A typical bespoke software customer

Some would say there's no such thing as a typical software customer but actually there are certain types of person and business that really do suit bespoke software development.

The first thing to say is that we never re-invent the wheel. When speaking to a potential customer we always try to establish if there is likely to be a piece of software already available that does what they want. If you can get a 70-80% fit between an 'off the shelf' package and your business it's probably a good idea to go for that as it will be significantly cheaper. However if you're struggling to find a package to suit or can't find anything that fits well enough then you probably would benefit from getting something developed specifically for you.

Specialised businesses

Some businesses are so specialised that there is no suitable package available off the shelf. For these, the only choices are either to write something in house or to get someone else to write it. Whilst getting it developed in house is often viewed as a less expensive option, it can often work out more costly in the long run, especially if the system becomes critical to the business in any way.

Leaders with vision

Our customers range from manufacturing companies and professional service providers to universities and banks. A glance at our software portfolio will give you an idea of how different our customers' businesses are.

However what they have in common is a very clear vision of what their business is about and where they're headed. Imagination and a passion for doing things right is also typical. They know what they need to do to succeed, and are willing and able to invest in making it happen.

A good atmosphere

This is hard to explain, but when we visit a typical customer there's a good feeling about the place. The staff are working hard but there's some cheerful banter from time to time and there's a positive feel to the place. Things are running smoothly and the staff are happy. Perhaps this is just a side effect of good leadership or investment in the business but it's usually a good sign.

From our point of view this tells me that the business is organised and focused; people know what they should be doing and they're given the tools to get on with it. The bosses are reasonable people and they communicate well with their staff.

If they deal with their staff well they are likely to deal with their suppliers well too. If the business is organised they are likely to be able to tell us how their business processes work and have good ideas about how their database can be built to make them even more efficient. Their new database will be another tool to help them do their job even better and they are likely to put the required amount of effort into helping us define what's required and testing what we deliver.

Partnerships

Building a bespoke software system is very much a partnership situation rather than a traditional customer-supplier relationship. We get to know each other very well, and we have to treat each other professionally and reasonably. We both have to put some effort into defining what's required and ensuring that the resulting system does what it's supposed to do. Our most successful projects are with businesses that realise this and take action to ensure it happens.

Is your business like this? If so, you might benefit from bespoke software. To see some of the systems we've developed so far or discuss your own requirements please contact us now.