Harnessing the power of business-improving software is at the forefront of every business owner’s mind, and every corporation reaches a point in which they must examine the benefits of custom software development and off-the-shelf solutions. If you’re attempting to decide between the two, examine their pros and cons carefully and determine which best suits your business needs.

Off-the-Shelf Software

Canned solutions have proven to be the better choice for numerous companies, and the benefits of using an off-the-shelf software solution are many. However, purchasing software can mean sacrificing specificity and other features that you may find integral to business success.

The Pros

Low Upfront Costs

It’s much cheaper to pursue a pre-existing software solution than to pay for the costs of developing one. If you’re a smaller company working with a tight budget, off-the-shelf solutions are going to be the wiser move.

Expedites Production Processes

You may find it quicker to get your product to market, as you’ll save the time that would be spent developing software to help you pursue your business aims. Buying off-the-shelf solutions means getting to work right away, and this immediacy can be very attractive to companies attempting to meet a rigid timeline. If you do decide to custom build software, you’ll need to source out developers and wait for the software to be completed before you can begin to attempt your other processes.

Customer Support

Pre-existing software solutions come with customer support, meaning when and if a problem comes up, you’ll have a team of knowledgeable advisors that can help you solve the issue in a timely manner, rather than wasting precious time attempting to determine the problem on your own as you would with a custom build.

The Cons

Rigid

When you purchase off-the-shelf software, understand that it likely won’t meet every need. You’ll find software solutions that handle a host of your problems, but definitely not all. If your business has specialized needs, off-the-shelf software may be too basic to be helpful. Its rigidity means you won’t be able to modify functionality or features in any significant way.

Compatibility Concerns

Off-the-shelf software does not always get along well with other programs that your company may already be reliant upon. If your programs are not compatible, your efficiency will suffer, especially if you don’t have the technological proficiency to alleviate such a situation.

Building Custom Software

For other companies, custom-built software can mean the difference between success and failure, as it can immediately provide a competitive edge.

The Pros

Specification and Adaptation

When you elect to build custom software, you’ll have control over every facet and feature. You can tailor the software to your specific business needs and follow in-business practices. With this ease of specification, you can quickly make changes, starting with the minimum requirements you need to get the project off the ground and then adding on alterations and additions later.

Quality Assurance

Using something like Inflectra’s software testing tools, you can immediately pinpoint problems and fix them in a timely manner, as well as respond to consumer complaints. As you create, you can continuously test, modify, and refine, resulting in a better product and a more successful launch. This modification tends to be the tipping point for software companies looking to innovate.

Innovation

Speaking of innovation, custom-built software will allow you to better outperform your direct competitors, as software and technology can give you a marked advantage. By creating software that’s suited for your individual business needs, you’ll instantly gain a competitive edge that can only be improved upon with time.

Outsourcing

Putting together a talented team of developers is easier than ever with the vast amount of outsourcing sites and opportunities companies have at the click of a button. Don’t let a lack of technical proficiency stand in your way of custom software; use an outsourcing software development company like Kanda.

The Cons

Higher Cost

Creating custom software doesn’t come cheap, and the upfront costs will be much more expensive. If you don’t have the budget, and can’t find loans from private investors for your business pursuits, custom software is out of the question.

An Extended Timeline

Choosing to build custom software is a time-intensive endeavor. The software development process may take your business weeks, months, and in the case of large projects, years. If you’re working on a tight timeline, off-the-shelf solutions are often the better idea, at least at the onset.

Choosing between custom and off-the-shelf software means taking a look at your business needs and practices. There’s no right answer, as each option comes with its share of benefits and disadvantages. Consider the above when making your decision and choose the option that best benefits your business processes.