All posts by : Davidgreat2021

If your website updates regularly and has a lot of content, then some type of content management system is a must-have. There are many ready-made solutions that are free and convenient to use. However, the requirements on a CMS raise significantly if you expect to use your website for profits or if you need a corporate-class solution. Let’s discuss why a custom-built CMS is better than ready-made CMS solutions and why you should invest in custom CMS development.

TYPES OF CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

While the term “CMS” includes all kinds of content management systems, it most commonly refers to solutions designed for the management of web content. This is because a WCMS is the most popular type of content management software. Let’s look at other types to get a full picture and a better understanding of the concept.

There are several classifications of content management systems based on the nature of the content, implementation areas, and other factors. Some of them are well-defined while others are quite vague. Here is one exemplary division that contains only two CMS types:

• Web content management system (WCMS). It is the most common variety of content management systems. As the name suggests, WCMSs manage the content of websites. They are usually very flexible and can be equally suitable for blogs, news aggregators, online galleries, ecommerce marketplaces, and other site types. Some of them provide a necessary set of features out of the box, while other WCMSs need third-party plugins and services. Examples: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal.
• Enterprise content management system (ECMS). This is a content management system that has extended functionality and scale. It must be adapted to the needs and peculiarities of corporate use: business automation, analysis, etc. Usually, document management systems (DMS) are also included in this category. Examples: IBM FileNet Content Manager, Xerox DocuShare, OnBase.

Some specialists distinguish other varieties of content management systems as addition or extension of universally recognized WCMS and ECMS. Here are two examples of such CMS types:

• Component content management system (CCMS). It manages structured content based on a different approach that handles content as components rather than documents. Various objects may be regarded as components: paragraphs, definitions, single words. One key feature is that a component is saved in the system only once and then reused via links rather than duplicated. Another characteristic feature is that all components are provided with metadata that facilitates searching, version tracking, and other similar activities. Examples: easyDITA CCMS, SDL Tridion Docs.
• Digital asset management system (DAMS). It functions as a library for digital content, for example, books, audio, video, photos, and other creative works. Usually, DAMS also provides media content publishing and distribution functionalities. Examples: Daminion, Cloudinary, Cumulus.

In existing classifications of content management systems, WCMS is the generally recognized and most popular type. That’s why web content management systems are the focus of this article. This being said, the advantages and comparisons of CMSs will be described from the aspect of a website owner.

WHAT BENEFITS RESULT FROM USING A CMS?

If you own a website, you will benefit from using a content management system in such cases:

1. you own a dynamic website that is updated regularly;
2. you do not have skills or time to add the required amount of content via code writing;
3. you do not have skills or time to perform regular bug fixing and improve website security;
4. you do not have skills or time to implement required web design or functionality of the site.

The main purpose of content management systems is to make all content-related operations fast and intuitive for users. For example, publishing content on a website using a CMS does not require programming skills or experience in HTML or CSS. As a rule, content management systems contain easy-to-use editors that employ the principle called “what you see is what you get.”

In addition, many content management systems have a range of preset design variants, downloadable plugins, and other means to fine-tune a website. A content management system also may be an integral component of a sophisticated CMS platform that offers the whole set of features to launch a website from scratch, such as hosting, page constructor, CDN integration, built-in analytics, SEO, and marketing tools, etc. So, instead of deploying a CMS on a server and performing multiple other steps to start a website, a customer may choose such all-in-one SaaS solutions that save a lot of time and effort.

Despite the convenience and other benefits provided by content management systems, there are many naysayers who heavily criticize the established practices of using CMSs. Their opinion is supported by statistics: about 42% of the world’s websites do not use a ready-made CMS.

As you can see from the giving statistics, almost a half of all websites do not use an off-the-shelf solution for content management. However, these numbers are based on the list of over 650 ready-made CMSs. Thus, some of those websites may use custom CMS solutions that did not make it to the list because they were developed exclusively, on demand.

The most popular case when a website does not need a content management system is when the site is static. That means there won’t be any noteworthy changes to the website content. Most often, they are single-page websites, such as landing pages, for example, that function as online business cards or showcases for particular events.

WHY CHOOSE CUSTOM CMS DEVELOPMENT OVER A READY-MADE SOLUTION?

Currently, there are many off-the-shelf solutions for content management. All of them differ in functionality, payment requirement, source code availability, and other characteristics. Ready-made content management systems can be open-source or proprietary.

