As a custom software company, we spend our days helping clients reach their business objectives with the help of custom software. It’s no secret how much we love and enjoy creating custom software and applications. We also believe they can be a game-changer for many organizations.
However, it might be surprising to hear that we frequently coach potential clients to not take that step. Why is that?
Our Goal As a Custom Software Company
As a custom software company, our main goal isn’t to simply sell you on custom software or a custom application. We believe part of our mission is to help you think critically about using the right tool for the job. Whether that’s a custom tool or something already on the market.
We’ve had many people approach us over the years ready to jump into custom software when they’d be better served with other tools. Our goal is to simply help them decide if custom software is their next step or maybe direct them towards something else until they’re ready.
Consider some of these questions as you think about jumping into custom software:
– Are you still figuring out your workflow? Start with tools like Trello that facilitate rapid change.
– Do you have a limited budget, but want to get started with email campaigns? Put your money toward online tools, like MailChimp, that can make your life better today and save you money for tomorrow.
– Is your team very small and centrally located? Use physical artifacts like card walls for high bandwidth communication or Slack for quick messaging without having to walk across the office all the time.
The 80/20 Rule
The best projects that we have worked on as a custom software company are those that have a specific objective in mind. For many clients, we work with, the scope of what they want to do, what they need, and how they operate result in custom software being a good fit. But for most, it’s better to start smaller. This is where the Pareto Principle or more commonly known as the 80/20 rule, comes in. This rule means: Use tools that get you 80% of the solution for 20% of the investment. When you’re ready for that 81st percentage point, that’s the time to start exploring how custom software can help.
MH Recommends: What to Use When You’re Not Ready for Custom Software
If custom software seems like it may not be a fit for you yet, but you’d like to start with an off-the-shelf software solution, then check out some of our top recommendations to get you started:
Trello – Project Management
Slack – Communication / Organizing Conversations / Sharing
Zapier – Integrating services
Air Table – Database Solution
Harvest or Freshbooks – Invoicing
ActiveCampaign or Hubspot – CRM
MailChimp – Email
Squarespace or WordPress – Web Presence
Shopify – eCommerce
If you’re still confused or wondering if custom software is right for your organization, we’d love to help! Schedule a free consultation anytime!
