7 Reasons Why Your Company Needs a Custom Application

Every company and business has different needs and workflows — so why use the same software that everyone else does? Custom business applications are an excellent way to create software that is specific to your business, your data, your workflows, your employees, and even the way your customers interact with you. There are seven specific reasons why so many companies, both large and small, are opting for custom applications as opposed to more traditional, one-size-fits-all solutions.

Tailored for Your Company

business applications It can be challenging to find an off-the-shelf software solution with the features you need — and without the features you do not. Or, even worse, you have to purchase multiple applications and get them to work together. With a custom business application, you get software tailored and streamlined to what your employees need to do and how they best accomplish it. Permissions can also be set up to reflect the levels of access to information that your business has chosen to implement. In short, having a custom application makes the software more efficient and the learning curve for your employees much more manageable.

Scaling

Another great benefit of choosing a customized application for your business is scalability. Not all software packages scale equally. When it comes to commonly used packages such as spreadsheets or databases, you cannot easily add features at a later time or make changes to the code to better serve more users. With a customized app, however, you can do this. If your business begins to grow and you need more features, it is easy for the application to scale up to meet your needs. Scalability can be especially important for startups or businesses whose demand is rapidly growing.

Better Security

cyber security When you are using the same software that thousands of other companies are using, the security of your data is more at risk. However, a customized business solution is far more secure. It is less likely to become the victim of a hacker than a well-known business app that, once hacked, provides access to far more records and sensitive personal information. Custom business applications enhance the security of both your data and that of your customers.

More Efficient Integration with Other Platforms

Custom-built applications integrate better with third-party platforms. Such integrations are not added as an afterthought to try to increase the marketability of a product but rather included with better productivity in mind. Customized integration saves you and your staff from a multitude of headaches and helps them to better focus on the task at hand. In addition, you do not have to add any integration packages that you do not need. And if there are any potential issues with the data your business has or plans to use, those can be addressed within the application itself.

Financially Smart

When you buy a one-size-fits-all application, you have to pay for all of the app’s features — even if your employees are never going to use them. With a customized business application, however, you only pay for what your software includes, and many development companies charge based on the features and the number of users. In general, especially for startups, this is a smart financial move. In addition, using a custom built application makes it easier for your employees to get the job done, increasing their productivity.

Increased Productivity

Another key benefit of having a custom built application developed for your business lies in the productivity of your employees. As mentioned earlier, a custom application is tailored to the needs of your company and employees, which means it can be built to reflect the workflows they engage in on a daily basis. When the software reflects that workflow, their job becomes easier and more intuitive. User interfaces are also customized. When the tasks your staff needs to perform are easy to access, they can get those tasks done far more quickly than when they are forced to hunt through multiple menus to find just the right command.

Data and Information

business information When you invest in a custom application, you can focus on the data visualizations and reports that your staff actually needs instead of what a software company thinks you need. Charts, plots, maps, summaries, and similar types of critical information that your business uses on a regular basis can be built in through dashboards and reporting functions, making it easier for your employees to access the information they need as quickly as possible. And having quick access to accurate information can make or break a company, especially when decisions must be made quickly.

Conclusion

Custom built business application development comes with a host of benefits. You get software that is tailored to your company’s data needs and workflows, which supports rather than hinders the productivity of your staff. Such software is easier to scale and integrates better with other packages. In addition, custom-built applications offer better security and tend to be a better financial investment. Finally, these applications can be set up to provide your staff with critical information in an easy to find manner, supporting quick decision making.

Let ITSG Develop Your Business App

At ITSG, one of the many services we provide is application development. Not only can we build applications from scratch, but we can develop Visual Basic for Applications code to run on top of existing Office packages. Whether it’s just a simple feature you would like to add to Excel or an end-to-end, custom-built package tailored for the needs of your team, contact us today!