When it comes to hiring a specialist to develop your bespoke software solutions, you cannot afford to go with the wrong one. The developer you choose must have the necessary skills and latest knowledge; this is non-negotiable.

Familiarity with your type of business is crucial, otherwise how can your developer hope to know what is essential and what not.

Business specific knowledge is the only way the developer will understand the common problems, needs and expectations that are business type specific. Only with this knowledge can the right bespoke software solutions be created and delivered.

Weeding out process

Start off the process of selecting your bespoke software developer by going over their company website with a fine-tooth comb. This is where you can all the indications of what type of quality services they offer their clients. You are also within your rights to get references from clients they have worked with before. It is essential that you ascertain the quality and reliability of the company’s production.

Draw up a checklist and look into the bespoke software company’s delivery policies, work models and manner of communication. Ask to see samples of the software they had created for other clients. Whether the company has industry recognition is another aspect to look into. Bespoke software is costly and no business can afford to back the wrong horse.

It is in your best interests to make doubly sure the bespoke software developer measures up. That he has the experience, skills and abilities to create the bespoke software solution to your complete expectations.

Bespoke is a word the UK has fallen in love with and rightly so. Bespoke means custom. It can be custom made, custom fit, custom anything really. People love anything that is tailored specifically for them and not simply from a generic prototype. Prototypes are all well and good for some needs, but they don’t offer you that special uniqueness that you know you deserve.

Bespoke software development is a very important tool in revolutionizing they way we do business. This means that companies have custom made software for their own purposes. So what does that mean exactly and what is so revolutionary about it?

Speaking the bespoke language

Bespoke software development means that your company does not use an off the shelf generic software package. Instead you make a name for yourself by having customized software to meet all your needs not just 100% of the way. This software gives you 120% all the time. Bespoke software development is allowing businesses to go about reaching their goals in their own unique way.

This adds value to your company and your business as far as your clients and business associates are concerned. You make your business dealings more efficient and can cater to your clients’ needs. This allows customising of your business processes and dealings to specifically cater to the needs of your target market.

It adds extra oomph and credit to your reputation. A customer receiving excellent services made possible by your bespoke software feels valued and special and this creates loyalty to your company. Revolutionise your company and the way you do business with bespoke software development, it is worth it.

People often debate long and loud about the benefits of generic software and bespoke software solutions for a business. Off-the-shelf software in many cases is adequate for the needs of a specific business or industry. That is good and well for those who have their software needs satisfied with this type of software.

On the other hand, there are many companies who have specific needs and wants. These companies benefit the most from bespoke software solutions, the reason being that bespoke software is exclusively designed for a specific company. It focuses only on the needs of that company directly.

Outsourcing is cost effective

You can have your business needs for bespoke software solutions met in two ways. You can have the bespoke software developed by in-house IT professionals or you can outsource your bespoke software needs to a company that specialises in the field, such as Octavia IS. In-house personnel are not cost effective in the long run as salaries are a constant drain.

When outsourcing your bespoke software needs, you automatically have access to the expertise of that whole company. Software development is an extremely competitive industry. This means that when you outsource, the company will push all its expertise into your project. Their reputation depends on supplying you with the highest quality service. A software development company also has access to a vast labour pool of highly skilled IT professionals.

The bespoke software development company will liaise with you each step during the progress of your project to ensure your satisfaction.

In the same way as every person has their own unique qualities, so does every organisation and business. Each and every one of them is unique even if they offer the same products or services as a competitor, but it can sometimes be difficult for customers to see what makes you stand out. In order to show you uniqueness, you can spice up your business efforts when it comes to reaching business goals.

Just because you have the same goals as your competitor does not mean that you go about it in the same way. Each business will undoubtedly have different ways of reaching their own goals. So why not have customized tools to help you get there?

From generic to bespoke

Bespoke software development refers to customized computer software for your specific IT needs. The world revolves around competition. We are all forever competing in some way or another, whether you are a business competing for customers or a celebrity competing for a spot in the limelight.

Competition is competition and you need to use everything you can to stay ahead of your competitors. Bespoke software development can help you reach your business goals your way. This is because it is set up to work exactly for your requirements, whether it be a content management system or a stocktaking program, or any other system which helps your business to function.

To help your business run at its most efficient you can go a step further. Why not invest in bespoke software development for every department in your company which has different needs? This means that all your systems are working optimally to increase productivity of the whole.

Anything that is customised is usually more expensive than its generic counterpart, which you can grab off any store shelf you like. The problem with a generic product is that it is not made to fit your specific needs to the tee. That is what bespoke software development has taken off and gained such popularity as a great way to meet your business needs.

More and more businesses are cottoning on to the idea that they need to make use of bespoke software development. This is in order to optimize their IT resources and their information technology systems, which helps them be more productive and offer a better standard of services to their clients.

Bespoke your way to success

During a global financial recession a business cannot at all afford to lose potential customers and business opportunities to their competitors. You scrutinize the staff you employ so that you have only the best you can afford. This should not only include your human resources, but computers and software. You need to decide whether it will cost you more in the long term to grab generic software or to indulge in bespoke software development for your business now and save money later.

