It is difficult for companies to survive in a competitive market without the right technology. Nevertheless, the kind of technology that one company needs varies from another. Still, companies can go for off-the-shelf or customised software marketing. If the company’s software development services consist of custom software development, there are distinct services that it requires which off-the-shelf software will not serve.
Tailored Software Development Services
The first difficult task when a company wants custom software is to select a firm that is up to the task. There is the bidding process, agreeing on the price and support, which have to be handled. The firm also needs to evaluate the business needs and the scope of work required.
The firm should be flexible and able to work with the business to meet its needs. The firm should further be able to offer the following services depending on the needs of the organisation:
- Software development from scratch
- Amend existing software
- Incorporate other software and hardware
- Add required functionality to the software
- Handle upgrades
- Migrate databases
- Include Voice over Internet Protocol technologies
- Connect enterprise business applications
Positives of Custom Software
Custom software exactly fits the need of your company and increases the level of productivity. It addresses the internal needs specific to the company and therefore improves efficiency. It is a smart option when the needs of your organisation are inimitable.
Negatives of Custom Software
Custom software requires a significant capital injection to design, implement and support. The cost of development of custom software is huge. In contrast, off-the-shelf software is significantly inexpensive since the cost of development is spread across several companies.
There are also risks with custom software where the end product may fail to be exactly what the business wanted. Furthermore, changing the requirements during development is disadvantageous and can exponential increase the cost of development.
Managing Customer Software Development
Custom software development involves creating software for specific users, and it address particular needs. The software is therefore unique to and only useful to the specific company. For such projects, it is important to track the activities starting from planning, development, and implementation, all the way to support.
You can get firms that can help you control this process for efficiency and optimal business value. You benefit from project management services that help the project run smoothly from beginning to end. You are further able to manage all your relationships with all stakeholders. In addition, they keep track of expiration times, support contracts and licenses.
They help you get the best software for your organisation and one that meets the user’s requirements. This is important because the custom software needs to fit all your needs.
During the project management, they provide direction and help coordinate the efforts of the developers, graphic designers, testers, analysts and technical writers. They manage all resources so that work is done in proper sequence with minimal time and money.
They help you manage the project scope which is critical. They control the changes relative to the whole project. Furthermore, they are key in resolving issues that arise during the software development. You can encounter challenges from staffing changes, external vendor delays, business process changes, which all affect the budget and software. They ensure the project runs smoothly to completion. Similarly, they form the single point of contact and oversee all aspects of the project.
