
Jan 03, 2020 Category:
Software Development
And choosing cost-effective services like custom software development, among others, is seen as an extension of your effort to improve your business process, a paradigm shift, from mainstream and complex process to a new and modernized one.
Why is business modernization an unavoidable step?
Businesses today rely heavily on the modernization of their in-house processes as a roadmap-building step toward better business transformation and driving long-term business values. The fact is, improvising to ‘Change’ of the marketing landscape, as we see today is inevitable.
How come?
Well, let’s observe the following NTT Data Consulting data verifying the above-mentioned statement:
The meaning of the above data is a self-explanatory endorsement of why current business industries seek specialized solutions grounded in modernized technology. Moreover, it conveys one of the most important messages, that technology offering a customized solution to your business needs, can offer more cost-effective values compared to of-the-shelf ones not fully accommodating to your core business purpose.
In this respect, the later technology, oftentimes, returns you a result that is a borderline contradiction to your expectations and business challenges.
Software is one of the most integral parts of running a business and streamlining its complex processes. For any software to be able to systematize your business processes effectively, it should be intuitive (programmatically) to your requirements. To serve that purpose, the software must be designed in an iterative methodology, tailored in accordance with exact demands of your business.
And, custom software fits in this criterion, thanks to its multi-attributes, as discussed in the following manner:
Those unfamiliar with custom software development service, possibly misinterpret its cost. They think that a modern software application offering customized solution comes at a significant price.
And boy, that’s the square guesswork prompting many to reconsider going for it (custom software product).
Except, that’s NOT true!
We know, when a user chooses a custom-built solution, he has to pay a higher price for it. However, the premium payout does not sound too expensive, as, in due course of time, the price gets reduced down to significant levels.
Now consider this case scenario –
When you pay less for software, anticipating it would continue to give you more leverages over time, what turns out later is quite opposite to what you thought in the first place.
This means the software product you purchased at a lesser cost now turns problematic on all quality parameters, such as –
Finally, it comes out to be a dud product that gets all your business tasks back to square one!
To say otherwise, the nemesis forces you to roll back entire business processes, rendering to where you started everything in the first place.
What custom software offers is the cost-effective version of a rather more productive solution to your business needs. One of its crucial roles is, allowing you to proactively plan out for all possible eventualities. The long-term relevant business solution it provides brings you one step closer to your anticipated business growth in the future.
Therefore, the cost you pay for a customized solution to modernizing your core business functionalities with custom software is justified over time. And, this happens when the performance of the product fully meets your expectations, without any downtime or any foreseeable technical snag.
Modernizing a business requires the best security coverage for sensitive business data from cybersecurity threats.
The businesses today are susceptible to an increased risk of cyber-penetrators. The global economy is losing over 400 billion USD per year to cybercrimes. Companies susceptible to cybersecurity threats rely on a powerful software technology providing an iron-clad cyber safety net for their business operations.
This indicates, that any software fitting into that criterion (data safety) can stay in the market for the long-term.
Custom business software is one such solution designed to provide high-end security to your sensitive business data.
Since custom software is an enterprise-specific asset, using confidential business data is restricted to the authorized access only. One of the reasons, your sensitive business data can be hacked is the kind of code used in the program of the software you are using. The custom software products are programmed into a certain degree of impregnability, that makes it extraneously time-consuming task for a hacker to hack it, with almost nominal chance for success.
Unlike commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS), hacking customized software is virtually impossible with its highly-restricted accessibility. Second thing – any attempt of hacking the custom software can be thwarted midway, as the user is notified of any such unauthorized third-party access to the software’s mainframe programs.
Now users can act upon the notification by informing the software vendor, requesting for resolving the issue right away.
In the era of evolving architecture of information technology, your effort to modernize your business with the help of cutting-edge technology like a custom built software can ensure enhanced data security, and seamless business operations.
What determines success of a business is, whether its organizational functionality coexists with its users’ experience or not.
The role of custom-built software involves establishing a functional rapport with your organization’s specific business environment by addressing one or more challenges aiming to optimize your internal processes. The productivity of this software lies in the exclusion of all those trivialities unrelated to your business.
It is more scalable for a long-term, as compared to its ready-made counterparts called commercial off-the-shelf software products.
One of the most productive steps a business can take is to invest in a rewarding technology meant for modernizing its core functionalities in a way that is streamlined, systematic, highly functional, and seamlessly organized. The role of bespoke software, in this context, is to help your business achieve its process efficiency with accuracy.
One of the greatest attributes of custom software is, serving your long-term business purpose, and having the capability to scale according to your growing business needs.
The software allows users to add or change inbuilt features, and accomplish a task under an extreme flexibility that it offers.
Business modernization follows a new kind of initiative, in which being more flexible to the ever-changing world of business is mandatory for its long-term existence. The importance of this tactic is highly substantial, as it ensures business longevity, and profitable growth in the long run. Here, the term ‘modernization’ is not restricted to just embrace a ‘contemporary technology’ but also to make sure, you are using a ‘flexible technology’ that can accommodate to your ‘commercial needs’ in the changing world of the business.
