Scaling software requires a pragmatic approach that is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. It also requires leveraging the correct systems that can deliver the most value for the investment. Using the right system can actually help your business grow.

So, what is the right system? Generally, it is the system that has the capacity to expand as required but does not demand the purchase or development of software greater than needed at the present time.

Scaling software too soon or too late can be expensive. Scale too soon and you’ve spent more than you needed to spend, scale too late and you run the risk of losing market share. Scaling software properly requires accurate projection while being able to meet rapid expansion when or if it happens. This means that any software you choose to buy or build should be adaptable to changing circumstances and does not impose operational patterns that slow or limit growth.

Automation can be a wonderful thing. It can eliminate human error and get more done in far shorter time. This enables the entrepreneur to structure his or her business towards fulfillment. Customers can be satisfied with less physical effort. And, as digital technology enables greater communication with the customer, it is easier to build brand loyalty. So a big part of scaling software is to make sure that whatever system, whether it’s the online website or the software that runs the telephones, is up to maintaining a high flow level.

Nothing can damage a business more than poor customer interaction. Slow shipping can cut down repeat business and there’s nothing more annoying than an automated voice on the telephone when the customer wants to talk to a real person. Scaling software to your business doesn’t have to be hard as long as any software choices you make  put the customer first.