Developing Bespoke Software: A Complete Guide

A local restaurant steps into online ordering and bookings, quickly gaining popularity as reservations increase and more orders pour in. However, their off-the-shelf software, designed for general purposes, becomes a daily struggle. Frequent crashes, unsatisfied customers, and unorganized data hinder their growth.

In such situations, businesses often consider developing bespoke custom-built software for their unique business needs and operational challenges. For the restaurant, such a system becomes a personalized software product that efficiently handles peak order volumes, smooth reservations, and more organized data.  

According to research, 71% of customers expect personalized experiences from a company, while 76% get frustrated if they don’t find them. That’s why 90% of leading marketers believe personalization significantly contributes to business profitability.

Continue reading about developing bespoke software, including its difference from off-the-shelf solutions, benefits and challenges, real-life examples, and the development process.

What is Bespoke Software Product?

A bespoke software product, also known as custom software, is developed from scratch, personalizing the entire development process from planning to implementation. It is tailor-made to support the company’s business workflow and user requirements.

But how exactly is it different from ready-to-use or off-the-shelf software? Let’s clear the air.

Bespoke Software Product Vs. Off-The-Shelf Software

Purchasing ready-to-use wooden racks can be convenient and quick, but what purpose do they solve if they don’t fit your space as expected?

On the other hand, a wood artisan can build the racks, choose the right type of wood, and personalize the design down to every detail. Yes, it might take longer and cost more because he needs to take measurements and build from scratch, but in the end, the racks fit precisely your needs and preferences for your space.

Getting pre-built or readily available off-the-shelf solutions is like purchasing generic racks with basic designs built for convenience but not to meet personal preferences. 

But with a bespoke software product, you hire a developer (your artisan) who creates the solution specifically for your business, addressing your unique requirements and operations.

While off-the-shelf solutions may appear convenient, they have several significant drawbacks that hinder your business operations. Here are some of the common issues faced by organizations using off-the-shelf solutions:

• Lack of flexibility: Off-the-shelf products cannot adapt to specific business workflows as their design and functionalities cater to a broad spectrum of audiences. 
• Over-burdened interfaces: Many solutions offer a wide range of features that may not be relevant to your business requirements, resulting in cluttered interfaces and complex user experience. 
• Higher long-term costs: Such solutions incur additional expenses for purchasing updates, integrations, or features not included with the license.

Off-the-shelf solutions can be great if you have general needs, but bespoke software syncs your business process and future growth. 

Understanding the key differences is vital in choosing the right option between bespoke software products and off-the-shelf solutions. To provide a clear difference, we’ve highlighted the key aspects of both systems in the following table: 

When to consider bespoke software development?

Now that you know the common challenges with off-the-shelf solutions, you may consider developing bespoke software for your business. However, not every business needs bespoke web app development.

Developing bespoke software is ideal for: 

• Large enterprises with advanced requirements 
• Innovative startups working with novel ideas and one-of-a-kind products 
• Niche markets with specific solutions
• SMBs looking for a customized solution / full ownership of the software

Choosing a bespoke software product is best if your business demands custom solutions that off-the-shelf products simply can’t provide. Consider developing bespoke software if your application requires the following:

• Unique functionality over the general feature set of off-the-shelf solutions
• Flexibility and unlimited scalability for growth and third-party integration 
• Competitive edge with custom features to improve the user experience 

Benefits of Developing Bespoke Software

Bespoke software development will cater to the specifics of your business, overcoming one size that rarely fits all. With a wide range of benefits, bespoke apps allow you to innovate and cultivate business growth.

Here are some benefits of developing bespoke software that keeps you ahead of the competition:

Customization

Unlike off-the-shelf solutions, developing bespoke software caters to a business’ organizational needs and processes. Bespoke apps create a custom and comprehensive system that your company may demand, allowing smooth data exchange and valuable insights.

Rather than looking for a software system to meet your app objectives or subscribing to tools that don’t fulfill your requirements, a bespoke software product can meet your unique business workflow and goals.

Scalability

Off-the-shelf solutions are built for fixed business sizes, market presences, and growth rates. We know how frustrating it can be when the software stops supporting your growing business as you extend its limits. 

Developing bespoke software will let you scale without a glass ceiling. Whether the number of users increases or market conditions change frequently, your bespoke software product can adapt to the growing business while maintaining the same performance and efficiency. 

