Design & UX • Development • Front-end • Project management • Scriptcase • Security 6 Advantages of Developing Custom Software

At some point in your life, you may have faced the following question: which is more advantageous for me, purchasing a ready-made system or developing my own? This question will depend on many factors, such as company needs, the market where it operates, development team, etc. It is necessary to evaluate some factors before making the best decision for you. Below, we will present some tips on how to make the right choice. However, the purpose of this article is to do much more than bring this initial reflection, and it’s to show all the advantages that developing the system itself brings.

A pre-ready system, yes or no?

Before getting into our main subject properly, we must understand the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a ready-made system. Of course, like everything else in life without its pros and cons, it would be foolish of me not to recognize that, depending on the situation, buying off-the-shelf software can be interesting. Firstly, the advantage that we can point out right away is the cost and time of implementation. More and more customers are looking for immediate solutions that generate value in the shortest time possible. This search for quick results has become a fundamental criterion for the final decision.

Besides this point, another issue is the final cost of this purchase, which depending on the context, can be very low.

Now, as it’s not all flowers, let’s go to the cons. One of the disadvantages regarding the purchase of ready-made software is the adaptability to its operation. When I say this, I am referring to the fact that the company must adapt to the rules of the business selling the system. In 99% of these cases, the product as it comes does not entirely fit the processes involved because it is a generic tool. Of course, some objects arguing that the system can be customized to the company’s needs, but this need directly affects deadlines and efficiency. Another point is that if there is a need to customize the solution for certain company needs, something that is very common to happen, the user will be attended by a team that probably has other demands to other users, which in some cases, might be more urgent than yours. And if you think about the logic of buying a custom system, what is expected is a better dedication by the development team. Another point is that it ends up being very common for pre-ready software to have many or few functions for your company, in the sense of resources it has and resources necessary for its demands, which in the end leads the company to adopt software A to complete certain tasks and software B to complete other related tasks.

So again, if your business has specialized needs, custom software may substantially be their best option.

Why develop your own system?

While developing customizable software for business needs may seem costly at first, the return on investment can be very worthwhile in the end. Of course, we must not forget that energy, time, and resources directed towards this process are vital and need to be considered.

The system’s development process, associated with an efficient tool (Scriptcase, for example, as a RAD and low-code tool), can make the final idea more intelligent, efficient, and ideal for the company’s actual needs. I say this because we know that your business presents a dynamic and constantly evolving organization, so the software ends up needing to grow and develop along with the company, not remaining static. Below, we’ll list a series of reasons for understanding how custom software can end up helping to transform your company into a more scalable organization:

1 – Productivity gain

Systems developed based on your needs tend to allow faster, more competent, and efficient teamwork. You can create several applications and integrate them in the same environment, facilitating the entire process of use, considering that there will no longer be the need to open different applications to complete a task.

2 – Maintenance cost

Assuming that the team developed the systems personalized to the company’s needs, the system maintenance process becomes significantly faster and cheaper. Given that, developers have full knowledge of the processes involved and emerging markets, whether in terms of adjustments or evolution of systems.

3 – Competitive advantage

When a trusting relationship has been developed with a specific pre-made solution that probably your competitor also uses, it ends up being much more challenging to overcome in several ways. When there is the development of custom systems, which is even the most ideal for commercial operations in general, the possibility of you obtaining competitive advantages is very high, and it will develop and grow much more proportionally as you invest in your proprietary systems.

4 – Data privacy

Assuming that you develop your systems and coordinate the entire connection, input, and output of data, the gain in information privacy is very high, considering that it is not necessary to send this information to third parties. This context becomes much more secure for your operations and your users.

5 – Compatibility between systems

The compatibility between software and operating systems is an essential factor that must be considered in the acquisition process of any solution. When a solution is fully compatible with the user’s system, people can make much more intelligent use of available resources.

6 – Greater control

When you choose to create your own systems, you have complete control over each structure that composes it. Elements such as security protocols, essential functions, and advanced features are defined and built according to the system’s needs. In this sense, the application is significantly more likely to meet all planned objectives and all control regulations defined internally by the company.

Therefore, investing in technology is always essential to stand out in the market and increase your productivity. However, it is always important to consider your demands and possibilities to make the best choice for your current needs.

All the points discussed only generate positive results when an intelligent choice of tool and a team are prepared to deliver the results—having full awareness and planning in the maintenance and development process to reach the final expectations. Therefore, always count on the ideal tool to achieve your goals in the most efficient way and at the fairest costs.