Just ten years ago, a lot of the options that you now have as a business leader just weren't realistic. The rise of mobile devices is the most obvious place to focus, but across the "stack" tools have gotten more powerful and easier to use. Here are three reasons why you should be considering custom software and apps for your business.
Cloud Platforms
Not long ago, getting a simple website or data service up and running involved purchasing servers, renting space in a data center, and hiring someone to maintain them. This process was complicated and expensive.
Today you could get a website or service up and running over your lunch break. The rise of AWS, Azure, and other cloud platforms has made getting up and running more accessible than ever. And since you are building a tool for only your team to use, the monthly hosting cost will be less than your cable bill.
Powerful Mobile Devices
The same goes for mobile devices. You would spend as much or more on hardware as you would the software you were building in the past. Remember the old UPS and FedEx handhelds? Not only were these devices big and clunky, but they were also extremely limited in functionality.
Today over 70% of companies have smartphones deployed to their team that are light years ahead of previous hardware. The new iPhones are often more powerful than most MacBooks. This dramatically decreases the cost of deploying apps and software to your team. Not only are the devices more than capable, but there is also very little training needed because of the existing familiarity with the device.
Free Features
Alongside the hardware advances, software has matured equally as much or more. When building an app for iOS or Android, you get so many options for free. Features that would cost a fortune to build from scratch, you now get for free in the OS. Here's a short list:
- barcode scanning
- location tracking
- photo management
- Bluetooth connectivity
- offline data storage.
The same applies to web technologies. You no longer have to buy expensive licensing from Microsoft to get the tools you need to build modern web apps. The open-source community has made incredible advances in free tools available to everyone.
What's It Costing You?
What are you potentially missing here? Are there new business opportunities you are missing out on because there is a software element missing? Is your team slow and unproductive due to a software tool that's a bad fit?
All of these developments have massively decreased the risks of building your software. The danger now lies in the innovation that you are capable of not being fully realized. Whether it's streamlined operations or delighting your customers with modern software, there are multiple paths to success.
Building custom software and apps aren't nearly as daunting as it used to be, and we're here to help you build the roadmap to the future.
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