Custom software is software that is created to fill a need left by a gap in the features of existing software, customize existing software, or to combine existing software in order to accomplish a new task. With new devices and technologies coming out every day to take advantage of, there will certainly always be holes in the features of existing software. Custom software is written to fill these holes.
The main motivation for custom software is innovation. Businesses incorporate custom software in their operations, products, and services in order to stay competitive in their industry. Custom software is written to do something that software has not done before. So custom software is inherently a vehicle for innovation. Custom software also happens to be a relatively cheap way to innovate compared to the costs that go into creating or modifying a physical product.
Many businesses write custom software every day. One of the more common forms of custom software are scripts. Scripts are generally short and simple pieces of code that are written to execute a repetitive task. They are used to combine existing software so that manual tasks can be automated. Scripts are used in all aspects of a business, from operations to sales. Scripts are simple to write and have the potential to offer great value. So they are a very cost-effective form of custom software.
Businesses also create more complex custom software for their operations. For instance, most large corporations use custom Oracle, SAP, or other similar software to handle things from ordering and inventory to sales and market tracking. Businesses may have custom software that runs part or all of their production or manages workflows. Custom software is often used to run company intranets which provide an accessible way for you and your employees to share information.
Many products and services incorporate custom software. Nearly every new electronic product incorporates custom software for the simple fact that no software was already written since no such device has existed before. Yet many products are enhanced by incorporating custom software. You wouldn't necessarily think that software runs on firetrucks, at least not beyond the engine. However, custom software controls and enhances many of the tasks a firetruck carries out such as providing more information and control to the firefighter running the pump.
More and more services are incorporating software, and adding custom software to your service gives you an edge over your competitors. Whether you run a restaurant that delivers pizzas or a fitness club, custom software can add value to your service. For example, many restaurants offer online ordering, utilizing custom software to process the orders from the web and send them to the kitchen. This is a great way to provide an accessible and "at your own pace" way for your customers to place orders. They can take the time to browse your menu and decide what they want, then quickly place their order, and you didn't have to provide any staff to take the order. Plus, you can update your menu without the cost of printing.
Custom software is written to do something new or different, but its intent is not necessarily to be sold as packaged software. It's used to enhance a business's operations and create innovative products and services. Custom software doesn't need to be complex or take months to develop, it can be as simple as a script written in less than an hour. So any business can use custom software.
Read more to find out how to determine if your business needs custom software.