Optimising your IT resources and systems will optimise the speed and efficiency with which your business runs. You will have every daily need met so that your company never has to make do again. This means that you have better service to offer your current and prospective clients.

Customers are always looking for the best service they can find. Bespoke software development for your business grows and evolves as you do, allowing you to reach new goals and lifts the ceiling off your business potential.

Software licencing falls into the categories of proprietary, free software or open source, each one has its own distinguishing features which affects the rights of an end user.

Proprietary licenses allow a licensee to use of one or more copies of their software while they retain full ownership of any and all copies.  This leaves only a very small and very limited set of rights for the user, and even these are well defined and contain many terms which categorically prohibit certain types of use, even those which would normally be allowed under copyright laws.

The end user has to accept this licence, if they don’t they will not be able, or allowed to use the software.  Proprietary licenses contain extensive lists of retricted activities such as simultaneous use by multiple users or publishing performance tests.
Free software licenses allow ownership of the copy to be held by the end user.

This means that they afford all rights to the software by copyright law to the copy owner, but this is not the same as copyright owner.  Free software licences grant extra rights to the user which would normally be reserved by the publisher of the software, and the user may use the software without accepting the licence, but if they want to redistribute they have to accept and adhere to the software licence.

Open source licences fall into two categories.  While one attempts to preserve the freedom of the software, the other aims to give freedom to the users of the software.  This is called permissive licences.  Open source licencing is aimed at giving the user permissions to redistribute, engineer or even modify the software.

When an infraction to the software licensing rules and regulations has been found a penalty from the publisher can be imposed on the guilty party.  These are by no means small amounts!  Publishers call this ‘deficiency’ and software houses calculate these fees based on the level of compliance, which they do even before you have received notice from them.  They are open to negotiations however in order to decrease the fine, but at the end of the day you will have to pay, if you don’t you wont have a system to work from and this could mean no business.

How you are found out is usually by word of mouth and this comes mainly from disgruntled employees or business associates.  In fact there are organisations who advertise for this information.  To be fair though, often companies are not aware that their employees are loading their computers with unlicensed software, so when these disgruntled employees turn their former employers over it comes as a surprise, but surprised or not, the ultimate responsibility for unlicensed software lies squarely with management.

The only way to avoid non compliance issues is for management to ‘police’ their employee’s computers.  Another way to get caught is Software installed on any computer that is hooked up to the internet conducts a form of dialogue with its software publisher; this is without your permission.

In order to avoid penalties, keep accurate records of licence agreements because even if you are on the level, if you can’t prove you own the licence you can be penalised.  You also have to agree to the terms of the licence, understand them and comply to them. This can straightforward or very complex, especially in large companies. That is why outsourcing at least this part of your IT support can be very useful, saving you time and hassle.

An example of proprietary software would be Microsfot Windows and Adobe Photoshop, there is of course a host of others, but these are well known and will give the reader a good idea of what is being discussed here.

Proprietary software describes computer software which is the legal and rightful owner of one person, or party.  If another party wishes to use it they need to adhere to a set of terms which have been defined by either a contrat or a licencing agreements.  These terms include sharing privileges, use of the software and use of the software’s code.

There are a few free software packages that are available under proprietary terms though.  What this means is that the original holders of the software can use dual licencing in order that they may redistribute proprietary versions.  Free software that has been released for public use allows anyone to make proprietary redistributions.

There is proprietary software which comes with source code and users can use, study and even modify the software, but they restricted from redistributing modifications to the software by licences or non disclosure agreements.  They are also restricted from sharing the software.

Shareware software is proprietary, but it has a limited life and is generally offered on a trial basis, after which it is either disabled, or restriction of use are imposed.

Propreitary software which no longer marketed by its owner and which is used without permission is called abandonware.  IT may or may not include source code, but some has its code placed in public by its author.  This software is known as free software, not proprietary.

What are your rights?  The reason behind software licensing is that it exempts those who publish it from all liability under ‘consumer protection laws’.

There is no actual tactile product involved.  The purchaser of the software has not rights and none are placed on the publisher either. Nor are there any requirements which state that the program even works.

When you purchase software you are buying the privilege to use it, in accordance with certain conditions contained in the licence.  This privilege can be revoked by the software publisher at anytime, even without any just cause and if the publisher decides that they no longer want to support their product, or issue more licences, there is no recourse for the customer which leaves them in a sticky situation and might even force them to do something illegal, just to keep their systems running.

This is a very one way contract which is law.  This law reduces the client’s right while affording new rights to software publishers who are able to invade computers and computer networks without permission.  Publishers are also able to disable use of their product if they believe any infraction to the licence has been done, whether real or not.

In business, ethics as well as the cost of licence compliance must be evaluated as well as the cost of the risks if compliance is not adhered to.  A business is in peril if they do not adhere to this compliance in every detail.  Larger companies understand these risks and have found the consequences of infraction unacceptable, so in order to prevent penalties or worse, they have established strong licence compliance policies amongst users.  This leaves the ‘licence police’ looking at the more defenceless smaller organisations instead.

Outsourcing your IT support enables you to leave these worries behind as your IT support company can look after the legalities and all licensing issues.  That leaves you to get on with running your business.