Importance of Customized Products in the IT Industry

by Daniel Raymond · November 4, 2024

Setting up and adapting IT products to the needs of a specific business allows you to build work processes in the company more effectively. This opportunity is provided by product customization. For example, you can implement custom mapping solutions, as well as other products, for the effective use of customization, which is important for the business and its clients. In this article, you will learn about the benefits of the customization trend in IT for business.

Table of Contents

Customization as a Trend In The IT Market

This trend is due to the attractiveness of customized solutions for business. Obviously, different businesses have different tasks and internal workflows, and that is why the required functionality for each individual company will also differ from the needs of others. From a marketing perspective, customization is a “unique selling proposition” since it allows you to take into account the interests of each customer.

Customization is the process of setting up an IT product for the specific goals and objectives of an organization. Some solution developers create tools for the client to independently change the functionality and interface of the product depending on the needs of the business, while others offer customization as a service.

Customization allows the user to influence the creation of a convenient and effective product based on a standard solution. Just as when ordering a burger, the buyer can remove some ingredients or, conversely, add additional ones, so when buying an IT product, the user is given the opportunity to change the functionality or interface. See this Custom Software Development Market Report.

This approach is convenient because as a result, the company receives an individual solution that best suits its tasks.

What Types of Customization Are There?

As a rule, customization is divided into several types, which can be conventionally designated as full, partial, and limited customization.

Limited customization offers users the opportunity to make minor changes to the product within a limited number of options offered. This type of customization will not allow you to create a unique product, but will still give you a chance to slightly change it to suit your purposes. For example:

changing the interface color scheme;
adding simple functions, such as creating additional reference books.

Partial customization is similar to limited customization but provides greater freedom in the possibilities of customizing the product. It is carried out on the basis of existing solutions with a significant degree of adaptation. Most often, partial customization can customize:

unique integrations with external services;
specific functions for specific business tasks;
special routing of requests.

Finally, full customization involves adapting the solution to all customer requirements. This also includes the development of unique solutions from scratch. Often, developers who release a standard product offer clients the creation of a new solution that will be fully adapted to their company. Such development is more expensive than purchasing a standard product. For example, SECL Group provides services for developing customized solutions from scratch, particularly custom mapping. See this article: 55+ Personalization Statistics.

It is worth noting that there are various methods of customization: from setting parameters and user interface to adding new functions and even changing the source code of the solution.

Why Is Customization Necessary for IT Businesses?

It is important to understand that customization of IT solutions is necessary for both users of the products, i.e. those who buy them, and those who sell them.

Benefits For Vendors

Customization allows vendors to reach a wider audience in the market since the product meets the diverse needs of customers. It also increases competitiveness. A customized product is individual, and therefore different from other offers.

Moreover, customized IT solutions are directly related to the wishes of customers, becoming an incentive to choose a specific vendor, rather than standard products from its competitors.

Benefits For Customers

Customization helps customers get a product that meets their individual needs and solves specific problems within their company. In addition, it can facilitate the transition to domestic analogs of foreign software, eliminating problems associated with adaptation to new products due to differences in interface and functionality.

Also, thanks to the ability to adapt to specific tasks, customized IT solutions significantly increase the efficiency of work processes in the company. In turn, more efficient work contributes to increased profits and business development.

Thus, customization is important for all players in the IT market. It allows vendors to offer customers a unique product, and customers to make their business processes more efficient.

Advantages And Disadvantages of Customization

The final result of customization is formed not only through the joint efforts of the contractor and the customer. The influence of society and current trends have a significant impact on the final product. In addition, the customized result is always individual, so each participant will have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, there are several common aspects that we will consider below.

Among the advantages of customization:

Large selection: customization allows you to create an almost countless number of unique products.
Compliance with market requirements: the flexibility of product customization makes it easier to adapt to market requirements and changes in consumer behavior.
Competitive advantage: the uniqueness of a custom product will allow you to stand out from competitors, attracting customers with the novelty of the idea;
Better quality: customization allows you to use higher quality materials and technologies since the manufacturer focuses not on profitability but on customer requirements;
Customer loyalty: customers who feel an individual approach and attention to their requirements are inclined to remain loyal to the brand longer.

The disadvantages of customization include the following:

The high price of the product: customization requires additional costs for development and production. Not every client is ready to overpay for uniqueness;
The complexity of production: production of custom products may require more time and resources, especially if the product is created manually;
Limited scale: customization may limit the ability to scale a business, especially if production requires too much time and resources;
Lack of guarantees: a unique product may turn out to be of no use to anyone. Therefore, it is worth listening to the mood of the audience and thinking through the business strategy more carefully.

Final Thoughts

Customized products play an important role in business success. Adapting products to specific customer needs helps to integrate technologies deeper into business processes, increasing their flexibility and resilience to market changes. If you are looking for a reliable company to develop customized products, in particular custom mapping services, we recommend paying attention to SECL Group.