Capturing the attention of new clients can be complicated, impacting the budgets of both B2C and B2B companies alike. Yet it determines your enterprise ability to expand and thrive in today’s competitive landscape. Imagine a scenario in which your enterprise connects with potential customers, provides personalized experiences, and leaves a lasting impact.
It’s custom software that allows business experts to tap into the bigger potential of their brands. Discover how to attract new customers by utilizing the versatility and scalability of custom software solutions.
6 Benefits of Custom Software to Attract More Clients
For companies aiming to excel in their industries, attracting more clients is a crucial objective. While off-the-shelf software solutions may offer some benefits, developing custom software specifically tailored to your business needs provides a significant competitive advantage. For one, custom solutions offer distinct advantages when it comes to creating exceptional customer experiences. And according to McKinsey, businesses that prioritize customer experience outperform their competitors in terms of revenue growth and customer loyalty.
Related material: Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf Software: Which Is the Right Solution for Your Enterprise?
Here are more reasons why investing in custom software development is the ultimate game-changer for businesses seeking to grow:
1. Increased Customer Satisfaction
Imagine how your customers will feel when they interact with an intuitive interface that effortlessly guides them toward their goals. No more confusion or struggles in finding what they need. Instead, customers are welcomed by a user-friendly interface that anticipates their needs, understands their intentions, and presents information in a logical and intuitive way.
With custom software, business leaders have the power to infuse the brand’s identity and visual style and to make the experience memorable. And by leveraging data analytics and customer profiling, the solution can deliver personalized recommendations, suggestions, and offers. With all these tailored experiences combined, you can make your customers feel understood and valued, elevating their satisfaction to unprecedented levels.
2. Improved Customer Loyalty
Continuing from the previous point, tailored experiences make customers feel valued and understood, fostering a bond of trust and loyalty with your brand. They develop a strong emotional connection that transcends mere satisfaction. This feeling is the key to cultivating a base of devoted people who will choose your brand over competitors, time and time again.
When you reach a level of enterprise, you may dismiss building a brand and establishing loyalty as something you’ve already done. However, it’s important to recognize that maintaining and nurturing these aspects requires ongoing effort and dedication. While you may have existing customer loyalty, complacency can be detrimental in a competitive market. So why let it slide when well-executed custom software can do some of the heavy work?
3. Added Value
Investing in custom development unlocks a realm of possibilities to enhance your products or services. This is because custom software goes above and beyond basic functionalities, with unique features and capabilities that are tailored to users’ needs and desires.
Such software can offer even greater value by integrating with other systems and platforms. The right combo of integrations will enable your organization to provide a holistic solution to your customers, whether it’s integrated with CRM systems, eCommerce platforms, or third-party services. The result is a unified and cohesive experience that simplifies interactions and adds convenience to attract customers.
4. Addressed Security Concerns
When going the custom route, you get to dictate which security features to implement. Most development teams would encourage you to include encryption, multi-factor authentication, and role-based access controls, but you can go even further. Instead of being limited to pre-packaged security measures, all the decisions are ultimately yours.
Read also: Big Data: Security Issues and Challenges
Also, you can initiate security audits and updates to identify and address vulnerabilities essentially whenever you feel the need to. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of potential breaches and demonstrates your commitment to maintaining a secure environment.
5. Technological Superiority for Greater Impact
Another benefit when you develop custom software is being able to select the latest and most relevant technologies. It allows you to stay at the forefront of technological advancements and leverage emerging tools and frameworks that can revolutionize the way you operate. Whether it’s implementing artificial intelligence, machine learning, RPA, or blockchain, the possibilities are endless. It will enhance the functionality and efficiency of your software and, as a bonus, impress your clients.
6. Better Scalability
Not every solution out there will lay a strong foundation for future growth. And the ones that do often charge exorbitant fees for scalability options or require complex migration processes. But it’s possible to scale seamlessly without incurring additional costs or disruptions.
The development team can tailor the architecture and infrastructure to accommodate your anticipated growth, ensuring that your software can handle the expected increase in users, transactions, and data volume. Any bottlenecks or limitations will be identified and addressed during the development process. As your client base expands, your software will be able to handle the increasing workload without sacrificing performance or user experience.
