers personalized search engine services. The primary focus of their business is on search engine technologies, advertisement, eCommerce, consumer electronics, and related services. Based on AI technologies, the system analyzes user behavior and offers them carefully selected search engine page results based on their unique needs.

What Is the Process for Developing Software?

Although there are various software development models that offer different approaches to development, the following essential steps are indispensable. An Agile approach to development is prevalent today. Let’s consider the most important stages of the software development process that are necessary for building a successful product.

What Are the Qualities you Should Look for in Custom Software Development?

Profound Tech Expertise

The deep tech expertness is proven by the successfully delivered custom applications that led to tangible business results. An established IT company can boast of completed solutions for different business domains and a number of client testimonials. A company with decades of experience in the international IT market can build flexible and scalable custom solutions that will meet and exceed customer expectations.

An experienced company will be able to help you in identification of your goals, advice you introduction of valuable adjustments and enhancements of the project, and contribute to the successful project realization. Together with seasoned experts in the latest tech trends, you can achieve the best results within the wished time period.

Effective Communication

Continuous communication is vital for building efficient custom software as it helps define the customers’ wishes and their vision of the end product. Regular meetings or video calls with customers are required to create a custom solution that complies with all the requirements of the interested parties and business partners involved in the project.

Ongoing communication helps ensure close collaboration and trust at all stages of custom development. Currently, you can find plenty of modern instruments available that make the remote communication possible regardless of the physical location and time zone that you are located in at the given moment of time.

Companies schedule appointments regularly so that their clients could keep up with all the updates. Regular reports on the work done are sent to them to inform them about the performed adjustments and enhancements. With such an approach, it is almost effortless for the clients to control the work on their solution and discuss any possible questions that may arise.

Transparent Costing

Transparent costing for IT business guarantees the accurate tracking of the expenditures required to provide delivery, support, and maintenance of IT solutions to the clients. Prior to signing a contract for custom software development, business owners should make sure the company provides them with clarity on the development cost of all stages of the process.

Without transparency, it is impossible to evaluate the needed investments and make precise calculations of the allocated resources. To manage your budget properly, make sure you have studied the document with the prices carefully.

How Can SaM Solutions Help You with Custom Software Development?

Experienced Team

With almost three decades of successful experience in custom software development business, SaM Solutions has delivered over 1,000 software solutions for customers from different scales and domains. More than 20 of our customers have over 15 years of successful partnership with us.

Based on our deep expertise, we build secure scalable solutions that are unique and tailor-made to your specific needs. Every developer in our company has years of experience in the relevant technologies and continues to hone the expertness in the field.

Thanks to the pursuit of excellence and constant thirst for modernization, our specialists have proved to be able to solve the most complex problems that require deep knowledge and tech skills.

Top-Notch Technologies

Our seasoned engineers have profound expertise in the latest tech trends and can address any challenge the customers encounter. Engineers at our company are eager to learn new technologies and approaches to the work in various industrial domains.

We take part in international conferences, hackathons and seminars to acquire new skills and deepen our knowledge. Therefore, we are ready to help you with your solution in the specific field. We have successfully delivered projects in a multitude of sectors, including logistics, retail, telecom, healthcare and insurance.

With our deep knowledge and excellent tech skills, we can create modern customized solutions for large, mid, and small businesses of any domain across the EU and US.

Structured Processes

We follow custom software development best practices in order to optimize our collaborative efforts and achieve the best business results possible. First of all, we define your main goals and desires, identify the most suitable technologies, tools and methodologies, complete project documentation, and build software in strict accordance with the customer’s requirements.

We provide thorough quality assurance and code review to create one-of-a-kind robust custom software with rich technical features. Thanks to high standardization and comprehensive structuralization, our workflows are smooth and coherent.

With established, time-tested procedures, we can guarantee the ultimate quality of our solutions. We maintain close communication with the clients at all stages of collaboration, increasing productivity and efficiency of all the processes.

Transparency of Collaboration

Essential part of all projects is maintaining ongoing open communication with customers via communication channels that are convenient for them. From the very start, our customers are actively engaged in the process of creating custom-made software.

We schedule regular meetings with the team, respond to any questions customers may have, and provide them with frequent updates during all stages of the custom development process. As a result, you will get a high-performant, scalable, and reliable custom software solution that will help take your business to the next level. This being said, trustful communication is the stepping stone to a success.

Conclusions

After reading this article, hopefully you have a better view of custom software development. Customized solutions are chosen over ready-made standard ones because they are more flexible, secure, and unique.

With a customized solution, it is easier to build your brand and stand out among your industry competitors. Ready-made solutions are known for good basic characteristics, but if you want to offer exclusive software to users, then a custom solution is the best choice.

For top-notch custom software development services, don’t hesitate to contact SaM Solutions. We would be glad to offer cutting-edge custom development services to upgrade your business.