10 Advantages of Bespoke Software vs Off The Shelf
(Some may apply to our service only)
Below are just some of the advantages that we often tell our customers.
1. No per user license restrictions (not with us anyhow)
Once the software is developed you can install it as many times on as many computers as you want. This can often make it less expensive than off the shelf products.
2. Precise and tailor made to fit your business exactly
Since the product is well-tuned to your process and way of working, it usually means there are increased time savings over a one size fits all off-the-shelf product. Only the relevant functionality you need is in the application with no unrequired functionality present, so it's easier to learn and navigate. Wording can fit what you are accustomed with too.
One-click reports for exact output that fits the business, with workflow that aligns one-on-one to staff operations, helps ensure a system that works well and one that staff can instantly connect with.
3. Process improvement
In order to deliver good systems, we get stuck into finding out how businesses work, it's essential. We can put you on the right track with process improvement first (reducing unnecessary staff steps) before implementing a system that aligns to those processes, ensuring great efficiency and well-utilised staff. Business analysis is usually a significant part of the software development process.
4. Simplifying the complex and long-winded
Since systems generally do much of the hard work, less thought needs to go into what's being input by staff. After gaining initial confidence staff can rely and trust what the system does, so they don't need to think about end outcomes or cross check like before. Our systems are designed to minimise & simplify data entry so you can work smarter not harder. Complex processes often get broken down and can be dealt with by staff without necessarily requiring as much subject knowledge as before, so performing tasks can become more accessible to wider staff such as office juniors.
Another difficultly can be getting staff to conform with company processes and on-board with systems, especially if they are busy focusing on core work (no one likes paperwork). By making things as easy as possible and fine-tuning areas for different job roles, it helps ensure everyone contributes to the system, which can minimise staff chasing.
Wider contribution by employees also means less paperwork and so can reduce steps. For example there's no reason to hand write a form that later needs to be entered into the system by admin staff when it can be just as easily (and usually more quickly) be put straight into the system at source, with that information later utilised by admin staff (e.g. timesheets, using stock items on a job etc.).
Bespoke essentially allows the system to bend to staff needs, not the other way around, which is common with off-the-shelf.
5. New features at any time
If your business changes or you come up with a good idea, it can be easily added into your system. This is something you rarely get from off-the-shelf products because they have to align to a road map dictated by the masses.
New features also means software can evolve with you rather than you have to keep moving and repurchasing products to fit. This can cut cost, training, data entry and disruption in the long run. It could be the last software product you ever need.
6. Self-updating software delivered via the internet (with our products)
After initial installation, there’s no more installing. Great in multi-user environments and for delivering new features on demand or bug fixes. Mass software roll-outs and distruption are a thing of the past. An hour later after asking us, you could quite easily have those new entry fields you wanted!
7. We don’t charge customers twice for same functionality across projects
We can reuse a lot of prior work in other scenarios, thus offering savings to repeat customers. All our products can also integrate with each other, so if a data list is held in one product, it can be brought straight into another without replicating elsewhere, for example a staff or customer list.
8. Individual attention
Since we're customising to suit your business requirements, we can do additional things like import bulk data from an old system to prevent manual re-population. This is something off-the-shelf can rarely offer. We can also match functionality and outcomes from previous systems exactly, ensuring nothing is lost.
9. Better customer support
For all our developments, we offer support to customers including installation, training, and help-desk style email/phone/remote desktop sharing. The person who develops your software is the one that helps, so there's no confused middleman. Since we usually gain knowledge of the business whilst developing the product, we can offer a more personal service and contribute ideas from similar projects.
10. Modern features
We build solutions with a modern look and feel on Windows, Web, Mobile, to touch screen platforms that are robust and fast. We purchase the best tools and follow sensible trends then apply them to everyday scenarios.
The range of bespoke products we develop for clients, which range from small businesses to international and high profile, means we constantly get exposed to new technology and evolve in new directions, moreso than a provider who only concentrates on a few niche products.
Some more extreme feature examples include systems that bulk SMS text (good for informing the workforce or customers), large screen dashboard displays in hostile environments, to integrating with hardware such as barcode equipment, data collection devices and specialist engineering hardware. We constantly try to push boundaries whilst keeping things simple for users.
MH Apps provide a premium bespoke software development service for any type of business. To find out more about our services, or for a project quote, call us on 01595 70 80 90 or info@mhapps.com