Is Your “Off the Shelf” Software Holding You Back?
Software development has come a long way. Custom field generation, compatibility with other programs, and regular updates to improve functionality are standard in the industry today. However, services and products have also become considerably more specialized, and no software solution fits every need. So, is your “off the shelf” software holding you back? And if so, what can you do about it?
One of the more difficult things to do with your business is to look at it objectively. What might seem like a normal business practice to you might be a considerable waste of resources and time. Here are a few questions to ask to see if you’re being held back by your business software.
Are you using more than one interface for your business?
Gadgets are cool; most people can agree on this. In our personal lives, we use all sorts of different smart devices and connected programs; smart watches, phones, speakers, and appliances are just a few of a dizzying array of options. But in business, switching back and forth between devices is a huge waste of time. Using different devices for communication, scanning products, keeping track of inventory, placing orders, and whatever else your business might need creates a bottleneck your business doesn’t need.
Larger companies have already funneled most of their business operations through smartphones; smaller businesses are following suit. If your business is still operating with multiple devices, it might be time to re-evaluate your processes. Even so, this leads to another question.
How many applications or programs are you using for your business?
Apps are cool too; it seems that the variety of apps is now only limited by the imagination. The trick is getting all your business data and/or functionality to work together.
“Custom-built apps allow so much flexibility for business,” says MacguyverTech CEO Steve (Mac) McKeon. “We created an app for a company that allowed them to check in visitors, open security gates, keep track of who was allowed access to their facility…and we integrated it with a messaging app. There simply wasn’t existing software that did everything their business needed, so we created a custom solution that met their needs and kept their data safe.”
Data management is essential in the office, too. Even on a desktop or laptop, your workers need to be able to utilize numbers, contacts, data, and files across different programs to perform different functions.
So, what’s the solution?
You shouldn’t have to change your business practices to work around your software’s limitations. Your business software should cater to your business needs. “We found that a lot of our clients didn’t realize how much time and money they could save through a custom software solution, because they didn’t know what was possible,” said McKeon. “We literally have to ask them what their dream process would be. Then we work with them to create exactly what they need to make their business data work for them and make more sense.”
For more information about custom business software, visit our home page here.
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