Business management software comes in many, many flavors. There is something for everyone. The big challenge is finding an off-the-shelf solution that works well for your organization without requiring workarounds. Speaking of workarounds, two that we are frequently challenged to address are directly related to logging into business software.

Here they are:

1. Sharing logins to avoid paying for additional seats; and
2. Not providing login credentials to some employees in order to control data access.

Both are workarounds to off-the-shelf software that make life more difficult than it needs to be. Custom business software is the solution. When Modest builds your software on top of our customized business software platform, the login issues go away.

Sharing Logins Among Employees

When it comes to sharing logins to avoid paying for additional seats, we get it. Software licenses can be prohibitively expensive, especially when vendors charge for every seat instead of offering a more economical group license.

Unfortunately, sharing logins is risky. Software developers do have the legal right to license their software as they see fit. They also have the right to enforce said licenses. Being found out of compliance can get very expensive very quickly.

We Don’t Charge for Extra Seats

Here at Modest, we don’t charge for extra seats. We work out a price that both we and the client feel is fair. After that, extra users are welcomed with open arms and at no additional charge. You can have as many seats as you want. You can have as many as you need to ensure that all the work gets done. You will not pay a dime extra.

We believe there is a better way to develop and offer business software. A big part of what we do involves not nickel and diming customers to death through licensing fee structures. When we say you don’t pay for extra seats, that’s exactly what we mean.

Not Providing Login Credentials

Not providing credentials to certain employees in order to prevent data access is another common practice we fully understand. Data is sensitive. It needs to be protected at all costs. But not giving employees credentials only prevents them from participating in the workflow. It could mean extra work for those employees who do have credentials.

It turns out there is a better way to do things. How? We can approach business software security from a permissions-based mindset that limits access to data based on need. We can assign access controls to your entire database as well as your applications. Then we can assign each user a role. Users only have access to data and applications their roles call for.

It Doesn’t Have to Be All or Nothing

Business software security doesn’t have to be an all or nothing deal. It is not like you need to throw open the doors to everyone or lock out the entire world completely. Through the judicious application of permissions and roles, access to both data and applications can be tightly controlled. Everyone on your team can be given login credentials without sacrificing security.

Off-the-shelf business software works well for a small number of businesses. But truth be told, most businesses would be better off with custom management software. Software customization solves plenty of problems including sharing logins to avoid additional licenses and locking some people out in order to control data access.

If you are not convinced, give the Modest team the opportunity to show you exactly how all this works. We would relish the opportunity to try to convince you that our custom business management software can solve your organization’s login problems.

Imagine the following scenario: a company has been using the same legacy business software for more than 20 years. It is no longer keeping up, so Mike is given the task of finding an adequate replacement. His biggest problem is the many software pain points his colleagues complain about. And since new software means new pain points, he is stifled in his search.

Does this scenario sound familiar? Have you ever found yourself in a similar position? Pain points are one of the biggest hurdles to adopting new business management software. Too many pain points can stop you in your tracks. It is easy to find yourself so afraid of adopting new software that you never actually do. Meanwhile, your legacy software continues to be more of a burden and less of a helpful tool.

5 of the More Common Pain Points

There are as many software pain points as there are business software developers. Pain points come in all shapes and sizes. Below are five of the more common ones we have encountered as a custom software development firm. Perhaps you are familiar with them.

1. Compatibility

Rarely do companies rely on a single piece of business management software to run everything. Rather, multiple software solutions are employed. This creates a problem when it’s time to upgrade or replace – new software isn’t necessarily compatible with the other packages a company is using. Sometimes new software is not compatible with a company’s current business or workflow.

2. Software Bloat

Software bloat can be a pain point on multiple levels. First, bloat can make new software too overwhelming for users to learn. Second, companies pay for bloat. A company could spend a lot of money on a bloated piece of software filled with features that will never be used.

3. Missing Features

The other side of the bloat problem is business management software lacking critical features. Missing features do not help people get their work done. Meanwhile, the IT team needs to spend a lot of time creating workarounds.

4. Lack of Support

Off-the-shelf business software rarely comes with the kind of support businesses need. Without proper support, a piece of software can become a real nightmare. Have you been there?

5. Price and Value

Shopping for new business software makes one realize just how expensive running a business can be. Price is a big pain point. In addition, a perceived lack of value makes the pain point hurt even more. If you feel like you are paying too much and not getting enough in return, you may be reluctant to buy new software in the future.

Custom Software Is the Answer

It is not possible to eliminate every pain point that comes with business software. Pain points are a normal part of the equation. But there is a way to minimize them: a custom software solution from a company committed to developing packages around how you already do business.

Custom business software can have its own pain points. Here at Modest, we limit the pain points by learning your business. We learn what you do, how you do it, and whether you think you can do it better. Then we design software to fit your unique needs. You get nothing more and nothing less.

Every software package we develop comes with our full support. We will answer your questions, help you troubleshoot problems, and even teach you how to use your new software. We do what we do because we believe in the power of customized business solutions. If pain points are keeping you from upgrading your software, let us talk.

Modern companies are not afraid to tell their customers just how innovative they are. Meanwhile, management routinely talks about innovation during team meetings, collaboration sessions, and training sessions. Here at Modest, we believe in innovation, too. So much so that we also believe companies can harness custom business software to drive their innovation.

Software is part and parcel of modern business. No one does paper anymore. Everything is electronic, digital, and computer based. Therefore, business software forms the foundation of everything a company does. A company trying to be innovative without software capable of supporting innovation is not going to get far.

Off-the-Shelf vs. Custom Business Software

The developers behind off-the-shelf business software do their best to innovate. Yet off-the-shelf software has one major flaw: it is designed to appeal to the broadest possible customer base. That might be good for them in the sense of being able to sell a lot of licenses, but it is not good for their customers.

Custom software goes way beyond automation. It goes beyond the basics like connectivity, file sharing, and group collaboration spaces. Custom business software is designed to solve very specific problems – with direct solutions rather than workarounds. It can be designed to capture unique data points or give a company an edge over its competitors with features not found in off-the-shelf solutions.

A Tailored Solution

By its nature, custom business software is a tailored solution. We take that concept one step further by making it our business to learn and understand yours. We take the tailored solution concept to its logical conclusion by designing software around how your company does business. You tell us what you do and how you do it; we create software to make it happen.

A big advantage of tailoring each solution to the customer is winding up with a package that contains only the required features and nothing more. You are not saddled with bloated software loaded with features you will never use. You also don’t have to find workarounds for missing features.

Automation and Data Capture

Business management software is made better when automation is built in. Let’s face it, there are some routine and basic business tasks that don’t really require human intervention. They can be automated through a custom business software solution. Automation frees employees to do more important things. Your team has more time to innovate because it is not spending time on mundane tasks.

Along with automation is customized data capture. This is where some of the most exciting innovations are born. We write software that can capture as little or as much data as you want. You and your management team can then figure out how to use that data to the company’s advantage. You supply the metrics; we will find a way to capture them in your business software.

You Maintain Control

The secret to using business software to drive innovation is maintaining control over the software environment. Rather than your company’s business software being in control, you and your team members are running the show. You use your custom business software as a tool for doing whatever it is you do best. And because the software is customized to your current workflow and practices, it pushes you forward rather than pulling you back.

Innovation is critical to moving forward in modern business. If your company is lacking in innovation, could it be that your business software is holding you back? The possibility is worth considering. In the meantime, reach out to Modest and let us show you how custom business software can help drive innovation within your company.