On Demand Softwares or Software as a Service (SaaS) is a model of software deployment whereby a provider licenses an application to customers for use as a service on demand. SaaS software vendors may host the application on their own web servers or download the application to the consumer device, disabling it after use or after the on-demand contract expires. The on-demand function may be handled internally to share licenses within a firm or by a third-party application service provider (ASP) sharing licenses between firms
As the effective use of technology becomes more important in the highly competitive small and medium sized enterprise (SME) market, more companies are questioning whether to buy off-the-shelf software versus paying a developer to produce unique software tailored to their own specific needs.
What is custom-made software?
Custom software is designed to perform a specific group of tasks that differs from other already available software (also called off-the-shelf software). It is generally not targeted to the mass market, but are usually developed according to the unique requirements of a company, business entity, or organization. This process is also referred to as Custom Software Development or Custom Application Development.
Why custom-made software?
When purchasing an off-the-shelf software package one may be impressed by all the features it offers, but in reality the majority of businesses use at most 10% of the features in their applications - although they still pay for the whole package. As a SME with individual needs, it may be a far better option to choose a custom-made package. In effect your business will no longer pay for functions it does not need. Custom-made software ensures the software does exactly what the company requires and is flexible enough to meet changing market conditions.
One should also consider that the price of off-the-shelf applications is only part of the total cost of ownership. Annual licence fees and maintanance fees need to be weighed in total cost of ownership calculations. When all this costs are added up, companies will find that custom-made software is not as expensive as it is reported to be.
Custom software also eliminates time wasted trying to figure out appropriate settings and promotes time better spent productively in the workplace. The entire concept is geared towards providing SMEs with a affordable alternative to traditional software in a way that not only cut costs, but also cuts maintenance to a minimum and allows clients to focus on core work, not on working the software.
In conclusion
Standard software bought off the shelf certainly has its place in business today, but in the SME market companies need to focus on keeping one step ahead of their competitors. Having your own business applications designed and built by developers such as Inspired Archetypes, is a flexible, cost-effective solution that will ensure your organisation's technology investments optimally support your business and not a software vendor's business.
