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Expert Advice on How Much Custom Software Development Costs in 2021

In today's digital age, software development is critical for all enterprises. Even if you don't need to design custom software from the ground up, software support is unavoidable. Because there are so many variables that go into determining the final pricing, the cost of custom software development can vary dramatically.

To get an estimate of the cost and time it will take to develop custom software, you must first establish what kind of software you require for your company. In this case, many factors must be addressed. Some of these include the type of platform, goal functions, required features, specialized problem areas, and so on.

Once you've given the software development vendor or developer all of the pertinent information, they'll be able to provide you an estimate for the cost of software development and the obstacles you'll face.

1.       Enterprise Management with mobile applications

2.       Applications for offline work and security on the desktop

3.       Business applications based on big data

4.       Content Management Systems (CMS) are programs that allow you to manage your website's content

5.       Systems for Customer Relationship Management

6.       Real-time data monitoring and analysis applications

7.       Business process automation software

8.       Customer action portals on the web

9.       Ecommerce websites or online stores

10.   Workspaces in the cloud

There could be a slew of other forms of custom software. These apps might be simple, moderately complex, or sophisticated, depending on their complexity and functions. Each type takes a different amount of time and money to develop.

Before creating software development needs, consider the following questions.

Who will be the target market for the product?

Many questions must be solved before a useful bespoke program can be created. One of the first questions you should ask is regarding the product's user base. The software developer and the business owner/s can choose the functionalities, interface, and complexity level based on who would use the software.

This question is open to a variety of groups. The bespoke software can be geared towards online retailers, in which case the platform must be e-commerce friendly. If HR professionals use it, additional capabilities for personnel management should be implemented.

It must be tailored to the needs of clients if it is aimed at them. If students are the intended users, instructional functions such as assignment submission and record-keeping must be included. The development needs should be defined based on the application's end purpose.

If the software development needs aren't clear from the start, the process will be lengthier and bumpier.

What are the functions of the product?

Before deciding on a price, it's also important to know what functions the product is anticipated to fulfill. A software platform can be used for a range of tasks, such as data processing, reporting, client communication, and product sales, among others.

The software developer must be aware of the following considerations before quoting pricing.

The Product's concept: The app's concept, as well as what it's trying to do, should be obvious.

Wireframe: This is essential to comprehend the structure and priority of the website.

Features: It specifies which features are required, which are negotiable, and which, if any, should be avoided.

References: Having a point of reference before starting to construct the product is incredibly beneficial. In this case, any competitor's website or similar samples will suffice.

Because the cost of software development fluctuates with the addition or removal of each feature, it is critical to have a comprehensive understanding of the software product's tasks before committing to a cost or development timeframe.

How will users get access to the software?

The software development and deployment are heavily reliant on the access platform. It also has a direct impact on the price and features. To begin, you must specify whether you want the software to run on mobile devices, desktop computers, or both.

Android: Android apps are designed for mobile devices and include features that are optimized for a small screen. They also need to be updated and troubleshot on a regular basis.

iOS: If your user base is entirely made up of Apple users, your product can be built on the iOS platform. Most software developers, on the other hand, choose to create a product that can be utilized on both Android and iOS platforms.

 Desktop: programs are more extensive and heavier, but they tend to alienate a large portion of customers who prefer mobile devices. You can select to use a desktop setup depending on the required functionality.

Cloud: software is the most up-to-date type of software. These platforms function on shared resources and are accessible via the internet to people all over the world.

What Security Measures are required?

When you use default software, you run the risk of security concerns. This risk has become even more apparent in recent years as cyber-attacks, data breaches, and hacking have increased. Even a social media behemoth like Facebook has been slammed for failing to guarantee the privacy of all of its users.

As a result, it is preferable to use a tailored software solution to address security concerns. However, the cost of software development will be determined by the level of security you require.

There are several methods for making a platform secure. Multiple degrees of protection, encrypted data, and multi-factor authentication are some of the most well-known methods. For logging onto the platform, you should at the very least use a two-factor authentication solution.

