Growing businesses often face the decision of sticking with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software solutions or developing customized software that satisfies their specific needs better. To embark on the journey of decision making let’s know what each software development means.
Custom software development is the process of designing, creating, deploying, and maintaining software for a specific set of users, functions, or organizations. It allows building applications that are tailored to the business needs of a certain company. It means that software developers can include in your application the functionality that can help your company to improve its business processes, enhance customer experience, and increase brand recognition.
On the other hand, commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS),targets a broad set of requirements, allowing it to be packaged and commercially marketed and distributed. Example, Microsoft Office and Sitebuilder.com are commercial software products and services. They meet the generalized needs of office productivity and website creation.
Here is a quick comparison of both the software developments for better understanding:
| Properties | commercial software | custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Features | often has unnecessary features as it is a typical solution for most business in one niche | developed specially to meet the business needs and requirements |
| Longevity | A good short-term solution for business. | a long-term solution that can adapt to the business demand and enhance with time. |
| Development | Ready-Made solution. Easy availability. | require development therefore time and money needed. |
| Adaptiveness | Hard to customize. Rigid solution. | easy to customize according to business flow. |
| Brand distinctiveness | can influence company’s brand neglective due to standard look and functionality. | can significantly enhance customer experience and adjust to company’s demand. |
| Cost | often available with pay-per user monthly and yearly basis. Adding more features and scalability. | one-time payment for the development however cost needed for upgradation time to time. |
Why custom software development is important?
Custom software development is important as it meet the unique requirements of reducing the cost of purchasing, maintaining, and modifying the software as compared to commercial software.
Some of the benefits include:
1) Efficient: Custom software is purpose-built software that support the process of the business swiftly, increasing the productivity and efficiency of the business.
2) Scalability: Custom software can be adopted according to the organizational changes as business grows. Designers and developers can assess future needs as part of their requirements gathering. These factors can then be incorporated into the application, rather than incurring costs by purchasing additional licenses or subscriptions of packaged applications.
3) Low-cost integration: One of the chief considerations of commercial software is: will it work with existing and legacy applications? If the answer is no, organizations face a further investment in getting commercial software to communicate and operate with their existing infrastructure. Custom software can be built to integrate with its intended environment.
4) Profitability: Businesses that develop their own software may own the software and therefore be able to license or sell it to other organizations making it a profitable product.
5) Independence: The benefits of being free of a commercial software vendor cut both ways. On the plus side, organizations can avoid price hikes for licensing and support — and getting stuck maintaining packaged software should the vendor go out of business or terminate a product. On the negative side, the cost of supporting and maintaining custom software falls to the organization that created it or had it developed. How the equation works out requires each organization to look carefully at whether it’s better to build or buy.
How the Custom Software Development service is delivered
Custom software development company that builds customized software solutions for web and mobile requires strong strategic direction and the deep understanding of the Industry verticals. Custom software development services encompass the full cycle of software development, from ideation to delivery and maintenance. Software developers representing the custom software development company build custom software solutions and meticulously follow business processes to deliver a product that adds tangible value to your business.
Custom Software Development Consulting Services include the following tasks:
- Identify and prioritize business goals, analyze existing investments, and create a roadmap for software delivery and monitoring services
- Work with tech experts to create a timeline for building a software solution that is optimized for your specific business needs
- Building the software solution with proper product knowledge in conjunction with roadmap set by the Product managers.
- Deliver the solutions with proper testing and efficient shipping of the end product.