Smart Software: One-size-fits-all or a Customised Approach?

More and more companies selling, installing and servicing sustainable energy products face the challenge of improving their business processes. This is where a software solution can come in handy. Today’s versatile software solutions optimise processes and increase efficiency so that more can be achieved with less cost. Selecting a software solution that reflects all business needs as fully as possible is challenging.

Available software solutions are generally divided into two types: ‘One-size-fits-all’ (standardised) software and customised software. In this article, we explain both approaches and thereby hope to help you choose between them. Furthermore, we dive deeper into the tension between the two approaches and the impact on achieving your business goals.

One-size-fits-all software

This particular software solution offers a standardised system that is theoretically suitable for various business types and has several advantages, such as time efficiency, low cost and ease of use.

However, this solution may have limitations for companies with complex or unique processes. For example, consider a company that installs both solar panels and heat pumps. While a standard software solution provides basic project management and customer service functions, it often falls short of providing specific functionalities needed for accurate and efficient installation plans.

For example, a standard platform may not be able to automatically compile appropriate bills of materials, display detailed performance data or incorporate specific data for solar panels directly into quotations. These are all features that are often missing from standard software and unavailable without additional modifications or extensions.

Software for a Customised Approach

Customised software is specifically designed and customised to meet a company’s unique needs. This offers significant benefits:

• Custom functionality: The software is tailored precisely to the specific business processes and needs, resulting in more efficient workflows
• Flexibility and activity: It evolves with your business and is attuned to market growth and changes
• Scalability: The software package can be deployed small and then easily scales up as your business grows
• Competitive advantages: It also offers various features that are often not available in standard solutions, allowing companies to differentiate themselves. For example, specific automations which can increase your efficiency or access to detailed performance data such as a dashboard to gain insight into the performance of your teams.
• Business process optimisation: Finally, it helps identify and improve inefficiencies within your business

For companies in the sustainable energy industry with specific needs, a customised software solution can add significant value. Specific functions and modules can be added, modified or removed to fit seamlessly into your company’s existing processes. This maximises efficiency and enables your company to gain competitive advantages.

This approach additionally reveals potential bottlenecks in your processes, allowing your business to stay on the right course. Although it can cost more and take time to implement, this investment often offers a higher return due to its precise alignment with business needs.

Implementation, training and support

Every organisation is different and has its own structure, size and strategy. Making a choice between a one-size-fits-all solution and customised software is therefore challenging. Your choice is likely based on factors such as budget, implementation time, complexity of processes, and future scalability. 2Solar by Sollit can advise and support you in making your choice.

Our platform has been developed through years of working with installers. We therefore understand exactly what our customers need and take the time to understand our customers’ unique processes and needs. This always starts with the question “How is your business currently set up?”. By answering this question, we can advise our customers on what suits them best and tailor the software perfectly to the needs of each unique business.

Thanks to the extensive implementation process of our specialised team, we can find out exactly what it is that your business needs from the start. Our software is made up of different modules that work well together and fit together seamlessly, ensuring flexibility and versatility. Whatever the size of your business, our software can always be adapted and expanded. So with us, you can start with a small package that can be expanded as your business grows and needs more features.

Choose a solid partner

We believe not only in delivering software, but also in offering a partnership where we provide ongoing support and advice to get the most out of your business and our solution.

Through regular monitoring and consultancy, we keep track of whether the software is still optimised for your business and whether there is a need to extend the package. That way, you will always benefit from a solution that fits your business perfectly.

With the right software partner, you will stay efficient in the short term and gain a competitive advantage in the long term. In a fast-changing industry, 2Solar by Sollit is your solid partner and the growth of your business will always be our focus.

Discover our platform or contact us for more information.