The “open-source” model means that those CMS can be used free of charge but may contain paid features, premium plans, or other monetization options. Since they are free, such systems are massively popular. However, this “no-cost” status is the source of many disadvantages that will be described further below. Examples: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal.

Proprietary CMSs require payment, usually in the form of a monthly or annual subscription, to function. Usually, they have a short trial period or demo mode to examine their capabilities. Examples: Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, Pulse CMS, Sitefinity CMS.

Custom content management systems are unique solutions made specifically for one customer. Their development takes a lot of time and money, but the resulting advantages are worth the initial investments. Let’s see why custom-made CMSs are better than both open-source and paid content management solutions available on the market.

• Better functionality. With ready-made solutions, a user has to adapt to their sets of features, but a custom CMS is designed to suit the client’s needs perfectly. For example, a user of an open-source CMS may find that some necessary features are not available “out of the box.” In this case, features may be provided via third-party add-ons, or by ordering a custom modification of that CMS from a software development team.
• Better scalability. At the planning stage, a development team takes into account the client’s business strategy and plans for the future. This way, a CMS built according to the client’s specifications would have all necessary provisions for the future growth of scale, functionality, and load.  
• Better performance. Ready-made content management systems are designed to be versatile so that they offer as many features as possible and meet various demands of a large target audience. A custom CMS does not contain features that the client doesn’t need, so no chunks of useless code. In the case of custom web content management systems, better performance results in higher loading speed that is favorable for visitors and beneficial for SEO ranking.
• Better security. The code of open-source solutions is available to everyone, and so their vulnerabilities are also visible to the public. So, experienced hackers may be aware of hidden backdoors in all popular content management systems and their plugins. The more popular a CMS is, the more it is targeted by hackers . In a custom CMS, the code is known to two parties: the development team and the client. This secrecy enables additional protection to a custom content management system.
• Better design and usability. Off-the-shelf CMSs usually have a wide choice of design templates, color schemes, and even website builder features. However, only a custom CMS can provide a website with the pitch-perfect appearance that strictly corresponds to the brand identity guidelines. In addition to the aesthetically pleasing look, it also allows creating an optimized layout of content blocks. As a result, the custom CMS development is a guarantee the user will spend more time on the website and will be more loyal to the brand.
• Better customer support. Many free and paid content management systems can boast fairly responsive customer support. However, it is no match for aftersale service from a reliable development team. The dedicated team of developers would fix a bug, add a feature, or modify the system whenever the client asks because they are getting paid for it and because they value their business reputation. In this regard, custom content management system development is an investment in the project’s stability and efficiency.
• Independence. When it comes to business, it is not wise to rely on a third-party solution. If your profits and reputation depend on a particular software, you’d better own it. The authors of ready-made CMSs cannot be held responsible for any damage that may be caused to a customer’s website because of bugs or vulnerabilities of their software product. Being the sole owner of a CMS makes your online presence more secure and reliable.

As you can see, a custom content management system offers many advantages over non-custom open-source and proprietary CMSs. It may be built using the same technologies as the ready-made CMSs, such as PHP, Java, Python, and others. But unlike off-the-shelf solutions, a custom content management system won’t have their flaws and will be tailored for a particular implementation.

Custom content management systems have two drawbacks, though. First of all, it takes time to build a tailor-made CMS from scratch, whereas you can start using an off-the-shelf solution whenever you want. Second of all, custom CMS development requires significant investments, usually as an up-front payment or as a set of payments spread over the development period. And it is up to every business owner whether a custom content management system development is something they would like to invest in. 

CONCLUSION

A carefully developed custom CMS is a solid foundation for any online project that requires a convenient and safe method of adding, removing, or altering digital content. Custom CMS development is a wise investment for any enterprise, online marketplace, content distribution service, and many other businesses that are willing to pay for extra advantages unavailable in ready-made content management solutions. If you want to become an owner of a tailor-made CMS, contact us. Our developers will provide you with a unique content management system built specifically for you.

What are the key elements of a successful business? Relevance of products or services offered, modern and reliable equipment, and of course employees. It’s vitally important to have a passionate and result-oriented team that would carry your company forward. But how to achieve such a goal? How to build a team that would be a perfect match for the organization? Of course, there is a variety of techniques and methods that may be introduced for gathering a dream team in your company. But still, it’s not enough just to attract first-rate specialists. Efficient management of the employees also makes its contribution, and much more significant than meets the eye. let’s discuss the custom human resources management (HRM) system, how it improves the efficiency of HR management, and why it’s a great solution not only for an employer, but for the employees as well.

