Scaling Custom Software Solutions

One of the key benefits of developing a custom software solution is scalability. If your company starts growing, branching out, or developing in a new direction, the custom software should be able to accommodate its needs.

Companies that don’t use custom software have to buy additional off-the-shelf programs to fit the new requirements. Meanwhile, businesses with custom solutions can take advantage of seamless scaling.

The custom software development process involves making the solution scalable. When you discuss the parameters with the developers, you share the company’s plans for the future. Accordingly, the development company can build a program that changes to accommodate the new needs.

Let’s take a closer look at the way custom software scalability works.

What is custom software scalability?

When your custom software is scalable, it means the development team implemented the possibility of growing the number of users and adding new features to the program.

For example, when you purchase custom software, your team has only 10 members. In two years, the team becomes bigger, and now you have 100 employees. The software should be able to accommodate the extra 90 users without a problem.

Another example of software scalability is increased capacity. For example, a fitness club is using a custom billing program. They usually have about 300 clients coming in every month. The company uses the program to send invoices to customers for membership renewal.

The spring comes and the number of customers increases to 600 because more people want to tone their bodies for the summer. The billing program should accommodate these new invoices seamlessly.

Software scalability should go both ways. If the program was initially built for a large number of features and accommodates hundreds of users, it should be able to handle a smaller volume of work without making the process more complicated for the client.

Company operations can scale up and down depending on many factors, including seasonality and economic fluctuations. High-quality custom software should be able to work as expected regardless of the scaling process.

The above scaling situations can be valid for both custom and off-the-shelf software. Software developers may be ready to create a program that handles a growing or receding number of users. However, they may not be able to handle the type of scaling that requires adding new features.

For example, you are servicing a local market but want to expand overseas. To reach overseas clients you need additional billing options to handle new currencies. For that, your billing software requires new features. If the software is custom-made, developers can add new features to ensure smooth operations.

If you are working with off-the-shelf software, you would need to buy a new program. This could lead to integration issues and a new learning curve.

Importance of scaling custom software solutions

The ability to scale custom software solutions is key to maintaining effective business operations. When you invest in custom software, you expect to receive a high return. If the program doesn’t scale according to your needs, the ROI decreases tremendously.

Software developers who work on business software understand the importance of scaling. During the design stage, they discuss scaling possibilities with the client and make sure that scalability measures are applicable.

Businesses that have an opportunity to scale up and down on demand don’t have to worry about lost market share due to poor adaptation to the economic situation. Since the need to scale can arise unexpectedly, software scalability can turn into a competitive edge.

Software Performance

When the number of users and demands grows, the performance of off-the-shelf software can go down. The more people start using the program, the harder it becomes to achieve results. Scalable software is designed to accommodate the growing number of users. Accordingly, it doesn’t experience performance issues.

While off-the-shelf software can be scalable, there is always a limit. In many cases, the capacity isn’t sufficient to accommodate the growing business needs. Even if you are using SaaS options that can scale, you would have to change subscriptions in order to achieve the capacity you need. This may lead to unwarranted expenses.

Software Security

With the number of cyber breaches growing quickly and costing companies billions of dollars annually, security is one of the most important software issues. While off-the-shelf software can boast security, the growing number of users can create new loopholes that developers may not accommodate quickly.

When you are using scalable custom software, the development team works on security and makes sure the existing measures are up to date regardless of the company’s changing needs.

Industry Opportunities

Software that can grow with your company is one of the most important elements that contribute to your industry leadership. If, suddenly, you are experiencing an influx of clients, you should be able to accommodate it quickly. Otherwise, you could send them shopping around.

The competition that can’t handle the growing volume of work is likely to release their market share. With a scalable program in your corner, you are always ready to pick it up.

Custom Software Development and Business Scalability

Custom software development can help your business scale up by providing all the tools it needs to grow, accommodate more clients, enjoy excellent security, and streamline operations. You are more likely to scale your company by using custom software than companies that struggle with the growing burden of off-the-shelf solutions.

Improved business operations are one of the reasons why custom software development has a high ROI. By gaining a tool that streamlines your work processes, you can stay ahead of the competition and gain market share.

With custom software, many companies reroute workforce creativity to product development and innovation. Instead of doing manual work, employees are busy with revenue-generating activities. This, in turn, can help you take advantage of innovative ideas and boost the company’s bottom line.