Software and apps have undeniably become an integral part of our life to help us communicate, be more productive and do business. With the advancement in technology, let’s explore some of the most common types of software or apps you can find in Brunei Darussalam market.
Off-the-Shelf Software
This software is designed with standard features and requirements in mind, targeted at a broad range of customers. Since it is made for a large crowd of users, the same software can be widely distributed and sold without much customizations.
Pros:
- Quick to install and start using the software upon purchasing license
- It is usually the cheapest option, low upfront cost, usually one-time fee
- Access to community support and review
- Good documentation and support
Cons:
- May lack certain features. Due to lack of customization feature, the software may not be able to completely meet your business requirements.
- Not available on all devices unless they are compatible.
- Can have many features you do not need; can overwhelm the users.
- Further software improvements and updates depend on the software provider. There is normally no deep integration or customization available.
- Finding a certified local partner to support and train the users can be difficult.
Bespoke or Custom-Made Software
As the name suggests, this type of software is built uniquely to meet your business requirements. This is usually the recommended approach if you are looking for the perfect solution to your problem.
Pros:
- It can meet all the requirements outlined during the requirement analysis phase.
- Give you a competitive advantage over your competitors since custom-made software is not available to them.
- Need minimal user training to familiarize with the software due to highly customized user experience.
- Upgrade option will always be available to extend certain capabilities and features.
- Flexibility to deploy to own infrastructure.
Cons:
- Requirement and technical analysis play a crucial role. Poor approach can jeopardize the entire project or result in unusable software.
- Take a longer time to develop and deploy to production due to its built-from-scratch nature and customizations.
- Development cost can be expensive since solution is built entirely from scratch by certified and highly experienced software engineers/developers.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS is a type of online software where it is hosted on the cloud infrastructure by a software provider. Users of the software can access the service via Internet using web browsers.
Pros:
- Low upfront cost; No infrastructure cost.
- Eliminate the need for maintenance.
- Available on most devices since it is app or web-based.
- Software provider usually pushes new updates to the cloud software based on user feedbacks.
Cons:
- User-based monthly subscription model.
- No control over the software e.g. security since it is hosted by SaaS vendor.
- Finding a certified local partner to support and train the users can be difficult.
- Software does not work without Internet connectivity or server availability.
- Your business and customer data need to be entrusted to a third party.
- Most part of the software is not customizable.
- Future improvements or upgrades depend on software provider and can sometimes take a long time to add new features.
How to decide which software to go for?
Your requirements are a major factor in deciding the type of software to invest in. Since most Off-The-Shelf or Software as a Service (SaaS) software is already developed, they usually come with a free trial. You can test and see the response of your users. If they fall short of your expectations or lack certain features, you can consider looking for a certified software developer or software engineer to provide a bespoke or custom-made software solution.
Feel to free to reach out to us to discuss which software is the best fit for your business.
