Deciding which technology to invest in is not an easy choice for a growing company. Their obvious choice would be to invest in pre-packaged applications as it is safer and easier. However, custom software development has some advantages of its own that can prove more beneficial in the long run.

Here are a few merits of custom software development.

1. Fits the scope of the business - There is no single solution for everything involved in software development or business operations. So a pre-packaged software is less likely to seamlessly fit an organization. Businesses have different structures and managements with different needs. 

This may require you to tweak the pre-packaged software that you use to meet the requirements of your business and fill the gaps where necessary. However, this could give you a result different from what you expected. Custom software development, on the other hand, will give you software specifically designed from scratch to fit all aspects of your business, promising the results you want.

It fits the scope of your business without affecting productivity. You don’t have to fit the business to the software. You get a software that fits your business instead.

2. Perfect integration - Pre-packaged software might not be able to integrate flawlessly with the systems that you use for your business. While developing a custom software, the developer will be aware of these other systems in your business as well as the expertise and knowledge level of the people who will be using the software. 

This will help him design an application that effortlessly fits all aspects of your business by perfectly integrating with other systems. This way, the software adapts to the exact direction your business is going, considering staff change and other factors. 

3. Competitive advantage - Firstly, buying a pre-packaged software is you technically investing in the software developer’s business. You are using their licensed product. When you invest in custom software, it’s for your business alone, giving you the privilege to do whatever you want with it – license it or sell it.

This gives you a competitive advantage over other businesses that use off-the-shelf solutions. Your business will also be comparatively more effective. If you have in-house developers for building a custom software, you can have them respond to business environment changes easier and make the necessary modifications. It’s better than trusting and relying on the expertise and skill of the pre-packaged software’s developer. Addressing technical issues would be a bit difficult in such scenarios.

It is fairly easy to find and hire a competent software developer to develop a custom software for you, and at an affordable price. If you look hard, you may even find someone who can get the job done at a fraction of the price you would be spending on pre-packaged applications.