Know about the Top 9 Reasons Why Custom Software Solutions Are A Cut Above Off-The-Shelf Ones
One of the steps to business modernization is the inter-departmental integration of software applications used by different departments in a company. Custom software simplifies such integration. As a result, it enables improved data exchange and efficient collaboration between one department to another.
Besides, the customized application software also allows easy automation of workflows, allowing you to know the number of employees engaged in a discrete process.
Commercial off-the-shelf software lacks such an ‘automation’ feature.
One of the modernization tactics in business is, ensuring you standout from rest of competitors in the market, by adopting certain business capabilities, that your competitors don’t possess. A custom software solution provides you that much-needed business capability, improving your customer experience. Furthermore, the value you drive to your business is comparatively more than what your competitors may be getting to their businesses, respectively.
Custom software is built on the principle of fulfilling your business needs the way you want.
Therefore, when you are forced to buy a ready-made, off-the-shelf commercial software product, you have no option but to get along with its overtly restricted features, most of which do not fit your business needs at all. In that case, either you have to change the process of your business according to how the ready-made software is designed for, or consider its replacement with an efficient substitute like a custom software.
Such bespoke software is designed following your expectations. Therefore, it works in the best interest of your business, plus you can scale your business needs associated with your business goal in due course of time.
Custom software outweighs its ready-made counterpart because, unlike its not-so-productive counterpart, it is built on features specifically designed by the user’s business requirements. If you happen to buy a packaged software, anticipating it would provide a one-size-fits-all solution, there is a fat chance it would ever come to that anticipated reality.
Though ready-made software products can fulfil your small business needs. In the long run, they fall short on productivity.
On the other hand, its relatively more intuitive counterpart like custom software could be more accommodating to your business needs, such as automating processes & transactions, processing data information, and satisfying security requirements, etc.
The kind of winsome personalization bespoke software gives is a terrific upshot of what makes it more viable if we compare it to its ready-made counterpart.
Being a premium version of a software product, custom software does have a slightly higher price. However, given the long-term business value it offers, the Return On Investment outweighs the cost. Additionally, it eliminates the necessity of persistent change or development to suit the changing needs of a business. This is the unique benefit that enables a custom built software outshine its off-the-shelf counterpart.
Purchasing an off-the-shelf software requires an additional payout on license fees and other accrued costs. As a result, you have to shell out a little more price for the software. Custom-built software, by contrast, does not pose such an expensive pay-out. Also, it delivers long-term investment value to your business with solutions, including integration and scalability.
The owner of custom software receives technical support from the developer of that software. The notable thing is, the quality of support provided is very substantial, considering the developer team, that had built the customized the software, is profoundly aware of how to provide a quality fix to its malfunctions.
Wrapping it up
Business modernization is a process that involves understanding rapid changes of market and their corresponding results on a business. Embracing cutting-edge technology, among different steps, is one of the most effective approaches you can take to take your business to the heights of success, in this competitive business market. Custom software can prove to be a reliable factor in systematizing your organizational functions and making your business process more automated, efficient, and well-functional. Unlike ready-made software, an inexpensive version of a rather more productive custom-built counterpart, the bespoke software can offer meaningful values to your business over the time.
Embracing custom software development solutions to your business is a building block of an efficient business optimization tactic. It is a modern version of your business to handle departmental processes efficiently and make rapid progress amid the competition.
In light of companies embracing business modernization tactic, introducing custom development solution could bring transformative changes to your business.
You are advised to consult a custom software development company.
Tarika Technologies provides assistance and constructive solutions aligning your business expectations for more efficient business processes, transactions, better management of data, lower integration costs, scalability, and more profitability.
Lamuel Datoru Biambo is a dynamic and results-driven leader with over a decade of experience in business development, human resources, facility management, IT and media services consulting.
A techy in online radio setup and production, Lamuel has successfully setup a couple of online radios (personal, community and commercial) and still counting.
As the CEO/CTO of LifeSERV Integrated Services Limited, he managed multiple departments and successfully serviced as a subcontractor for Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd as a Contract IT Manager, Head of IT Support Unit, Media & Events Manager.
Prior to this role, Lamuel served as Group Head of Accounts at Tolobs Marine Services Limited, an oil servicing company where he sourced for clients, liaised with local and international clients to ensure smooth operations, and prepared PDAs/invoices for proposed jobs, as well as liaised with finance departments of local/international organizations and other financial stakeholders.
Lamuel’s expertise extends beyond business management and administration to web development, cinematography, creative writing, and oil and agro consulting. He has developed and managed over 300 websites, administered training to top executives and staff of organizations, and provided ICT consultancy and research.
A hardworking, proactive, and trustworthy individual, Lamuel is a reliable problem-solver with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a team. He is fluent in English, his local language Kirike, and elementary French. He has a personal interest in tennis, basketball, soccer, scrabble, music, and cooking. He is happily married with children who loves his cooking skills and every fun moment spent with them.
