Every week, an Algerian company calls us saying "we need custom software". Half the time, they are right. The other half, a 50,000 DZD off-the-shelf solution would solve their problem better than a 5-million-dinar development.
The problem is not technical. It is that nobody asks the right questions before signing the quote. This page is the test we wish we could give every prospect before the first meeting.
The 7 signs you need custom software
Sign 1 — Your processes ARE your competitive advantage
If the way you manage orders, inventory, or production is what makes you faster or cheaper than competitors, forcing those processes into Odoo or Sage will destroy your advantage. Custom software preserves what works and digitizes without breaking.
Sign 2 — You have more than 3 critical Excel files
If your company runs on Excel files that everyone modifies at the same time, with formulas nobody understands — Excel has become your informal ERP, and it breaks every week.
Sign 3 — You lose more than 2 hours per day to manual data entry
Count honestly the time employees spend copying data from one system to another. If it is more than 2 hours per day combined, custom software recovers them in less than 3 months.
Sign 4 — Your current solution has 3+ years of customizations
You bought standard software 5 years ago. Since then, you added 15 customizations, 8 third-party modules, and 3 workarounds. At this point, you pay more to maintain the customizations than the original software is worth.
Sign 5 — You need to integrate with Algeria-specific systems
CIB, Edahabia, SATIM, CNRC, CNAS, Yalidine, ZR Express — if your software must connect to Algerian payment, customs, social security, or delivery systems, an international standard software does not know them. These integrations require local development.
Sign 6 — You turned down a client because your system could not handle it
The day you say "no, we cannot take this order because our system does not handle that" is the day your software costs you money instead of making it.
Sign 7 — You pay for features you do not use
Most Algerian SMEs using standard ERP pay for 200 features and use 15. Custom software contains only what you need — simpler, faster, and often cheaper over 5 years.
« The day you turn down a client because your system cannot handle it is the day your software costs you money. »
The 3 signs you do NOT need custom software
Anti-sign 1 — Your processes are standard in your sector
If your operations director cannot name one thing your company does differently, a standard solution is the best option. Do not build custom for standard processes. Buy, configure, train.
Anti-sign 2 — Your total budget is below 1 million DZD
Serious custom software for an Algerian SME costs between 3 and 15 million DZD. Below 1 million, you are buying a prototype that will break in production. Use a standard SaaS instead.
Anti-sign 3 — You have nobody internal to own the system
Custom software without an internal owner who understands the system is dead software in 6 months. Hire that person before signing a development quote.
« Do not build custom for standard processes. Buy, configure, train. 5x faster and 3x cheaper. »
The 30-second test
Count your signs. If you have 3 or more of the 7 and none of the 3 anti-signs, you probably need custom software. If you have 1 or 2 anti-signs, resolve them first (budget, processes, team) before building.
If you are not sure, describe your situation in 5 minutes on WhatsApp — we will honestly tell you whether you need us or not.