How Custom Software Allows Businesses to Grow
Let’s explore real-life examples and success stories that demonstrate how software development services can empower companies to achieve growth. From startups to established enterprises, everyone can enhance customer experiences.
Automotive
The BMW iDrive 8 infotainment system exemplifies how custom software helps companies grow and appeal to high-paying clients. The new gauge cluster graphic in iDrive 8 showcases a non-traditional yet visually pleasing design. Its minimalistic mode minimizes distractions and provides a clean and uncluttered display. While it may not represent a significant functional overhaul compared to its predecessor, it demonstrates the level of care in refining and optimizing existing features.
BMW’s proprietary navigation system within iDrive 8 continues to impress with its instructions. It provides audible and visual cues with clear and detailed maps on both the screen and the head-up display, ensuring drivers have the necessary information to navigate effectively. This level of precision and user-friendly design contributes to a safer and more enjoyable driving experience.
Explore today: Navigation Systems Portfolio
Healthcare
In healthcare, there is a case study involving diabetes and glucose monitoring introduced as a new feature in a mobile application. The new feature addressed a pressing health concern and provided users with a comprehensive tool to monitor their glucose levels. This addition not only catered to the needs of existing users but also attracted a wider audience interested in effective health management.
The impact of this custom solution has been significant. With over 29 million users worldwide, the client’s mobile application became a go-to platform for diabetes management.
More than 50,000 users have already tried the new glucose monitoring feature, and the number continues to grow. To achieve such results, the client cooperated with the software development powerhouse. The successful implementation was made possible through two years of continuous cooperation, and it helped the company capitalize on the growing demand for diabetes management solutions.
Geospatial Industry
As a renowned geographic information system provider, Esri developed an exceptional software platform called ArcGIS. With a focus on attracting clients seeking tailored geospatial solutions, Esri excels in several domains, including spatial analysis and data science, field operations optimization, precise mapping, immersive 3D GIS experiences, advanced imagery and remote sensing, and comprehensive data collection and management.
Through this approach, Esri not only attracts potential customers but also solidifies its position as an industry leader. They showcase their capabilities, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with spatial data and establishing themselves as pioneers in the geospatial realm. Instead of keeping their solution stripped back to the basic functionality, they went above and beyond to adapt and evolve alongside their customers’ changing needs.
eCommerce
An example from the eCommerce and retail industry is an AR-based web solution for virtual try-on of eyewear. An eyewear manufacturer and online retailer couldn’t improve their business reach and reduce churn rates. They sought to develop a feature that would allow customers to try on eyewear products in real time and place orders from the app.
How it Works: Check yourself with the AI-integrated demo
The incorporation of machine learning and AR technology made it easy to integrate a 3D virtual model into the existing platform. Additionally, the AI integrated virtual try-on solution included a “See your glasses without glasses” technology, which catered to customers with visual impairments or disabilities.
By providing an interactive shopping experience, the technology boosted customer satisfaction and sales. Ultimately, the feature launch captured the attention of the target audience and positioned the client as a forward-thinking and customer-centric brand.
How to Build Custom Software to Propel Your Business Success
Here is a curated list of tips on how to build custom software that will take your enterprise to new heights.
Read also: Custom Enterprise Software Development: What to Keep In Mind before Your Next Project
Focus on Experiences
Companies often fall into the acquisition trap when they prioritize short-term acquisition measures over customer engagement and retention. This approach can hinder long-term growth. A shortsighted approach can impede long-term growth and hinder the overall success of your organization. In contrast, customer experience leaders focus on nurturing growth from existing customers by continuously enhancing their experience and encouraging them to use more of the company’s offerings over time.
So, it’s a good practice to prioritize understanding your customers on a personal level and deliver targeted tools to the target market at the right moments. This means going beyond simply worrying about attracting new customers and instead focusing on building meaningful relationships with everyone using your software or integrating with the business. Not only does it drive customer satisfaction and loyalty, but it also leads to positive word-of-mouth referrals.
Engage Skilled Software Developers
By working with experts in custom software development, you send a clear message to your clients and potential customers: your enterprise is committed to delivering a seamless and tailored experience. You’re ready to tap into a wealth of expertise and resources that you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Custom software development companies with skilled teams have worked with a diverse range of clients, from startups to multinational corporations. They are well-versed in the latest technologies, programming languages, and frameworks, and they can leverage the most suitable tools for your project.
