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Risks of standard software
When is customized software development worthwhile?What are the risks of standard software and when is it better for companies to have an application programmed individually? We show why cheap off-the-shelf software can be a long-term threat to your company and in which cases custom development should be considered.
We all know standard software. Whether word processing or spreadsheets, personnel planning or image editing: with tried-and-tested software for the masses, many work steps can be completed conveniently on a computer or smartphone. However, especially with enterprise software, which is sometimes used in business-critical areas, a standard application can quickly lead to problems. We present some of the dangers of standard software that application manufacturers are all too happy to ignore.
What are the risks of standard software?
In some cases, standard applications have considerable disadvantages compared to individual software developed in-house. Depending on the use case, users of standard software face potential risks.
- Security risk
If standard software is not updated regularly, dangerous security vulnerabilities can occur. These form a gateway for hackers who could access the company’s IT, steal data or install malware. With individually developed software, company-specific security requirements can be met from the outset, significantly reducing security risks. Hardly or not at all customizable
Standard software is a mass product and often comes with many features and functions. However, companies often miss precisely the specific function that is crucial for operations. Even customizing standard applications often doesn’t help and can quickly become very expensive. For the individual requirements of companies, custom development that can be flexibly adapted is therefore often more cost-effective in the long term.Dependent on one manufacturer
By purchasing standard software, companies make themselves dependent on one provider and their services. If the manufacturer changes its business strategy, discontinues updates or goes bankrupt, users can experience considerable problems. We, on the other hand, provide our customers with the program code after the individual software development. In addition, the customer becomes the owner of the software and can make any necessary adjustments to the application without great effort and high costs.Expensive licenses
Many providers of standard software offer an attractive pricing model. But often only at first glance. This is because the license costs in particular can add up considerably with the number of users or devices. This should be taken into account from the outset when planning the budget for a software project. In the case of customer-specific software development, clients do not pay any license fees as they become the owner of the software.
Standard software or customized solution?
We will be happy to advise you on the right software solution for you.
What are the advantages of customized software?
The development of customized software offers a number of advantages over standard software when it comes to meeting the specific requirements and business processes of a company in the best possible way.
Customized software is developed individually, i.e. according to the exact wishes of the customer. In this respect, one of the main advantages of customized software is that it contains the exact functionalities for the company’s specific requirements. Our customers have often already worked with standard software and at some point had to realize that the software had a negative impact on efficiency and work processes. With customized software, on the other hand, lean and precisely tailored applications can be provided that significantly improve the efficiency of business processes. The specifically programmed functions of individual software are flanked by simpler integration into existing IT systems. Tailor-made interfaces in customized software also simplify the integration of other tools and data sources.
Customized development also offers better control over the development process. In contrast to standard software, where users are dependent on the manufacturer’s release cycles, custom development allows important requirements and tasks to be prioritized and, above all, implemented promptly. Scalability is another advantage of customized software, as the application can be designed from the outset to grow with the company. Compared to standard applications, customized software also offers added security, as additional security can be built in as part of the customer-specific programming.
In addition to independence from manufacturers, the use of customized software solutions can save money in the long term. Certainly, the initial investment is higher than when purchasing standard software – but in the medium to long term, users save a lot of money as there are no license fees or expensive maintenance and updates to pay.
In which areas should individual software be used?
Customized software is not only suitable for large companies. Customized software can also be worthwhile for small and medium-sized companies with specific requirements and business processes. We have listed examples of the industries and areas in which the use of customized software can lead to a real competitive advantage.
Production and manufacturing: With software that is precisely tailored to production processes, such as an individual MES (Manufacturing Execution System), manufacturing processes are optimized exactly as required by the respective company. The requirements for quality control and logistics processes are also often very specific and require a software solution that is individually tailored to the company.
Retail and e-commerce: Extensive article databases, price information, various interfaces and the integration of third-party providers characterize the requirements profile of many retailers, especially if they operate online retail. There are plenty of bloated and correspondingly expensive standard applications on the market, but they rarely meet the specific needs of retailers. Read our case study to find out how bedding manufacturer billerbeck is ahead of the competition with a custom-developed PIM (Product Information Management) system.
Clubs and organizations: Membership management, accounting and more: Larger clubs and organizations in particular need tailor-made software for their administrative tasks. Standard solutions such as Excel are often no longer sufficient. With individual association software tailored precisely to specific requirements, the administrative workload and costs are reduced in the medium term.
What is right for my company?
Whether standard software can meet your requirements or whether it makes sense to invest in customized software solutions is something we would be happy to clarify with you personally in an initial free consultation.