Custom application development: software that fits how your organisation works
Your team works with separate Excel files, a CRM that is half used and a stack of integrations nobody dares to touch. Then the question comes up by itself: shouldn't we just have a custom application built? The answer is not always yes.
Why have a custom application built?
Sometimes standard software is exactly right. But as soon as your processes are genuinely different from those of an average company, a standard package costs you time and energy every day. In this article you read when custom work pays off, what the process looks like and what to look for when choosing a partner. We also explain why Mobile XL is a logical choice for larger organisations and companies with activities abroad.
Standard software is built for the average. Your organisation isn't average. You have your own way of quoting, your own customer follow-up and your own agreements with suppliers. With standard software you adapt your way of working to the package. With custom software it is the other way round.
That gives you a number of advantages
Custom software is not a luxury for companies with a big IT budget. It is a choice for companies that want to organise their work better than a standard package allows.
The business problem first, then the technology
At Mobile XL we don't start with the question of which technology you want. We start with the question of which problem you are solving. Do you want less manual work in sales or customer support? Better insight for management? Stronger customer communication? Only once that is clear do we look at the tools.
Sometimes it turns out you don't need a completely new application, but a smart set-up of Zoho or Creatio. Then we say so, even if it earns us less. We want to be a partner who knows you for the long term and thinks along critically, even when you don't ask.
The process: what a custom project looks like
A good application doesn't come from throwing a list of wishes over the wall. These are the steps we go through.
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Introduction and process analysis
We first look at how the work really runs, not how it is described on paper. We talk to the people who carry out the process every day, map where time is lost and decide which problems deliver the biggest gains.
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Initial design
Before any code is written, we create a design. It consists of screens, workflows and the logic behind them. You see and click through how the application will work. Changing things at this stage is much cheaper than during the build.
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Involving your people
This is the step that many projects skip, while it decides the outcome. The people who will work with the application help shape the design. They know the exceptions and the workarounds that aren't in any process document. Those who help shape it also feel ownership of the result. That makes the rollout a lot smoother later on.
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Development in steps
We build the application in manageable parts. You regularly see working parts and can adjust course, so you don't wait months for an end result that might not be quite what you meant. Whether it is a web application, a desktop program or a mobile app: the same approach applies.
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Test phases
Testing happens at several levels. First we check technically whether everything works as designed. Then employees test it with real situations from their daily work. We process their feedback before the application goes live.
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Training and onboarding
An application is only a success if people enjoy working with it. That is why we plan training and onboarding from the start. Employees get to know the application in the context of their own work, not through a general manual. After go-live we also remain available for questions and improvements.
What Mobile XL can build
Mobile XL automates and improves processes for clients in the mid-market and upper SME segment. Our focus is on the front of the organisation: sales, marketing, customer support and management. That is often where most of the manual work is, and where improvement delivers results straight away.
That combination means you don't have to choose a party that only sells one particular package. We choose the tools that fit your question.
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Own desktop and mobile applications
If a standard platform isn't enough, we build software that does exactly what you need.
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Data structures and customer communication
We make sure data is structured consistently, so reports are reliable.
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AI applications
We use AI tools where they demonstrably take work off your hands, for example when summarising conversations, sorting requests or drafting documents.
Why Mobile XL suits larger organisations
The larger the organisation, the heavier the consequences of an application that doesn't fit. More users, more departments and more integrations call for a partner who looks beyond the first screen.
We work for organisations in the mid-market and upper SME segment, and that translates into an approach with a number of characteristics.
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A steady partner for the long term
We really get to know your organisation and think ahead about what will be needed in two or three years.
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Critical advice, even when you don't ask
You don't get yes-men, but someone who also tells you when something isn't a good idea.
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Attention to buy-in
With larger teams the rollout is at least as important as the build. That is why we involve employees from the very first design.
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Room to grow
We build in a way that lets new departments, processes or locations connect later.
Why Mobile XL suits organisations with activities abroad
As soon as you work across borders, software gets harder. Employees speak other languages, work in other time zones and deal with other currencies, VAT rules and privacy legislation. A custom application can handle that, provided you take it into account from the start.
When having a custom application built for international teams, think of:
- multilingual screens and communication with customers in their own language;
- support for multiple currencies and tax rules;
- data storage that fits the privacy legislation of the countries you operate in;
- roles and permissions per country, region or location;
- one overview for management, even when delivery differs locally.
Because we don't start with the technology but with your process, we bring these differences into view before they cause problems.
No standard package fitted the way we work. The application Mobile XL built does exactly what we need and connects to our existing systems.
Frequently asked questions about custom application development
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That depends on the scope, the number of integrations and the complexity of your processes. We only name a fixed amount after the analysis phase, because a price without that knowledge is a guess. We do make clear up front which elements determine the cost, so you can choose what to have built first.
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That also differs per project. A small application takes less time than a platform for several departments. Because we work in steps, you can often get started with a first part at an early stage.
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Not always. If your processes closely resemble those of other companies, standard software can fit perfectly well. Custom work pays off mainly when your way of working is a defining part of your competitive position, or when you spend a lot of time working around limitations.
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Yes. Integrations with, for example, your accounts, ERP or website are part of most projects. In the analysis phase we look at which integrations are needed and how we keep data consistent.
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We set that out in the contract up front. For data we make clear agreements about storage, access and security, so you know what happens to your information.
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An application is never finished. Your organisation changes and the software has to move with it. After go-live we remain available for support, maintenance and further development, so your application keeps fitting your work.
Fancy a chat about your situation?
Want to have a custom application built, but not sure exactly where to start yet? That is a perfectly good starting point. In a first conversation we look at your processes together and decide whether custom software, a smart set-up of Zoho or Creatio, or something else is the best route. Honest and without obligation.