Emphasize Flexibility, Collaboration, and Iterative Development
Let’s discuss the role of each component. By designing software that can be easily modified and scaled, you can quickly pivot your offerings, seize new opportunities, and stay ahead of the competition. This way, your software will remain adaptable to future challenges and growth trajectories.
Then, you want to bring together diverse perspectives, skills, and experiences. For one, it means involving stakeholders from different departments and levels of the organization to create a solution that meets a wide range of organizational objectives. But it also means leveraging the collective skills and perspectives of multi-skilled development teams.
And the third component—iterative development—will be essential for refining your solution in cycles. Each iteration will involve gathering requirements, designing, implementing, and testing specific features or functionalities. This way, you’ll be able to quickly address any issues and adjust way before presenting the final product to customers.
Take a Mobile-Friendly Approach
Making software products accessible and usable for consumers on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices is an absolute must. First and foremost, your software should be responsive. The team behind it must ensure that it automatically adjusts and optimizes its layout and functionality based on the user’s device screen size and orientation.
Another important aspect is intuitive mobile navigation because mobile users have different interaction patterns and expectations compared to desktop users. So, try to incorporate simplified menus, touch-friendly buttons, and streamlined workflows.
And for a positive user experience, you also need good performance. Slow-loading pages or clunky performance can lead to user frustration and abandonment, hindering your ability to grow. Therefore, it’s crucial to prioritize performance optimization when developing any software solution.
Prioritize Data Security Measures
Having secure software helps preserve your company’s reputation and credibility. If you compromise a customer’s data in any way, it can lead to the loss of that customer forever. Word spreads quickly, and a data breach or security incident will most likely crash your company’s image. Trust is a fragile asset, and once it’s broken, it’s challenging to regain.
Customers are increasingly concerned about the security of their personal information, and they are more likely to trust a company that has a proven track record of keeping sensitive data safe. Having a reputation for secure software not only instills confidence in your existing customers but also serves as a valuable selling point for potential customers. Those who haven’t had the chance to develop any loyalty to your organization will be particularly cautious.
Establish a Support System
Support system refers to a comprehensive framework to assist users and address any issues they may encounter. In any software, users need prompt and reliable assistance when they encounter challenges or have questions. But it becomes even more valuable when you opt for custom development, as there may be unfamiliar aspects for users.
A dedicated support team or helpdesk is a good tool to address customer concerns, resolve issues, and provide the necessary guidance to navigate any new or unclear features. First, it enhances the user experience; and second, it builds trust and loyalty because customers feel supported and valued throughout their interaction with the software. Another way could be self-service resources (comprehensive documentation, FAQs, video tutorials, and knowledge bases).
Create a Feedback Loop
Let’s say you’ve successfully launched your custom software, and it’s now being used by your target audience. The journey doesn’t end there. To ensure the continuous improvement and growth of your business, it is crucial to establish a feedback loop:
- Collect. This can be done through surveys, user interviews, focus groups, social media interactions, etc. You should be interested in users’ opinions, preferences, and pain points so that you can align further software development efforts accordingly.
- Analyze & plan. Look for common themes and recurring issues that users are facing to plan out enhancements, bug fixes, and new features.
- Implement. For this step, the development team you’re partnered with will make sure the resources, time, and technical feasibility required for each enhancement or bug fix are all considered.
- Notify. Once the changes and improvements are there, communicate them to users. This will demonstrate your responsiveness to their feedback and keep them informed about the continuous evolution of the software.
- Ask. Lastly, keep the loop going and ask for more feedback.
Attract New Customers with Custom Software Development
To ensure the success of custom software projects, consider partnering with a reliable software development company. The collaboration will involve effective solutions and enhancements that align perfectly with your goals and vision. And if one of your goals is to attract new customers, the focus will be on driving customer acquisition and retention.
And you won’t get there with just off-the-shelf software. It simply falls short when it comes to creating unique and engaging experiences for your customers. You’ll want to conduct a deep investigation into customer preferences, behaviors, and needs. Only then will corporate leaders and development teams gain the insights necessary to make informed decisions and bring out a solution that truly resonates with the target audience. Reach out today.
