There is an unsung hero in every business. For many companies, this includes the IT, or Internal Tech, team. These professionals are responsible for ensuring your equipment – whether it be the laptops you type away at or the software you rely on for your daily to dos – is operating properly. As they manage technology and support its users, the roles themselves can become overwhelming and leave them longing for more control over many of the solutions with which they are working. This is where solutions like customized development services lend a helping hand.
Not sure your IT team would benefit? Well, experiencing any of the signs below may mean it is time to reconsider.
1. Off-the-shelf software forces you to compromise on your workflow.
Your business is unique. Even if you are one company in hundreds that offer similar services in a vast industry, it is a safe bet that the processes and methodologies employed by your company are not exactly the same at another business – even in the same industry!
Why use a software solution that is not as unique as your organization?
Taking advantage of custom development services and tailored software allows you to translate your unique processes into a highly adaptive workflow with ideal users in mind. Out-of-the-box solutions often force you to compromise on these values, rearranging your own steps from what is efficient to what works with the particular software. Customized applications guarantee you are getting a product that adapts to your goals and not the other way around.
2. Valuable time is being lost in managing and maintaining commercial software.
Your IT team is there to help you get the most out of the technology you use day to day and help when these resources does not work as expected. Despite their superpowers, there is a limit to even what these highly trained professionals can accomplish.
When it comes to off-the-shelf software solutions, your team has minimal control over software-related issues. Users reporting a bug or requiring assistance often lead to IT professionals spending precious time on phone calls to third-party software support and troubleshooting. Even worse, this process usually comes with a queue – that is, answers are not given and concerns are not addressed immediately as your IT team awaits support to get through a lengthy stack of requests before their own.
While tailored solutions do still provide support and troubleshooting, the process is much more streamlined and requires less heavy lifting from internal tech professionals. Your team can mitigate potential issues by providing specs and notes on usage upfront. Support requests outside of this go directly to the vendor’s own team of specialists, making for smoother reporting, less chance of important details getting lost in communication, and more time freed up for your own team.
3. Software updates put your team on edge.
Even if we are excited about the new features and fixes that come with a software update, that enthusiasm is not matched when it comes to the process for updating the software itself. Who has not experienced the abrupt crash of a system courtesy of your newest install? That is a recurring nightmare, but really – it should not have to be.
Off-the-shelf software solutions are not typically built for the user’s convenience. They do not always take into account the specifications of the system, data, and plug-ins an individual is using – or even the timing. Many solutions present an upgrade with the expectation that all end-users must upgrade or fall behind; never checking with real users to see if this effort adds value.
These things matter when it comes down to it.
Customized software, however, has you and your team in mind. Updates are made based on features you request, bugs you present to be fixed, and timelines you have decided upon. They give you time to transition to new releases, rather than forcing you to implement when you are not ready. By allowing you more say in the upgrade process, these solutions take the edge off your IT team.
4. The dynamics of your company are shifting.
Teams designated for managing software in an organization are often the smallest group no matter the size of the company. In large companies, small IT teams may be overwhelmed by the responsibility of performing software updates, answering support calls, upgrading machinery, and more across the breadth of the business. In small companies, these tasks typically fall to a single individual – if any at all!
While either of these landscapes themselves would be profound reasoning to base giving your IT team a leg up in the world with software that not only replaces multiple solutions but also is managed by a third-party resource, it gets even more convincing when you consider companies undergoing change.
Change in personnel, change in numbers, change in budget.
In these instances, it becomes even more important to rely on solutions that are both economical and easy to manage.
Shifting responsibilities is challenging. By employing software designed specifically for your workflow, it is easier for new users to hit the ground running without having to learn the work-around that previous users used to justify an off-the-shelf product’s purchase. By embracing the custom third-party experience, your team is freed up from answering requests for support or upgrades as these concerns are typically handled by the vendor or manufacturer.
What is This "New Approach"?
Custom development services can help your IT team get their time back. Learn what to know before approaching a development team, prompting you to give thought on the best ways companies like ours can benefit you the most.