Security features add layers to a program and complicate the software development process. As a result, it should be considered while determining the cost of custom software development.

Which Third-Party Apps Are Going to Be Connected?

The next factor to consider when estimating software development costs is whether any third-party apps will be required. Organizations frequently want software that can interact with their existing systems in order to create a unified environment. If the new product refuses to function with the old systems, the entire workflow may be disrupted.

You must determine whether third-party apps should be compatible with the software based on its purpose and functions. The Internet of Things network, e-wallets for e-commerce or retail websites, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, and even marketing and promotion platforms on social media are examples of these.

Do you have a favorite piece of technology?

As you may be aware, custom software can be created using a variety of programming languages or technologies. The language is also an influence on the cost of production.

To begin, you must determine whether the product will be developed using Java, PHP, MySQL .NET, or another platform. The structure and coding pattern of the product will change depending on this decision. As a result, it is a crucial element in determining cost.

Converting software written for one platform to code that is platform-agnostic is difficult and time-consuming. As a result, making this choice is critical to the software development company process. Before moving forward to discuss software development prices, any bespoke software development business would urge you to have a comprehensive understanding of topics such as third-party app integration, platform technology, and security measures to be applied, and so on.

Summary

The cost of a Industries Specific Custom Software Development project is heavily influenced by project management abilities. It is simple to determine a number that is best suited to the company's software requirements with good planning and estimation.

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Top 7 Reasons to Hire a Professional IT Outsourcing Company

What Is IT Outsourcing?

Outsourcing is a business practice in which a company hires third-party vendors to do various tasks on its behalf. IT outsourcing is the process of using an external service provider to perform any or more of a company's IT operations, such as infrastructure management, strategy development, and service desk management.

You can concentrate on your core business activities by outsourcing a few IT operations to a third party. It resolves capability concerns, improves service efficiency, and aids in the management of the business environment. Through this article, you will know more about IT outsourcing, its benefits, and how to choose the best IT outsourcing company.

Types of IT Outsourcing

A fully managed IT service is where the outsourcing provider takes full responsibility for IT maintenance and support. The managed IT service company will oversee, handle, and resolve problems within specified IT systems and functions.

Co-sourced IT support is a term used to describe an IT outsourcing firm that offers external support for your internal IT team. It is typically an approach taken by larger organizations.

Multi sourcing is when a business hires multiple vendors to provide different IT services. In most cases, the corporation would manage some IT tasks internally before outsourcing the others.

Benefits of IT Outsourcing

In the past few years, outsourcing your IT has become more than just a cost-cutting strategy. You can gain a strategic edge over your competition by using the capabilities of external IT service providers. Let's see the top advantages of outsourcing your IT.

1. Leverage a Wide Pool of High Skilled IT Talents

One of the primary reasons for outsourcing is the availability of a broad pool of qualified professionals. You may have the best people on your squad, but they aren't the best for every project. Moreover, due to the rapid evolution of technology, methodologies, and strategies, a single organization can't have sufficient expertise and resources to adapt to emerging developments rapidly.

IT outsourcing allows companies to reach out to individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge who are located all around the world. You do not always need particular expertise unless a project demands it. In such a situation, outsourcing comes in handy. Through outsourcing, you connect with talented resources who can help you achieve better results; meanwhile, you can focus on other critical areas of your business and the project.

2. Outsourcing Enhances Efficiencies and Boosts Innovations

When you need to recruit experts for activities that aren't often needed in your day-to-day operations but are necessary for special projects, outsourcing is the best option for your business. As a result, you'll have the best talent working on your initiative while your internal team works on the areas that suit their strengths and expertise.

Your in-house IT team is the most knowledgeable about your organization and business processes. Nonetheless, this also makes it difficult for them to do divergent thinking, innovate, identify inefficiencies in the systems, and propose new alternatives. Your team gains fresh perspective from external IT experts with vast experience across different sectors and technologies. Thus, one of the most significant benefits of IT outsourcing is having improved efficiencies and more innovations.

