What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages of Bespoke Application Software?

In this article, we will consider the advantages and disadvantages of bespoke application software.

One of the greatest advantages of using bespoke application software is efficiency, or the competitive advantage, which it can provide. Using software which has been built specifically for the job it is doing can be an incredibly powerful tool. You no longer have to waste time or effort trying to manipulate an existing commercial off-the-shelf software to perform a function it does not support, and instead use a bespoke application, which does everything it needs to do. There is also the added effect of the boost in company morale, specifically the workers who are using the software. It is not uncommon for workers to become frustrated in their roles as the application they are using is not fit for purpose. Using bespoke software can solve this problem and lead to happier, and more productive staff.

Another significant advantage to using bespoke application software is the ability to modify and extend the software, almost at will. As you own the bespoke software, there are almost no barriers to making changes to the software. Equally, there is your own guaranteed support and maintenance. Instead of being held hostage by commercial off-the-shelf software providers who can increase licensing costs, or remove support for certain products at will, you are in charge of your own support model.

Where you choose to host your application can also bring certain advantages. Whilst other commercial software may be liable to cyber attacks, assuming you take the correct security precautions, you are less likely to be affected by this. For example, during the recent NHS cyber attack in the United Kingdom, all surgeries using the same commercial applications were affected.

However, there are some significant disadvantages to purchasing and using bespoke application software. The first disadvantage is the higher upfront costs. Bespoke software will normally always be significantly more expensive, as it is being developed to an individual set of requirements. The advantage to commercial applications is that they can be applied to a much wider range of business scenarios, which means that the upfront costs can end up being much more affordable.

Similarly, there is a timing disadvantage, in terms of the time to deliver bespoke software. It can sometimes take significantly longer to build such an application. This is partly due to the specific requirements of the software, but also the testing of the application. If a company is to solely rely on bespoke software, there needs to be full confidence that the software has been fully tested and is robust.

Finally, the advantage of using commercial applications is that users are sometimes more likely to have knowledge using an existing product - for example, Microsoft Excel is a widely known commercial application. This means organisations are less likely to have to train users in how to use the actual software. If a bespoke application is being rolled out, then there are likely to be financial costs associated to training day-to-day users how to operate the application. There will also be a lack of free online materials for a bespoke application. Again, this is in contrast to commercial applications, where you will be able to find a wealth of information, knowledge and videos - for example, you can find hundreds, if not thousands, of Microsoft Excel tutorials on YouTube.

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