Custom Software Development Services

The main potential problems with off-the-shelf solutions are self-evident. First, although obtaining and starting to use such software is quicker than waiting for a custom suite to be finalized, you will either have to tailor an off-the-shelf product to your business processes or adapt workflows to the product. Both options are time-consuming and costly, nullifying the advantages of off-the-shelf software. Second, by investing resources in custom software, you assume full ownership of it. Off-the-shelf suites imply license payments, subscription fees, and other extra expenditures. Finally, if you opt for custom software, there will be no significant limits in terms of scaling it and integrating it with other digital products, both already existing and future ones. In the case of off-the-shelf software, restrictions imposed by its vendor will always remain in place.

With an off-the-shelf solution, you can get things rolling faster. With custom-built options, it will take more time. However, the longer you use this solution, the more benefits it creates and the more resources you save. From a strategic point of view, custom-built software is optimal almost universally. It makes sense to choose cost reductions and projected extra revenue instead of recurring payments.

The main advantage of custom software is that, in contrast with off-the-shelf solutions, it is possible to immediately provide for potential future scaling and integration with external products and services. In order to make use of this advantage, however, one needs to give special consideration to the planning stage. Once the project plan is approved, altering it becomes complex. Therefore, we recommend prioritizing easily extendable functionalities, database infrastructures, load balancing, end-to-end documentation, and preventing potential failures.

Andersen treats each IT project as an end-to-end business partnership. That is why we can always assume full responsibility for all future aspects. However, total knowledge transfer, including software documentation, is also available if you decide to continue augmenting the product independently or work with another company.