Ultimate Guide to Tailor-made Software for Small and Medium Business

3 min read

In the age of explosive technological innovation, small and medium businesses still tend to use older pre-packaged or customized versions of software, like spreadsheets.

Sometimes you find that even new commercial-off-the-shelf software just might not be the right fit.

This slows down business processes and provides low performance towards achieving your business goals. In this whitepaper we discuss a tailor-made solution for the problem.

Contents

1. 1. Software in SMEs

2. 2. Types of software

3. 3. Tailor-made development

4. 4. Takeaways

Software in SMEs

When software was first introduced in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), it was a premium addition to the range of tools that allowed these companies to gain competitive advantage.

And SMEs (or Mkb in Dutch) represent the largest group of businesses-at-scale in the Netherlands.

Not counting self-employed, there are over 440 thousand active and registered SMEs in 2019.

Although software nowadays is considered a common asset, we think that it can provide the best competitive advantage being unique.

Types of software

To start off, there are a few types of software available to SMEs:

• • Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), like MS Excel,

• • Customized (usually adapted versions of COTS),

• • Tailor-made or bespoke software.

COTS software is standard software, pre-packaged for the mass market. Here we can list Microsoft Office, Google and similar products, targeted at a worldwide audience.

This type of software can be relatively inexpensive or free, in the case of Microsoft Office and Google Docs, but it mostly comes with low flexibility and functional compatibility.

Many functions you would never even use, or these products would not have the functions that you need.

COTS can be good for some calculations on a spreadsheet and other general activities.

Not so much for storing and processing business data or optimizing business processes.

Customized software is typically a tweaked version of COTS software and comes in third-party add-ons that try to emulate certain functions.

And it all costs a lot of money.

Meanwhile, tailor-made software is developed with your business at the very center.

Usually, we consider the following questions:

1. 1. Which business processes need to be optimized to achieve the result you desire,

2. 2. How to best integrate processes into software, and

3. 3. What will be the benefit for the business?

Then we get to work.

Tailor-made development

For us software development means serious  business, so we try our best to provide the  best possible service. We can summarize  our process in 10 easy steps:

Here is the breakdown:

Step 1. Signing the contract. This takes place after we’ve provided a free consultation for your business and showed you how we can improve business processes.

Step 2. Product prototype. As we thoroughly studied your business, and showed you the concept of a solution, it is time for you to see the first version–the prototype.

Step 3. UI design. The prototype is then complemented with a user interface design.

Step 4. Software development. Now it’s time for the real deal! Our senior developers start to work on your software, taking into account your requirements and feedback from the prototype.

Step 5. Sectional acceptance. Software is submitted to you in parts for review and rapid adaptation.

Step 6. Full test version. Now you have in your hands software that you can test yourself and also give to your employees.

Step 7. Online deployment. When you accept all the changes and are satisfied with the result, we start to put the software online, so it can be used by your business from anywhere.

Step 8. Project acceptance. The final sign off. You own fully functional software that fits your business processes and workflow like a glove.

Step 9. Free maintenance period. If you’ve chosen the monthly subscription, we provide free software maintenance, so you won’t have to worry about anything.

Step 10. Iterative development. You know what’s even better? With the same subscription we throw in free upgrades! Yes, your software can grow as your business develops.

We use all the major programming languages (Java, Python, CSS, and Ruby among many others. This way we can provide the best solution in the most convenient format.

The final version of your software will support any type of document, i.e. .DOCX, .XLSX, .PPTX .PDF., .RTF and more.

It could be the best decision you’ve ever taken!

Takeaways

In these modern times, you are given a wide variety of choices, including those related to software.

With tailor-made solutions, you can provide your business with software that is:

• • Designed according to your specifications,

• • Easy to pair and use with any third-party software,

• • Growing as your business develops, and

• • Beneficial for the competitiveness of your business.

Be wise and choose what is best for your business, but remember that, whatever software you go for, it should help your business grow, not slow it down.

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