As app developers in London, we’re often asked why custom apps are better than off-the-shelf solutions. To answer that, we want to start by looking at reviews.
Customer reviews have become a crucial element of any buying process, haven’t they? When was the last time you purchased business software without reading a review first? We read reviews for everything, from books to clothing to holidays.
But pause for a moment and think about why reviews exist in the first place.
They exist because nothing’s perfect.
And the truth is that most things can never be perfect. How can they be? We’re all different. We all have different needs. There’s no way a single product can align itself perfectly with every user. We either have a situation where a product doesn’t quite tick all the boxes, or ticks too many boxes, making it overly complex.
Who amongst us doesn’t have a shirt that would be ‘perfect’, if it just fit a little looser, or came down just a little longer. Who doesn’t have a movie that would be ‘perfect’ if only a character was played by a different actor. It’s normal. And it happens because these things are made for people *like* us. They’re not made for *us*.
It’s exactly the same when it comes to apps.
The Current Landscape
Research suggests that the average brand uses up to 15 different marketing technologies. 15! Why? Because they can’t find a single tool that does it all.
It’s something that’s not just happening in marketing. It’s happening everywhere. Right now, businesses are collecting and storing different types of data in different systems; systems which may not be able to ‘talk’ to each other. All because they’ve had to opt for multiple tools because there’s no one solution that ticks all their boxes. It’s time consuming to find, compare, and utilise this data.
Unfortunately, in a fast moving world like this, we need to be able to make quick decisions with confidence, based on accurate, real time insight. And we can’t.
This is having a huge impact on how businesses perceive technology. In a study by Deloitte, it was found that 40% of the least digitally engaged businesses think digital tools are ‘not relevant’. 38% think they’re ‘not effective’. That’s because many aren’t.
It’s not surprising to learn that 65% of executives feel frustrated with workplace tech. Quite simply, off-the-shelf solutions don’t align with different ways of working. Every business using an off-the-shelf solution will always be able to find a downside:
⦁ Perhaps it’s not very easy to use
⦁ Or it’s not intuitive
⦁ Maybe it doesn’t have all the right features
⦁ Or too many features, making it overly complicated
There’s always something. When it’s not perfect, true business efficiency can never be achieved.
Introducing Custom Software
And so, going back to our original question, why custom apps are better than off-the-shelf solutions, it’s simple, isn't it? Custom software is better because there’s no downside. Or at least there shouldn't be. It’s designed specifically for you, specifically to meet your needs. It does what you need it to. No more. No less.
Isn’t It Ironic?
What’s funny about this whole thing is that most businesses fully understand the need for customisation… when it comes to their own clients and customers, that is.
In another study by Deloitte, it was found that more than 50% of today’s customers are demanding some form of customisation, and the majority of businesses are ‘developing capabilities to not only understand the needs of individual buyers, but actually deliver it’. Businesses are prioritising customer-facing customisation. Yet many aren’t recognising the need for customisation across their own business.
Now is the time to really start thinking about custom app development. Putting your needs first helps to build the foundations you need to best support your customers.
If you’re looking for app design in Edinburgh, London, or anywhere else, call us!
