Many entrepreneurs try to save their SMB and Enterprise time and money by purchasing prepackaged software. And, honestly, with so many different types of off-the-shelf software available it’s easy to see why. Prepackaged software covers so many general features and options, and custom software development seems like it could be more expensive – and takes more time. All that being said, a smart entrepreneur realizes a business necessity when she sees one. As with so many other cheap and easy options, prepackaged software is extremely limited. This type of software is very generalized and can be quite buggy. Custom software is designed to meet your specific SMB needs, not the needs of all SMBs. It’s Built for You Many times, a business owner will pay costly fees for a software license to discover that it doesn’t meet their needs. Then they have to go back out and do it all over again, hoping for more success the second time around…or the third…or the fourth. Why not skip this process altogether? A rock star software development company (such as SDI) can build the perfect software for your needs, the first time around. Packaged software tends to be full of extra stuff that you don’t need, and missing stuff that you do. Custom software has no superfluous junk and has everything you need, all in one package. Custom software packages like a SaaS program can be designed down to the finest point. Through iterative testing cycles, it is easy to determine what works best for your company, and what does not. SaaS and PaaS ventures can increase your business’ productivity streamlining efficiency and reducing human error. What’s more is that custom software has been proven to increase the problem-solving capabilities of employees by offering easily accessed enterprise tools It’s More Secure By its very nature, prepackaged software is universal. That means the features you get, the coding used, and the security protocols are identical, across the board. Anyone with access to the software can figure out how to hack it. No matter how secure the software is, all it takes is one person, and everyone with that license is in danger. Custom software is much more secure than any prepackaged equivalent. The security protocols set in place by a dedicated software developer is used by you and only you. The code used is unique, and has a single owner – you. With off-the-shelf software, a hacker really only needs to crack it once and every business using that software is at risk. Is it worth it? It’s Cheaper. Yep. Believe it or not, custom software is generally cheaper than pre packaged alternatives. The more complex a software needs to be, the more expensive it will be. Worse, complex off-the-shelf software is chalked full of stuff you don’t need – stuff that you’re paying for. I’m not even including how much it costs when you need to keep buying licenses for software that doesn’t meet your needs! Custom Software is lean and mean – you’re paying for what you want and only what you want. There are even industry tools that software developers use to lower the costs of development, far below the price of competing prepackaged options. Additionally, software support can really add up, especially with large pre package software companies like Microsoft. For small questions, you receive no support, or direction to vague or inadequate FAQs. Support for big problems usually costs some outrageous amount for unhelpful and anonymous “experts.” Custom software is designed to anticipate issues and to provide unique tools to help with resolution. This isn’t a weirdly ambiguous database of FAQs; it’s a fully designed feature that actively helps users solve problems. And if the tools don’t solve the problem – well you have a direct line to the guy who made the software. Try getting that access with Microsoft! It’s Maintained on Your Schedule. When you buy off-the-shelf software, you are entirely reliant upon the software company for maintenance and updates. Think about it – how often is Microsoft Office Suite updated or repaired? If you’re lucky, every few months. And that’s one of the most successful software programs in existence. Custom software, on the other hand, is updated and maintained on your schedule. A good development partner offers dedicated programmers who work with you to fix any bugs, maintain the software, and even install new updates as your business scales up. This even allows you to start with more limited and cheaper custom software that scales up in complexity as your business grows. Yes, We Can Start Today. Software Developers India – it’s in the name. It’s what we do, and it’s what we’ve been doing for more than 15 years (check out our portfolio!). We regularly design complicated and detailed software for multinational clients in dozens of industries. We are committed to making the best product possible, and we don’t quit until you are satisfied. If you would like to learn more, email or call us at 408.621.8481 today for a free business consultation!