A Bespoke Software Solution for your Business

Finally, a bespoke Software Solution for your BusinessImage by PremiumSoftwaress via Flickr

The systems and processes that a company uses every day can be very limiting at times, especially when you are using an off-the-shelf variety of software. At the end of the day, no two companies are the same, even if they are in the same industry. So when it comes to streamlining your processes and systems, you may wish to consider a bespoke software package that is built specifically for your business needs. If you are not sure of what is possible when it comes to software, then take a look at an informative blog such as the Martin Fowler blog which covers all things technical.

  • Know Your Requirements

When it comes to having bespoke software created, you will need to be exact with what your requirements are, to make it as efficient and effective as possible. Here are a few questions you may wish to ask yourself about your business:

  • What software do your competitors use?
  • Does your software need to be personalised for customers?
  • How does your business model differ from other companies?
  • What is the complexity of the functions that you require in the software?
  • Will the software need to be integrated with other existing types of software?
  • Are you looking to automate any of the processes?

These are just a few of the questions that you need to ask to define what your requirements are. Once you know what you need, you can then speak to various developers about your project.

  • Finding Software Companies

There are many software development companies and a quick search using the internet will return a lot of results to scrutinise. You will want to make yourself a list of potential companies and look at the skills and background of each one. Do some research and look to see if there are any comments amount individual companies and their services anywhere on the internet. There are often forum and blog sites that have a wealth of information about customer’s dealings with specific companies. Once you have a short list of companies, it is time to contact each one and speak to them directly.

  • Communication is Key

It is important that you are able to communicate with any potential company effectively. As well as the software company being able to listen to your requirements, you need to be explicit in your requirements right from the start. It is however, also important that your expectations are realistic with the time and budget that you have available for the project. Any reputable company will be able to tell you if your budget and timeframe is realistic or not, and you may also have to be flexible with your requirements.

Depending on the deal that you have with the software developer, you may also be able to sell your software to other companies, if you have created something that is useful within certain industries. If this is an option available to you then it is an excellent way to off-set some of the costs of development.

When it comes to finding a software solution for your business, make sure that you choose a company that you can communicate with clearly, and if there is also a rapport then it will help to make the process easier.