MSIS Custom Software

Why use custom software?

How many times have you used software that just couldn’t do something the way you wanted or forced you to do something manually? How many hours have you wasted trying to get software to do something that seems so simple?

What is custom software?

Custom software is software built to meet the needs of a specific customer, rather than an entire market. Software made to sell to an entire market is called commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software. (It comes in a pretty, shrink-wrapped box.)

Examples of custom software use: Web applications shared by multiple offices Sales tracking to target your customers Paperless systems with easy reports and analysis that decrease cost and increase productivity Secure, high-volume applications

What are the benefits of custom software over COTS software?

Commercial off-the-shelf software is designed to address the needs of a very large group of customers. To do this, designers of COTS software make assumptions about how things should work to satisfy most people. This is fine for common applications, such as word processing. You ignore the features you don't need or don't know how to use, and you work around missing features.

For more specific applications and business systems, having software that works the way you need it to can make or break your business. Often, your business is so unique that there is no COTS software to do exactly what you need. Scheduling appointments, tracking inventory, and managing reservations are examples of areas where a custom software application is probably necessary.

Custom software is designed to fit your business, rather than fitting your business to the software. You won't have to make up for missing features, and you won't need to compromise the way you like to work. In addition, you can avoid extra options, screens, setup, and other distractions that slow you down.

Contact MSIS today to discuss how custom software can help your business grow.

Other Benefits of Custom Software

Long-term savings
Even if there is a COTS product that comes close to meeting your needs, you should realize how much cost (in terms of hours) will be spent training, learning, or setting up the software. What will it cost when, not if, something goes wrong? Our custom software is designed around your current business practices, eliminating unnecessary time retraining employees. Plus, we stand ready to correct any situation and are never more than a phone call away.

Upgradable as your business grows
What works for you this year might not be enough next year, or you might discover a new way of doing things. Rather than dumping your old COTS software and relearning and reconfiguring new software, simply add to or modify your custom software. This way, you can avoid risky up-front investments and save money in the long run.

Designed with your input
You won't deal with part-time customer support drones or unanswered messages. You talk to a real, live designer who understands your needs and develops solutions to meet them, from start to finish.

Streamlined and efficient
Custom software doesn't need to sacrifice efficiency and ease of use in order to cram in countless features for marketing purposes. Our custom software provides what your business needs without a lot of security holes or frequent service patches.