Over the last 20 years, the technology used to create software has improved so dramatically that many of the standard features – e.g., user management or sharing data – are no longer the major focus when creating custom software. Instead, the focus is all on the custom part: improving a specific business process; displaying the data in a way that works just for your business; providing unique customer experiences.
Since you are reading this blog post, you are probably wondering how to decide if you need custom software or off-the-shelf software. To add to your decision-making process, there’s also a third option: maybe your particular situation needs a mix of both.
Let’s use bookkeeping as an example.
Historians have found that bookkeeping has probably been around for thousands of years. So, it’s safe to say that the off-the-shelf software is going to get the job done for nearly all of your business.
Nearly all is the key part of that sentence. Even the leading providers of bookkeeping software recognize that they can’t do it all, so they provide an API (application programming interface), which is basically a way for two pieces of software to work together. In other words, they know there is a gap between what they provide and what you need. Whatever is built with the API is custom software that someone has decided they need for their business and no one is providing it off-the-shelf.
Does my existing software only provide some of what I need? is the first question to help you decide if you need custom software. Here are a few others.
- Am I implementing workarounds with my current software?
- Are the workarounds still lacking what I need?
- Can I see the gains that my company can make with software that operates exactly the way I need it to?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, we’d be happy to provide a review of your unique situation. With our extensive software expertise, we can help you find the off-the-shelf software that fits your needs or develop the tailored solution that does exactly what you want.
Make the smart choice for your small business and partner with Cypress Mill Co. Speak with us today. There’s no obligation! Get in touch!