20+ years of professional experience
William Yaw Ansah, Chairman, and CEO, Origin8 Limited in Ghana is an accomplished executive with experience spanning multiple sectors – Publishing, International NGOs, Education, Consultancy, and more.
Most recently, William was appointed as Course Manual Author Monitor for Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana. He was also appointed as a Member of the Management Committee, School of Arts, University of Ghana. He is also a Member of the Institute of Directors Ghana, an Accredited Member of the Institute of Public Relations, and a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketers, U.K
Over the years, he has been a mentor and advisor to a number of new ventures in Ghana and has trained several organizations such as SSNIT, Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Water Company Limited, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme among others.
William has authored a number of books such as Simple English for Senior High Schools in Ghana, Simple English books for Primary Schools in Ghana, and Simple English books for kindergarten, among others.
William received his Master’s degree in Global Marketing from the University of Liverpool, the U.K, and a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Ghana, Ghana. He started his career in Ghana as an Instructor, Consultant, and later management member of Afram Publications, Sahabia Publications, Comland Ghana, Origin8 Limited to mention a few.
30+ years of leadership experience
Joe leads the company’s strategy development and team building processes to formulate and enact the mission and goals. His strategic decisions involve the commitment of various resources for the fulfilment of goals and purposes of the organization, with a positive impact on its various aspects of growth.
With over 30 years of leadership experience, Joe has lead transformation projects, new business ventures, and execution of change management strategies.
In his previous role in C/C Financial Corp, a start-up financial technology business, Joe served as President & CEO. The start-up was scaled up and acquired by a large publicly traded company.
Joe started PeakFormance Leadership Consulting, a leadership and strategy advisory firm that specializes in helping busy executives develop high-performing team and organizations. His experience and proven strategies have helped him lead organization development projects with Fortune 500 companies as well as small to medium size start-ups.
With a strong passion for leadership, Joe has demonstrated the ability to develop cohesive teams, aligned and collaborative teams that achieve extraordinary results. Joe’s passion for leadership and team-building and vast experience enable him to connect with executive leaders and partner with them to improve performance.
Joe holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Minnesota State University, and an MBA in Organization Leadership from Walden University. He enjoys spending time traveling, golfing and training for Ironman triathlon competitions.
20+ years of professional experience
Sachin has over twenty years of experience managing innovation and development of solutions and optimizing complex business processes; Business & Technology Architecture and Integrations. His proficient leadership and exceptional communication skills, technical expertise, combined with industry experience have delivered extraordinary results for his firm and clients.
Sachin instituted Tarika Technologies to support businesses by implementing a strong process-oriented system and the virtual CIO model, managing a team of offshore and onsite professionals. He performs complete business and technology assessment, advises on Enterprise Architecture and provides solutions for mid to large companies, globally. Under his leadership, Tarika Technologies has acquired several key accounts, providing Enterprise Solutions, Infrastructure Solutions (PaaS, IaaS, SaaS), Software & Web Solutions and Mobile Applications.
In addition, Tarika Technologies provides technology and communications infrastructure set up and has successfully launched several products in the ERP, Communication, Entertainment & Media domains. Today, Tarika stands as a global company with presence in America, Asia, and Africa.
Sachin is the CIO to a leading firm in Bethesda, Maryland USA that provides acquisition support services; and technical advisor to the Crisis Center Hotline located in the state of Maryland in the United States. During his career, he also served as Director of Information Technology at a prestigious infrastructure management firm in the DC area providing IT consulting, infrastructure design and enterprise solutions for small to large corporations all around the mid-Atlantic region, as well as governmental organizations. His innovation in business process has led to a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Offices for one of his clients.
Sachin’s keen interest in International business has formed key alliances and relationships worldwide apart from just Technology. In recent times, he has partnered with Origin8 Limited, a leading PR & Advertisement firm located in Ghana, extending all the products and services offered by Tarika to the African region. As an integral part of this partnership, Origin8 will be heading the sales and marketing of EBIMS AirWatch in the West African market; a cloud-based ERP solution by Tarika, supporting the needs in the Media industry providing real time strategic planning, monitoring, management of operations, automation of collections and complete digitization of payments through integrations to local payment gateways. He is also the Chief Technology Advisor for Origin8 Limited, driving advanced digital solutions for clients in Ghana; and introducing customized ERP for businesses across West Africa.
His keen interest in international business has formed key alliances and relationships worldwide in areas aside technology. Other areas of his expertise include managing and streamlining business processes, vertically independent Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure Management, IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, high-level network and systems architecture, design and development capabilities of secure distributed applications for both private as well as governmental organizations.
Sachin holds a Master of Science in Information Architecture with highest honors; a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Associates in Computer Engineering Technology from Capitol Technology University in Maryland, USA. In his leisure, Mr. Agrawal enjoys playing musical instruments and practices Haidong Gumdo, the Korean swordsmanship, as a senior martial arts practitioner. His personal blog can be found at www.sachinagrawal.com.