3. Flexible Staffing without Long-term Commitments

Outsourcing gives your company complete leverage over employee recruiting and management.  Based on your project demand, you can scale up or down your human resources.  For instance, if you have a project that needs IT professionals with expertise in a specific technology for which you don't have experienced human resources, you can save time and money in recruitment by outsourcing to a firm having experts in that particular technology.

A further advantage is that you can contract external talents for as long as you need them without committing to a long-term hiring agreement and benefits that you need to provide to your in-house staff.

4. It Gives You a Competitive Edge at Low Cost

A lack of competitive IT expertise and cutting-edge technological skills can cause growing companies to lose out on market opportunities. It can take months to hire an engineer and spend even more time preparing the whole team for the new requirements. This time-consuming process stops small businesses from immediately capturing market share, even though they have a novel idea, not to mention an increase in business cost.

IT Outsourcing helps you to escape the high investments of hiring and educating committed IT personnel. That is because, to begin with, a reliable IT service provider would recruit experienced analysts and train them on their own time rather than on yours.

Outsourcing also enables you to have the same human expertise as tech giants have, but at a reasonable cost. It allows you to compete with big companies in your domain by enabling access to their technologies and IT support systems. You can rise above your direct competitors if you have access to state-of-the-art IT potentials.

5. Cost Savings on Operations

Outsourcing saves money by reducing costs such as recruiting and educating new hires, delivering technology and services, renting space, paying taxes and benefits, and so on. Why not spend the money on innovation and long-term growth instead?

Assistance from third-party IT companies ensures that you only pay for the limited time or project rather than maintaining enormous in-house IT infrastructures with permanent human resources. You can get high-quality services at a lower rate through outsourcing to low-cost countries like the Philippines or India.

6. Mitigating Risks

Quick and easy access to the new-age IT capacities is critical to your business growth. A reliable outsourcing partner will keep the IT environment up to date and mitigate any arising risks. To minimize potential problems, they will ensure proper backups, push-out updates, and maintain inventory. The best IT outsourcing company will have the resources and experience to focus on minimizing downtime proactively.

Outsourcing your IT also lowers the likelihood of making a bad technological investment, and you'll already have access to technical expertise for major projects. Besides that, it is often impossible for a non-IT organization to mitigate internet security threats, like ransomware and data theft, resulting in million-dollar losses. Outsourcing companies help you reduce this risk thanks to their experience in the IT domain.

7. 24X7 Operational Capacity

This benefit is particularly valid for offshore IT outsourcing companies. Offshore outsourcing enables your business to operate 24X7, even when your in-house team is asleep. In your off-hours, your outsourcing partner works and sends it to you for analysis the following day. This way, you will strive for quicker project delivery and higher revenue generation.

How to Choose the Right IT Outsourcing Company

There are certain things about the IT outsourcing company that you should check to decide whether they are the right one for your requirements or not. Check testimonials, portfolios, past projects, and ratings. Carefully pay attention to their industry knowledge, quality assurance practices, and project planning and management. But, there are a few other considerations to examine before deciding on the best IT service provider for your business.

Company That Is Flexible & Follows Agile Methodology

Choose a company that follows the highly collaborative agile methodology of project management. It includes continuous development and testing that helps you be aware of each step. You get the delivery in iterations, so you can tell if everything is going well or needs some modifications. A good IT outsourcing company should combine flexibility with best practices.

Company That Communicates Efficiently

The right outsourcing company will encourage transparent communication. They will route your emails and messages to the right people in the company. They should also be able to speak without any language or cultural obstacles.

Company That Meets Your Scalability Goals

Scaling up your internal staff is both costly and time-consuming. The best outsourcing service providers will have the personnel and capacity to scale up rapidly. When project volumes surge during marketing campaigns or seasonal operations, this comes in handy.

Conclusion

Businesses choose IT outsourcing for a variety of reasons. It can help them cut expenses, boost competitiveness, and leverage outside skills, experience, and money. A professional IT consulting company will help you in making better decisions. They also make adjustments to policies to strengthen situations wherever required.