Flexibility and Adaptability

Due to their dependency on software providers, off-the-shelf solutions can’t accommodate changes over time that may be necessary for your business to adjust to its users’ needs. But imagine introducing updates and new features to match your changing demands, and that too, as frequently as you’d like. Flexible, right? 

That’s how bespoke apps work. They allow advanced modifications and integration of newer functionalities throughout their lifecycle without dependency on a third-party provider. The added flexibility gives you control over your solution and lets your app adopt development trends to meet your business’s evolving needs.

Integration with Existing Systems

Businesses often store and retrieve data from various sources, including custom data collection solutions. The limitations of off-the-shelf software further increase with integration as they might not offer compatibility with such data systems. 

Developing bespoke software guarantees an easy integration of your existing business processes and data solutions, be it Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Product Information Management (PIM), etc. 

With bespoke apps, you get the complete liberty of selecting your data providers without worrying about integrational limits.

Competitive Advantage

According to reports, there are 5.44 billion internet users worldwide, amounting to 67.1% of the global population. Standing out in the increasingly crowded internet space is paramount, but how do you do that? 

With bespoke software products’ customization capabilities, you can implement unique functionalities, engaging interface elements, creative graphics, and AI integration. These bits help you adopt customer-centric business philosophies, giving you an edge over competitors by providing improved user experience and interaction.

Privacy and Security

Off-the-shelf solutions often struggle to implement strong security measures as they work with a generic protection structure. With the rising concerns for user data privacy and informational breaches, having higher levels of security has become essential.

A bespoke software product implements security protocols your business must adhere to, such as different encryption methods, multi-factor authentication, and access control systems. It builds a secure environment to handle sensitive data and eliminate threats specific to your business and industry.

Long-Term ROI 

Although bespoke apps have higher initial costs, they reduce long-term expenses. They eliminate recurring expenses such as annual subscriptions or licensing fees. By keeping up with your unique business workflow, bespoke software products demand less frequent updates and fixes and lower maintenance costs. Plus, with bespoke apps, you only pay for what you want, unlike off-the-shelf solutions that charge for unwanted features, too. 

Therefore, despite the higher upfront cost, developing bespoke software can be an excellent asset for your business, leading to significant savings over time.

Examples of Successful Bespoke Apps

To help you better understand how bespoke software development offers unmatched advantages to your business, we’ve curated some typical real-life applications of bespoke apps in different industries. 

Read along to understand how developing bespoke software has benefitted industry-specific businesses.

Healthcare

Healthcare facilities invest heavily in building patient-centric healthcare web applications, given the specific requirements of their institutions, patients, and medical professionals to access sensitive information. 

Although there are plenty of standardized options for healthcare management systems, finding the one that uniquely adapts to your medical practices can be challenging. Given these solutions deal with private medical data to get insights into patients and doctors, security is one of the major concerns of healthcare management systems. 

Bespoke apps in healthcare guarantee software built to systematically address the patient’s needs and maintain compliance with federal and regional regulatory standards, such as The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). They easily integrate with existing healthcare systems, allowing smooth administration while protecting from data leaks and breaches.

Take, for example, the Mayo Clinic. One of the most reputable healthcare facilities in the world used a bespoke software product developed for its specific requirements. The app simplifies patient data complexities, providing personalized care, education, and treatment plans with features such as:

• Appointment setting and management
• Secure messaging
• Online care access
• Quick and convenient report delivery

eCommerce

Who doesn’t know Amazon? As one of the largest e-commerce stores globally, Amazon’s mobile and web app offers everything – from seamless shopping experiences to recommendations and top-notch customer service.

But have you ever wondered what makes the app deliver such an exceptional user experience to us? Given its scalability limits, they can’t rely on a ready-to-use solution.

These big e-commerce stores often build a custom e-commerce solution to support their advanced inventory management, user-centric features, and third-party integrations. Their customized bespoke web app can handle large volumes of data, provide functionalities for a personalized shopping experience, and optimize logistics. 

While there are various off-the-shelf solutions for e-commerce, bespoke web app or mobile app development offers a user experience that helps your store stand out from the others. It can drive more retention with personalized capabilities to enhance your product offering.

