Benefits of Custom Web Applications

What Can Custom Web Applications Do for You?

If you’ve got a website for your business, web application development services could take it to the next level. Custom web apps are the hallmark of a truly great website and can supercharge your business by streamlining data collection, automating data entry, improving collaboration, and more.

Custom-built web apps are guaranteed to work for you, as they are tailored to your site, as well as your needs and priorities. Want to learn more? Read on to discover some of the biggest benefits of custom web applications.

What is a custom web application?

To begin with, let’s cover the basics. Many website owners haven’t had to deal with web apps and may not know what they are, let alone the difference between a custom-built app and an off-the-shelf solution.

A web app sounds like it might be similar to a mobile app but it’s not. Web apps are tools that can be integrated into a website to help gather and process data. A classic example is the “shopping cart” used by so many online retail stores. Contact forms are another example of a web app that has become ubiquitous across the internet.

Custom web apps are tools—like those mentioned above—that are tailor-made for one business. You will probably have used some in the past without realising, as their implementation can be subtle, and often the sort of thing that only another web developer might notice. For instance, a hotel might develop a custom app for booking rooms, and a restaurant might develop a similar but unique custom app for booking tables.

So, how can this concept benefit you?

Custom apps always fit

A custom web app is usually designed from the ground up to solve your problems. If you’re struggling to find a solution that fits your business model, chances are a custom app can be tailored to work exactly how you and your customers want it to. Conceptualising custom apps can be difficult when the possibilities are endless, so here’s another example! If your industry requires that you track a lot of clients, a custom web app can be used to collect and store their details, and then automatically populate them into new forms when you need to send details to other departments or refer them to other businesses or providers. Ultimately, a custom app can serve any need you require it to.

Make long-term savings

Ready-made web applications are cheaper than custom solutions, but custom solutions stand to save you more over their lifetime. Usually, pre-made software needs to be adjusted so that it works for you, and this can lead to hidden costs that aren’t obvious upfront.

Software that isn’t purpose-built also carries a risk of complicating a process for you, rather than simplifying it. It shouldn’t if implemented well, but the fact is that using the wrong tool for the job can still lead to issues. In a worst-case scenario, you could end up needing secondary web apps to help shore up the holes you’ve found in the first solution, leading to more expenses. Custom-made web apps don’t have holes by definition, as they’re created to predict potential issues.

Streamlined support and maintenance

Website support and maintenance is vital to your online profile, and web apps do factor into this. Complex website applications need particular attention but when you opt for a custom app, you can be sure that maintenance and troubleshooting will be hassle-free. There’s a straightforward reason why; when you create a custom app, the developer who built it for you will be in charge of keeping it updated and managing any troubleshooting. This also means your custom app will be more reliable because it is maintained by the developer who knows it best.

When you opt for a pre-made app, the developer won’t be in charge of support or maintenance for it; they are more likely to focus full-time on selling that app as is, meaning you’ll be in charge of keeping it maintained. This also means your web developer will be less familiar with the nuances of the app and will need time to learn how it works before they effectively address some errors.

Get the perfect solution today from FutureLab

Here at FutureLab Digital, we create tailored solutions for a range of industries. No matter what you need, we can develop a solution that will solve your problems, including a few you didn’t even know you had! Get in contact with us now to find out more about how a custom web application could take your commercial website to the next level.