Choose an IT outsourcing company that can scale up fast, has a proven track record, and adheres to industry best practices. Working with reliable IT service providers would not only save you money but will also connect you with an experienced industry partner that will help you innovate. You can leverage round-the-clock operations with offshore outsourcing. An ideal IT outsourcing partner will help you minimize risks and stand out in the competition.

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We answer how businesses should go with digital marketing to keep their customers engaged with their brand during the pandemic

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Top VoIP Related Cyber Threats, and Their Solutions, Companies Must Know

A VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a software application, or softphone, that facilitates phone calls over the internet. Hiring a VoIP development services for digitalization sidesteps leased lines by routing straight into the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). These softphone programs, or digital phones, help organizations to:

Enhance productivity,

Improve efficiency and flexibility, and

Reduce cost.

The Power of VoIP

VoIP applications give you tremendous advantages. Aside from your set monthly VoIP bill, there is no connectivity charge or cost associated with VoIP services.  It also means that no additional cost for long-distance, as it doesn't matter where the call is going over the World Wide Web.

An efficient VoIP software application will have an easy-to-operate, user-centric design. These apps also handle the call-routing in a network; even provide flexibility to authorize a mix of company-owned and employee-owned devices.

Thus, with the power of VoIP, you can obtain cost-efficiency, flexibility, and ease of operations.

With Great Powers, Comes Great Responsibility

VoIP has a solid reputation for being a safe and reliable technology. That said, if you use computers or the internet, it's imperative to be aware of the associated security threats and necessary precautions.

Vishing (Voice + Phishing)

Vishing is a fraudulent technique where a hacker uses false credentials to trick call receivers into giving up confidential data. It is just like Phishing, where a fraudulent email seems authentic but has malicious intentions. But in vishing, instead of emailing, the hacker calls the target victim.

Often, the hackers in such cases may have some details on you, which give a false sense of confidence for their credibility. It can lead the agent to disclose sensitive information to the hacker.

Solution: Companies can mitigate vishing attacks to a great extent. Agents who are authorized to receive calls should verify the identity of a caller. Agents should also be instructed not to reveal classified details until they first received permission from their superiors.

Denial of Service (DoS)

A hacker inducts a blast of SIP call-signaling messages to block the VoIP network bandwidth. Denial of service, or DoS, often results in the halting of call processing and leads to premature VoIP call drops. It can not only hamper your business operations but also can let hackers have access to system administrative tools.

Solution: To reduce the impact of the DoS attacks, companies should separate data and voice traffic. You can use a VPN or encryption (if using WAN) to diversity the network. Alternatively, you can keep two dedicated separate connections and keep one dedicated to VoIP clients.

Using a VLAN, or virtual LAN, provisioned for VoIP calls, is also a good idea. It can also help you to discover unauthorized data flows and take timely action.

Call Tampering

Call tampering is a cyber-attack in which a hacker tries to degrade the clarity of your calls. The intention is to cause inconvenience or disrupt your business processes. Hackers do it by inserting noise packets into the data path.

Solution: You can keep hackers at bay by using proper authentication and data encryption. You can also use SIP (Session Initialization Protocols) to authenticate initiation, sustaining, and termination of real-time VoIP sessions. When you go for reliable VoIP development services, they find innovative and sophisticated solutions for security beforehand.

Eavesdropping

Eavesdropping means hackers intercept call streams to listen to the conversations. They gather sensitive information to commit identity theft and gain free access to your VoIP network. Cybercriminals who eavesdrop are known as phreakers as they phreak through VoIP networks to acquire access. 

Phreakers can misuse this sensitive information to cause the company harm, or they can use the access to make numerous calls on your bill.

Solution: Sophisticated authentication system can prevent identity theft. Your VoIP development services can help you with it. Although flexibility is a boon, restricting access to fewer trustworthy IP addresses is a good security measure. You can set up parameters to block IP addresses that have a certain number of failed log-in attempts.

