Sometimes when a business has specific requirements, they decide that off-the-shelf options don't' completely meet their needs. They will choose to either purchase custom business software or have customized software developed specifically for them. This can be a very expensive business solution, but if developed properly may increase productivity and competitiveness in the market. The correct solution can pay for itself with increased efficiency.
Customized software solutions can also turn out to be a mistake if business needs aren't properly researched before development begins, or a custom package is purchased. As a standard rule of thumb, businesses shouldn't choose to be trend setters. There are generally products available that can meet even specialized needs with some custom integration. All standard business solutions should be evaluated prior to making a decision to purchase custom software.
Major providers of customized business software include:
- IBM
- Microsoft
- SAP
- Everest Software
There are many smaller development companies that also provide customized software development services. They should be well researched before any commitment is made.
Selection Criteria:
- Cost
- Reputation of the provider
- Customer service and long term support of product
- Ease of product upgrade and expansion
- Scalability – Can the product grow with your business
- Training needs and ease of use
- Business needs – Many custom solutions fail because business needs aren't completely researched prior to the purchase of a solution
- System resources: Not usually an issue, but sometimes small business environments are on over-taxed hardware already.