How to Find the Right Custom Software Development Services for Your Business

When it comes to custom software development services there’s a lot to choose from. 

However, knowing which are the best services for your business and your goals is essential to moving in the right direction.

If your business hasn’t designed or built an app before, you should know how to do it right, and more importantly what to look for.

Here’s a quick dive in.

But first…

Why Do You Need Your Own Custom Software?

Even in 2020, this is a pretty common question. And hungry entrepreneurs aside, when it comes to SMBs, the decision to develop custom software can be a heavy one. A few common questions that come to mind most often are…

• Does my business really need custom software?
• Is there any other platform or tech that fits my needs?
• How will this endeavor cost me?
• Is it worth it?

And to be frank, these are all fair questions.

We get it. Developing your own in-house software, tailor-made for your business can be a serious undertaking.

However, the first question you should ask yourself is…

Is my business problem affecting my growth?

“Growth” in this sense can be anything from revenue generation, boosted internal efficiencies, or broader awareness of your products and services.

The point of this exercise is to remind you of your source motivation. Because if you’re thinking about custom software development services, you likely have a problem that commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS; think Microsoft Access) software can’t handle.

In those instances, the only growth-focused solution is custom software development applications designed to scale with your business.

Understanding Custom Software Development Services

There’s a common thread that ties businesses and individuals that have left SaaS platforms and COTS software behind…

They outgrew it.

Similar to a suit that you buy off the rack, most over-the-counter software is made broadly—ideally appealing to the widest range of users. Although this universality can be great at first, with a relatively low barrier to entry, with time it can just as easily become constricting.

Here’s a quick example of what we mean…

The popular project management platform, Trello, was at one time a top dog in the space with many small to enterprise businesses adopting it quickly. It was cutely designed, simple to use, and functioned as a digital tack board.

However, within a couple of years, what was once a quirky and bare-bones platform became an unsightly, bloated, and inefficient project management tool once users began to grow.

It’s data speeds were slow, it’s bandwidth was razor-thin, and with time larger-scale businesses began to flee the sinking ship in droves.

Sensing demand in the market, project management tools like Monday and Asana became the premier forces in the market.

So, what happened to Trello?

Simple, users outgrew it.

So, Where Do Custom Software Development Services Come In?

They cut out the middleman.

To recall our earlier metaphor, instead of switching from suit to suit as you grow, why not buy one suit that’s made to be tailored over time.

With custom software development services, you can decide exactly what your business or organization needs and build up from there.

And the best part?

You control it.

It’s your tech; proprietary to you and your business, which means you can use it as long as you want—or even sell it. Rather than paying a monthly fee to some big market platform—where prices can go up and down at their discretion—custom software gives you everything you need to grow without influence.

Ownership and independence aside, the most important benefit of custom software development is that its custom. That means that from start to finish, your software is form-fitted to not only address your business problems but to do some with an intimacy of your staff and workflow. 

That’s simply impossible with common SaaS systems.

And lastly, with custom software development services, you get built-in scalability. 

Need to add new users to the system as your business expands? 

No problem and no charge.

With customized software designed to grow with your business, you alone control your business’ destiny and potential for growth.

Okay, So How Do I Find the Right Custom Software Services?

Vet your prospects (yes, even us).

In truth, you want to find a custom software development company that’s not only experienced—technically and professionally—but also specialized. We’ve talked about this before in previous posts but ideally, you want to want to work with an agency that’s worked in your industry before.

With dedicated experience in your field, the shorthand, communication, and shared vision will be much clearer—the work, likely much better.

Another consideration is one of rapport.

It’s important to note that many custom software projects require months of time—sometimes even a year or more. This means that you’ll want to have a good working relationship with your would-be agency and collaborator.

So, when you’re speaking to your prospective agency on the phone (us, for example) really try to feel them out. If you’re not enjoying the conversation or you’re sensing some red flags, it’s okay to take a step back and reassess.

However, if all systems go, then pull the trigger. We’re happy to get started as soon as you’re ready!

Final Thoughts on Custom Software Development Services

Yeah, yeah, we know it’s a mouthful. However, building custom software at the heart of your business is one of the most growth-focused things you can do.

In truth, it’s the essence of planning ahead.

Although COTS systems and SaaS platforms can be convenient, if you know you plan to grow your business or organization in the future, it’s best to start laying the infrastructure of custom software now rather than later.

And when you’re ready, we’re happy to chat.

Want to chat about building your own custom software?
Click here to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.