Man in the Middle

Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack is a type of eavesdropping where the attacker injects himself into the communications channel, often between two trusted parties. MITM invaders can also use malware to infiltrate the communications channel. They can create zombie machines to eavesdrop and gather sensitive data and trade secrets.

Solution: Use firewalls, latest anti malware applications, and Wi-Fi Jammers to prevent a man-in-the-middle attack.

Train your employees on the dynamics and patterns of MITM attacks. Your training module should include case studies for quicker identification and decision-making during an actual invasion.

Conclusion

Making a VoIP system secure is more complicated than securing a straight data network. However, the advantages outweigh the risks if proper protocols and procedures are in place. Most of these threats, like phreaking and tampering, are also present in the traditional telecommunication setup. 

Therefore, ask a VoIP development services to digitize your calling operations with proper security measures. Also, a little bit of staff training on cyber security can go a long way.

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Advantal Technologies is a leading software development company that builds software for large firms and SMEs to enhance online productivity.

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Top Four Reasons for Your Business to Undergo a Digital Transformation

You can have a business in any sector. It could be a retail shop, or an ecommerce, or an intangible service. No matter which kind of business you have, a digital transformation is critical for your business to flourish in today's highly competitive environment. It is no longer an option but a choice between prevailing and perishing. Let's see the four most critical reasons for your business to undergo a digital transformation.

1. Your Customers, Internal and External, Demand DX

Digital transformation, or DX, means digital technologies integrated into all aspects of a business. The purpose is to improve and build new working processes while simultaneously delivering more value to users. However, just adopting new technologies is not enough unless your users feel the benefits of a holistic digital transformation. The user can be an employee or a customer.

People have become quite laid back in their lives these days. They are using digital technologies and solutions for even the simplest of tasks. Besides, more than half of the total population is under the age of 30 years. This generation wants quick and intuitive solutions. They buy, pay, and consume digitally, and they have a myriad of options for that. Therefore, your business must offer the ease and efficiency of a digital ecosystem.

2. Quicker and More Reliable Decisions

Businesses can take advantage of big data by putting data and analytics at the forefront of their digital transformation agenda. This data can be turned into useful strategic information with the appropriate collection of analytical methods, helping you make smarter & faster decisions.

Using AI-based technology to unlock the potential of big data may be the answer. Apply business analysis and AI-based systems to make better predictions for future trends. Artificial Intelligence can help you bring agility in analyzing highly dynamic and complex market-trends. It helps you make business endeavors in the right direction.

3. Better Employee Engagement with Digital Transformation

Retaining the productivity and engagement of employees becomes more challenging when your company adopts the hybrid work-from-home models. Digital technologies are letting employees become more efficient, not just individually but also as a teammate.

Of course, digital solutions can help you track the productivity of the employees. But, these transformations must do more for the employees. The main focus of digital transformation should be solutions that make their work more organized and let them conserve time and energy for producing quality and originality in their work. It should also make them feel well-connected with all business verticals for quicker resolutions and efficient collaborations.

4. Strengthening Partnerships

Companies are getting more dependent on one another, partnering with manufacturers and dealers, subcontractors, and specialist experts to create a wide variety of goods and services that cater to consumers.

Managing these partners often necessitates creating and exchanging documents. Manual documentation can cause human errors and confusion. They also hamper productivity. Digital technologies can streamline such correspondences. Similarly, internal systems can become more productive, agile, and scalable. In short, digital transformation creates the means to save time and resources while still improving corporate relationships over time.

However, often businesses don't prioritize such transformations. They want to wait for their business to grow a bit, and consider these developments as 'up-gradations' for later stages. However, your business will stay ahead of the game if you adapt digital processes early. Also, your business will become more accessible to potential partners. Interestingly, this accessibility is what helps your business to grow in the first place.

Way Forward

According to Statistics, more than half of global GDP would come from digitally transformed businesses by 2023. But, technology alone is not enough to revolutionize your business operations. Your organization also needs to boost its ability to adapt. Furthermore, you also require a dedicated IT and maintenance staff who can ensure that everything is up and running.