Aviation Software

Emirates has comprehensive bespoke aviation software that manages a wide range of aircraft services and their operations. The software lets Emirates coordinate flights, manage fuel, ensure punctuality according to schedule, and achieve customer satisfaction through features like:

• Online booking
• Seat selection
• Book for additional baggage 
• Meal selection

Airlines rely on developing bespoke software for flight scheduling, cabin crew management, real-time aircraft monitoring, and various passenger services. Since airlines must have a secure, reliable, and smooth interface to manage their complex operations and processes, bespoke web app development or mobile app development can consider its industry-specific requirements to address the target audience’s pain points.

With bespoke apps, they can integrate APIs for flight booking, cater to operational efficiency, and practice strong safety protocols, improving overall app performance. This way, frequent travelers also get the convenience to plan and prepare their air journeys quickly and efficiently without any hitches. 

Travel and Booking

Imagine planning your next trip with a few taps—booking your hotel, finding rental cars, curating a cuisine guide—and that too without breaking your budget. The travel and booking industry also relies heavily on developing bespoke software to allow you to experience this sophisticated convenience.

The modern travel industry uses custom solutions for a personalized approach that helps travel booking platforms handle everything from hotel reservations to pricing and availability, crafted uniquely for every individual. 

Take Airbnb as a good example of bespoke web application development. Its system facilitates property listings, bookings, curated experiences during the stay, and engaging user interactions. It also establishes a consistent communication channel between hosts and guests, with real-time availability and personalized recommendations.

Delivery Services

What would we do without swift and reliable ways of sending and receiving goods? No more Amazon deliveries or sending gifts to your loved ones on Christmas. Nowadays, we even depend on delivery services for our essential groceries, medications, and meals. 

Delivery companies can implement bespoke apps to leverage advanced technologies to meet our demands and ensure an inviting experience. For example, Blue Dart’s bespoke web app allows users to track orders. 

Developing bespoke software makes sense for them as it enables them to manage warehouse inventories, plan routes, and provide efficient customer service.

The bespoke software product for delivery services can offer:

• Real-time delivery tracking
• Order processing
• Agent assignment capabilities
• Scheduling
• Customer communication for an improved user experience

And much more.

These custom systems implement a flawless balance between optimizing operations and meeting customer needs.

Bespoke Web Application Development Process 

At Anglara, we believe every business is unique, and so are its challenges. That’s why we emphasize the client-specific process of developing bespoke software to fulfill your unique business processes and aspirations. 

We’ve illustrated how we approach bespoke web application development for our clients, summarizing the key stages below.

Requirement Analysis

Before developing bespoke software, it’s vital to understand the requirements and analyze the business needs. This process generally includes brainstorming sessions and various exercises to identify the bespoke web app objectives and key challenges. 

To get the most out of this process, we involve our bespoke web application developers, your business team, and stakeholders in the analysis. It ensures a clear understanding of what needs to be built and how it meets the unique business goals.

Planning and Design

Based on the identified requirements, we create a blueprint and design of the bespoke web app, considering the scope and accessibility of the decided functionalities. Our designers work with different wireframes to improve user experience and consider different paths for developing bespoke software. 

Our bespoke web application development designers create detailed architectural diagrams reflecting how each design element interacts and operates. The diagram also serves as a comprehensive roadmap and design document for the bespoke web application developer team, reducing the chances of miscommunication and design overlook in the development process.

Development

In this phase, the bespoke web app development team works in short sprints, an iterative process of rigorous building and testing of the application. Developing bespoke software in sprints allows us to review the product after each sprint, giving scope for continuous improvements to ensure it meets your unique demands. 

This step is crucial in bringing your app vision to life. That’s why we use regular feedback loops to make quick adjustments and refine the bespoke software product.

Testing and Quality Assurance

You’ve likely experienced a custom-built buggy app that crashes frequently or leads to unexpected data behaviors. Launching a bespoke software product before testing its performance and practical usage often causes the app to be error-prone and unstable. 

The testing stage is essential to ensure bug-free and expected functionality under various conditions, such as stress testing, which identifies and rectifies faults before deployment. We encourage implementing user acceptance testing (UAT) to let the actual users interact with the bespoke web app and validate if it satisfies their needs.

Deployment

We know developing bespoke software can be long, but once you’ve successfully surpassed the above stages, it’s time to deploy the application product. Your bespoke web app is finally ready to be installed on the production servers with the necessary configurations for smooth operations and data flow. 

We offer comprehensive training and documentation of the system to help users easily adapt to the new bespoke software product. We also coordinate with your stakeholders to guarantee minimum business disruptions and downtime during this phase.

