Innovation grows software
The software market is continuously evolving and changing in nature, and quantity of supply and demand. Both developers and their client base have to respond effectively and quickly to technological advancements in terms of programming languages, end-user interfaces, and cloud services. Entrepreneurs are active in software development alongside established local and international suppliers, and many provide sufficient Enterprise Resource Planning solutions (ERP) and web-based products for different local and international sectors. Clients require customized specifications to match their operations, and reliable maintenance. Startups can compete by catering to the needs of niche markets. Software houses should consider exports as potential methods of scaling-up besides local sales.
EVOLVING DEMAND
The demand for software is changing in volume and type. According to , Chairman of the Association of Lebanese Software Industries (ALSI), there is a clear change in the nature of demand, and not just in the number of sales. Fast digital transformation is driving the change, said Chairman of AirasME insurance software provider. He said that adopting new cloud and web-based technologies is necessary for survival and growth, and is not just a trend for both developers and their clients. Successful businesses should consider software solutions as long-term investments that will definitely have a direct positive impact by fine-tuning core and back-office operations, and management of client relationships. Large companies are willing to acquire advanced software solutions to enhance their operations. SMEs realize, Chairman at BML Istisharat, provider of banking and services to other sectors, said that more companies are applying cost adjustment strategies attributed to evolving demand. Advanced software solutions help companies improve their profit margins. Core process analyses and dashboards help companies compare real to planned costs. , Regional General Manager at Procons-4IT, a local partner for the German SAP software firm, said that manufacturing companies use solutions such as ‘Material Resource Planning’, which recommends quantity and timing of orders to better plan and control workflow, thus improving profitability. Matta said that the second and the third generation of family-owned businesses constitute a good share of demand for international software houses. Established family businesses prefer international software products to improve and create professional operational systems. Applying such solutions is a major shift in digitalizing the decision-making process. According to Kobeissi, user experience is advancing. Added-value specifications and tools are requirements when designing software as part of a comprehensive workflow. These requirements include different entities in the supply chain such as suppliers, end-users and customers, and banks. , Managing Partner at Fusion Second, which specializes in web-based software solutions, said part of the demand is driven by the relationship between local companies and international clients. Web-based solutions allow end-users to access operational platforms from different interfaces, including mobile applications. International clients and business counterparts set high technical expectations and ask for simplified and digitalized workflow and communications processes. Such web-based, customized solutions give clients and their international counterparts access to a specific and common working space.
