One thing every company has in common these days is they all depend on software to help them succeed in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible.
And while some software choices are mostly irrelevant like what browser or email app your employees use, other choices regarding your e-commerce store, CRM, or inventory control software just for example can have a dramatic impact on the long-term trajectory of even large, established companies.
Making sure all your disparate departments, apps, and cloud-based data can communicate with one another seamlessly and efficiently means it's crucial to look closely at the software that runs any business, large or small.
Custom Enterprise Software vs Generic Software
When deciding how to best position an already successful, larger company to continue growing into the future, it's essential to take a step back from generic, off-the-shelf software options and consider bespoke applications.
Especially for an established company that wants to continue its ascendancy, once you understand the advantages of custom enterprise software, it's easy to see why it just makes sense.
What Is Custom Enterprise Software?
Custom enterprise software is also known as tailored or bespoke software. It merely refers to a business software package created from scratch for a particular company and designed to work with their existing systems to their specifications. These kinds of apps are crafted by professional teams of experienced developers who study and research the company's operations and take the time to build out a suite of software solutions from the ground up.
The alternative is software that's usually referred to as either commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS), out-of-the-box software, or generic software. These kinds of applications are the ones that smaller, less financially stable businesses usually choose, due to the lower cost and ease of implementation.
But for a successful, larger company, the decision to commit to a custom software solution and leave the generic software behind – along with the competition – is almost a no-brainer. Here's why.
Why Should Large Businesses Choose Custom Enterprise Software?
Security – Hackers tend to target software that's widely used and distributed for several reasons.
One, software that's everywhere is software everybody knows. Big programs are studied and picked apart with a fine-tooth comb to find a crack in the armour. Why?
That's reason Number Two why generic is at higher risk: if you crack a program with millions of users, you can get access to a whole lot of personal data. On the other hand, with a custom program, it would require a targeted attack to breach your security, and a single company's data usually isn't worth the pay-off for hackers.
Third, custom enterprise software developers are creative in terms of security as well as function. Each bespoke application comes with its own in-built, unique security set-up, a sufficiently formidable challenge that most hackers won't bother with it.
Control over data – With a bespoke software solution, you own the program. This means you also own all the data that streams through it, which vastly streamlines reporting. For instance, rather than struggling to decipher reams of spreadsheets and figure out correlations, you can get instant customised reports cross-referencing virtually any data points you can think of: client details, purchase reports, bestselling products, invoices, inventory – you name it.
Keep it all in-house – Everything remains in-house with custom enterprise software, which is especially desirable for larger companies. That's because they can use the same software solution for a myriad of functions: inventory management, customer management, HR, content management, CRM, ERP and more. The integration of all these functionalities across one master software solution streamlines work and elevates efficiencies to new levels.
Custom-made for purpose – Because every functionality running on a custom enterprise software solution has been designed and calibrated for your company, there's no waste. Furthermore, bespoke software is purpose-built to work with your existing systems to “fill in the gaps” if you will, connecting them where they had trouble working together before. Even a minuscule increase in efficiency can result in huge savings at the scale of a large company.
Integration – With bespoke software, the integration of existing systems is seamless and efficient. For example, integrating the functions of two departments like HR and accounting ensures seamless automated payments of variable compensations and salaries.
Branding reinforcement – Ordering up custom enterprise software means you literally own the program, so you can brand it any way you like. The prestige and competitive advantages are invaluable for larger companies when they roll out their own unique, branded e-commerce store or other customer-facing UI over companies that all use the same generic, off-the-shelf software.
Long-term savings – Another advantage with tailored software solutions is they instantly eliminate numerous ongoing costs associated with generic software. For example, as you continue to grow, buying additional licences for off-the-rack software becomes a thing of the past when you go bespoke.
Secondly, evolving your business into new areas of focus in the future won't require hefty pay-outs to buy entirely new generic software. Bespoke software is infinitely modular, and your original custom enterprise software team can easily add functions to their handiwork at a fraction of what it would cost for an entirely new app.
Reduced training time – With a large company running a bespoke software solution, your team's training gets streamlined dramatically. Rather than teaching newcomers how to use half a dozen completely separate applications that each reside in their own silo, new hires often need to learn just one common bespoke tool to get started working across a variety of programs and departments.
Bespoke: The Right Choice for Large Companies
It's clear that for larger businesses, bespoke software is simply the sensible choice in order to streamline efficiencies, cut costs, up their branding game, and outperform the competition.
At Laracle, we've got a developer team with a proven track record creating custom enterprise software for large companies of every stripe. Reach out today with a few details about your business, and we can start designing a blueprint for your unique software package that will take your large company to new heights. Get in touch! Call 02080 165 891 or email today.