Maintenance and Support

Navigating the above stages and launching the app isn’t the end of developing bespoke software products. Bespoke apps require continuous maintenance to address technical issues throughout their lifecycle, optimize performance based on user feedback, and fix the reported bugs over time.  

Generally, bespoke web application developers manage maintenance, providing support and updates to ensure the app’s longevity. As your business needs evolve, we at Anglara constantly introduce updates and new functionalities to your bespoke web app.

Challenges and Considerations in Bespoke Web App Development

While having a custom-built bespoke app is exciting, certain challenges to developing bespoke software are common. From the high overhead costs to complex requirements, each challenge poses a hurdle, and you must tackle them with careful planning.

Below, we’ve summarized the key challenges to bespoke web app development and the potential solutions we offer our clients.

Time and Cost

What is the challenge? 

Although bespoke web app development offers wide customization solutions, it also comes with higher initial costs and development time, which can challenge business operations and exceed budget or development resources.

How we counter it: We implement effective scope management and an agile approach to developing bespoke software, providing a simplified project development cycle. We effectively employ the resources to meet unique business goals by prioritizing features and using iterative phases. Our agile approach reduces unnecessary expenditures while ensuring timely delivery, making bespoke web app development cost-efficient and prompt from the get go. 

Ongoing Maintenance

What is the challenge?

Many businesses overlook the need for ongoing maintenance and support after bespoke web application development. As security breaches and performance issues rise with increased user or technology evolution, the long-term viability of bespoke apps calls for timely maintenance.

How we counter it: We understand the importance of long-term support while developing bespoke software. Thus, we implement a maintenance plan offering regular updates, security checks, and performance evaluation. We ensure your bespoke software product remains reliable and efficient over time, making your investment worthwhile.

Complexity in Requirement Gathering  

What is the challenge? 

Noting all the requirements accurately for the bespoke web app is daunting, especially when dealing with multiple stakeholders with different visions. Furthermore, miscommunication or incomplete information makes a product unsuitable for business goals and user needs, causing expensive revisions and delays. 

How we counter it: We conduct an in-depth requirement analysis to understand the client’s business model, workflow, and goals via consultations, workshops, and stakeholder interviews. We leverage collaborative tools incorporating all detailed requirement specifications to centralize this communication and documentation. With dedicated project managers, we lower the chances of miscommunication, accurately bringing your bespoke web app vision closer to life.

Bespoke Software Development Cost and Timeline 

By now, you are likely curious about the bespoke software development cost to consider. Although we understand your concern about planning the resources early, there isn’t a definite, straightforward answer to your query. 

That is because bespoke software development cost and timeline can vary significantly based on the following factors:

• Complexity: The higher the app’s complexity, the higher the cost and time demands. 

• Third-party integrations: The more third-party services, such as payment gateways, CRMs, or APIs, are used, the more additional coding, security protocols, and testing will be required. This may impact the cost and timeline.

• Team size: A large team with highly skilled bespoke web app developers can quicken the process but cost more. Additionally, the team’s geographic location also significantly affects the development cost. A team of bespoke web application developers in the USA might charge much more for a project that could be quicker and cheaper when outsourced to bespoke web application developers in India.

• Scope of features: The number of features and their complexities determine the project’s complexity. The development process for sophisticated features such as user profiles, data analytics, or AI integration can take longer and often add to the overall cost. 

• UI and UX design: Simple UI/UX designs cost less than aesthetically appealing interface designs with custom animations and user interactions. It’s important to consider your users’ needs and preferences as you make design decisions.

You’ll know there’s a lot to gain at a much more affordable price when we draw out an estimate for you after discussing your specific needs with our bespoke web application developers. Contact us to discuss your project and get a personalized cost estimate.

Conclusion

Developing bespoke software is not just having the luxury of personalization. It’s necessary for any business that aims to grow and evolve over time. With a software solution built as per your needs, you connect users with your company’s aspirations while ensuring a future-proof solution. 

With the right development team, your bespoke app can support your business growth, providing better operational efficiency and sustained growth with engaging user experiences for better customer retention.

At Anglara, we’re dedicated to turning your vision into a reality with our comprehensive end-to-end bespoke application development services. Our team will guide you through each phase with expertise and precision, whether you’re at the initial concept stage or ready to build on an existing platform. 

Fill out our consultation form below to discuss how our services can help your business deliver a memorable experience to its customers.