Also, it is important to ensure that overall human control is never lost in the digital landscape. Human control over the digital ecosystem will ensure the security of crucial data, and also allows reexamining the AI-based decisions.

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Advantal Technologies is a leading software development company that builds software for large firms and SMEs to enhance online productivity.

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What to Look When Choosing Software Development Company?

It is needless to say that the world is now on full-on digital mode. There is no sustainable business without an online presence. Not only that, every business operation is digital now. Whether it is your accounts, inventories, plants and manufacturing, transportation and logistics, services, gig employments, or customer support, software applications are everywhere.

 The new digital world is very dynamic, and it keeps evolving continually. Therefore, it is crucial to select a proficient Software development company that can help you to:-

  Heighten your digital     presence, 

Enhance the efficiency of     your business operations, and 

Increase your     profitability;

 Let us examine the criteria to choose the best IT consulting company.

 Deliberate on What You Need

 Start by deliberating, noting, and analyzing the problems you have, and the approach you are looking for to solve it. By properly understanding your requirements, you will be able to match them with the services, technologies, and methodologies of the software development company. It will help you to make a better choice.

 Equipped and Efficient Team

 A company is as good as the people working there. Check the qualifications of developers, designers, and engineers, working at an IT consulting. See what technologies they use, and ensure that they are using the state-of-the-art technologies and software development methods. Look at their past projects to get an idea of proficiency of the team at work.

 Reviews and Testimonials

 Check their portfolio to see what kind of projects they have been handling. Also, see the testimonials and client reviews to ensure the quality of their services. A partnership with an IT consulting company is a long term endeavor, and you cannot go wrong with the service quality you are going to get. 

Seamless Communication Channel

 The top Software development companies will follow the agile methodology in their software development life cycle. It means that there will be a constant channel of communication between you and the company. Therefore, the mode and quality of engagement with the company must be seamless. Ask them about the coordination strategy during the project life cycle and post-development services they are offering.

 User-Centric Software

 Inferior software is as bad as no software because it will not help you or the user in any way. When we say inferior software, it can mean a lot of things. The most crucial element here is the user experience. The user of your software can be your staff or your customers; in either case, it is imperative that the software they use let them perform the tasks faster, with fewer efforts and more efficiency. 

 In the case of employees, a good UX design will increase their productivity. While in the case of customers, a flawless user experience will enhance their engagement with the product. Customers choose products that are engaging, intuitive, and effectively solve their problems. Therefore, with better UX/UI design, you are ensuring more profitability. Furthermore, if it’s a websites, better user experience means low bounce rate and increased traffic.

 Therefore, ask your prospect IT development partner if they have a dedicated and proficient UX/UI design team.

 Cost and Software Delivery

 The model, style and standard of delivery of the software development services must be smooth.

 Ask them about the coordination strategy during the project life cycle and post-development services they are offering.

Furthermore, check their engagement model for a viable partnership. Keep absolute clarity about your needs, timelines, and business requirements. Ask the company's cost and delivery strategy on your project. A clear and transparent engagement model is a green signal. It will mean that you will have a clear idea about the timelines and expenses with no surprises. 

 Cyber Safety Standards

 Software applications for either business operations or subscribed customers can include classified data of business and people. Moreover, you will be having communication on various channels with the development partners. Therefore, before choosing a consulting company, ask them about their cyber security measures. How secure is their communication channel? What data security elements they are going to incorporate in your software? A company that will ensure holistic cyber security can help you avoid compliance and vulnerability problems.

 Conclusion

 Software applications are a necessity to sustain your business. Start by contemplating what your business needs before choosing an application development agency. Check their portfolio, team structure, reviews and testimonials to ensure that your time and money investment is with the right people. Don’t compromise on cyber security; ask what measures they take to assure it. Choose the company that knows how to make software applications for end-users. Lastly, ensure that they are efficient in communication as proper coordination is the key to success in software development life cycle.