Why Investing in Custom HRM Software Development is a Good Idea?

Businessmen are constantly looking for the best well-rounded solutions for their companies. And in the digital age it seems odd to use Excel tables to store the information about employees’ sick leaves and vacations, which is impractical and unsafe. For the efficient human resource management it’s important to have a more complex system where all the data about employees will be stored and accessible in several clicks. If you surf the Internet, you will come across a huge variety of already developed HRM systems. Well, let’s figure out if it makes sense to deal with a custom HRM software development or it’s better to purchase an off the shelf software.

Level of Customization

The software will be 100% customizable since developers will build it in accordance with your requirements. The only thing is that it’s necessary to formulate them correctly to avoid surprises.

Security

The data containing the information concerning employees, HR processes (including salaries) are confidential. Such data breach may cost you much more than expenses for custom software development, and it’s not just the money. As the HRM system is built particularly for you and the data is owned by the company, the possibility of such incidents is minor.

Integration with Third-party Software

HRM can be used as an independent solution, but it also can be a module of other software. For example, if you use a custom ERP software, it’s possible to integrate an HRM module in the system. But of course this kind of solution will have certain limitations, so which option to choose depends on your business specifics.

Time & Money

It should be accepted as a fact that custom development of any software takes time and costs a bit more. Which is, basically, logical, since in case you opt for this option, the whole team from business analytics to developers will work on your project. But in the end you will gain a system that exactly meets your expectations and will yield benefits to your business down the road.

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Both Parties Gain Profit from Custom HRM System

It may seem that only a company gains benefits from the HRM system implementation. But in fact this kind of theory is completely unrealistic. In the article Must-have HR Management Modules for Efficient Automatization we went over benefits that companies gain when implementing the software. But let’s figure out why HRM system is useful for employees and their level of productivity, here are some points to prove that:

Employee Self-Service

Owing to this feature employees and managers are able to manage their records themselves. For example, they have a possibility to track payroll, check status of leave request, and other services in the system with no need to reach out to the HR manager. Therefore, such minor things will not take employees’ and HR managers’ precious time.

Centralized Storage of Data

Such a one-stop solution ensures easy access to data, which guarantees smooth positive experience for employees and HR managers.

Learning and Development

This module is equally beneficial for both parties: a company and its employees. A variety of learning programs and trainings stimulate the interest in personal and professional growth. Employees themselves may set the goals they intend to reach, and the system will reflect their achievements. Also, the system may provide recommendations in accordance with a particular specialist’s role, which simplifies the training program selection process.

HR managers also will be able to monitor the progress of the employees as all the data is stored in a system and accessible to all authorized users.

Screenshot from Employee Management System Case Study

Employees’ Satisfaction is an Important Component of Company’s Efficient Functioning

Indeed, at first sight it seems that HRM software was developed just to monitor the employees’ performance. Actually, this statement is truthful but not totally and completely. Of course, the employers need to maintain control over the inner processes of a company including the HR management because of the investments had been made and interest in the company’s growth and development. But in fact, implementation of HRM can also lead to the increase of employees’ satisfaction. How? Let’s discuss.

First of all, a few things about transparency of processes. It goes without saying that the employees prefer a transparent ecosystem where information is accessible and is not hidden from the staff. Such an approach allows team members to feel association with the company they work for. Also, when the data is stored in a single system and easily accessible just in several clicks, the employees appreciate the efforts the company put to make the workflows more smooth and less time-consuming.

Another important issue concerns a self-service feature. With it employees will have an opportunity to modify their personal data themselves, will have access to their performance reviews, reports, appraisals, leave requests and etc. All in all, it obviates the need to formulate and send requests to an HR team for employees, which, for its part, significantly reduces the burden on the HR team that has to deal with these requests.

Conclusions

As you can see from the written above, the introduction of the HRM system does some good not only to a company, but to its employees in equal parts. But still, even if the decision considering the system implementation is obvious, the question regarding its type remains open. There is no unequivocal answer to the question which software to choose: off-the-shelf or a custom solution. Each of the options has its strong and weak points, so everything really depends on your business specifics and on the goals you want to reach via the software implementation. But if you already have made a decision in favour of a custom solution, please contact us, our experienced team will be glad to build a software that would meet your requirements 100%.