Custom-built can also address unique organisational needs - fostering improved communication, collaboration, and overall efficiency within the organisation.
Intranets are not a one-off purchase to be launched and then left – but a continually evolving, dynamic aspect of your business. They require constant investment and care, their ongoing success depends upon review and redevelopment, with all content needing to be updated and formatted.
Advantages of a custom-built intranet
One of the main advantages of a custom-build is autonomy. It allows complete control over your Intranet’s design, functionality, and content, meaning you can tailor it to meet your organisation’s specific needs. In contrast, the level of customisation with an off-the-shelf solution can be limited, having to depend on the vendor for updates, features, and support.
A tailored approach can be fine-tuned to accommodate business processes, workflows, and goals, ensuring perfect alignment with organisational culture and objectives.
Tailored solutions for specific business needs
Flexibility: Custom-built intranets offer the flexibility to adapt to specific organisational workflows and processes. This tailoring ensures that the intranet aligns seamlessly with existing structures and evolves with the organisation’s changing requirements.
Scalability: Custom intranets are designed to scale efficiently, accommodating growing demands without compromising performance or user experience (UX).
In contrast, out-of-the-box intranet offerings have some significant limitations, impacting the overall success of the platform, such as:
Missing features and gaps, particularly relating to web parts that support internal communications and employee engagement.
Options to change branding, formatting, and design are restricted for each specific part of the website
Difficulty establishing governance across the intranet to support good publishing standards and a consistent user experience (UX)
Before a custom build, some aspects to consider include:
Content engagement
Content due for review, or lacking essential information such as tags, keywords, or an assigned author
How users are accessing the intranet (i.e. mobile, tablet, desktop)
Expired, outdated and unvisited pages
Searches – i.e. number of searches performed, most searched and any searches not returning results
The risk/s of not updating the intranet
Visitor numbers and interactions
Enhanced security and data control
A custom build can offer enhanced security and data control. In contrast, off-the-shelf solutions may lack the robust security measures that custom can offer to safeguard sensitive information.
Custom allows the integration of advanced security features, ensuring protection against cyber threats and unauthorised access. It allows a means of granular data control. In this way, organisations can have precise control over data access and permissions. This level of control enhances data security and ensures privacy, by preventing unauthorised individuals from accessing confidential information.
With many businesses often handling sensitive data, a custom build can protect against both cyber threats and unauthorised access.
Seamless integration with existing systems
A custom-built intranet results in interconnected workflows. Existing enterprise systems such as CRM or ERP software can easily be integrated, reducing manual data entry, and improving overall productivity.
User adoption is a key benefit of integrating custom intranets with familiar interfaces that employees are already using, as it minimises the learning curve. This increases user adoption rates and ensures a smoother transition to the intranet solution.
Scalability is also an added benefit, as it can grow alongside business needs. Unlike rigid, off-the-shelf solutions, custom can scale alongside the organisation and it's easy to add new functionality without disrupting operations. For example, SharePoint seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products, providing a unified, cohesive user experience with everything from Microsoft Teams and Power BI to Viva Engage.
Improved collaboration and engagement
As it’s designed with end users in mind, custom-built offers a highly personalised and intuitive interface. This enhances the overall user experience (UX), making collaboration and engagement more enjoyable and efficient.
Incorporating social features such as discussion forums, chat functionalities and collaborative workspaces fosters a strong sense of community within the organisation by enhancing teamwork and employee satisfaction.
A strong intranet provides a centralised platform for employees to communicate, share ideas and work together, breaking down silos and encouraging cross-functional teamwork. It also streamlines internal operations, due to the flexibility of integrating tools and features essential to daily processes, such as document management, project collaboration and tools. This then leads to increased productivity and efficiency.
Cost-effectiveness and ROI
Whilst custom-built intranets attract a higher upfront cost, they are also a targeted investment that aligns precisely with organisational needs. Over time, this tailored approach will prove more cost-effective by eliminating the need for constant workarounds and adaptations. You can pay for features needed and avoid unnecessary expenses, with the efficiency gains and improved workflows leading to significant cost savings over time.
The long-term benefits of improved efficiency, streamlined workflows, and enhanced employee collaboration contribute to a substantial ROI. By aligning with the unique requirements of the organisation, a custom build proves to be a strategic investment.
A custom intranet can set your business apart in today’s competitive business landscape – reflecting a commitment to innovation and providing a competitive edge – potentially attracting top talent/clients who value forward-thinking approaches.
Overall, the benefits of creating a custom intranet empower you to optimise your processes, enhance collaboration and adapt to changing needs efficiently. While Intranet options are readily available, a personalised approach ensures your intranet becomes an asset.
The takeaway
Now that we’ve walked through some key benefits to custom-built intranets, consider partnering with Dapth for your solution. We are a 100% fully in-house consultancy, with a team of intranet developers who will keep your team connected.
Directly partnering with our clients, our team of in-house developers focus on design, modern SharePoint online techniques and customisation. We have experience across government, local councils and mining companies for intranet development and document management.
Rather than only producing standard, out-of-the-box solutions, we deliver unique, fully customised approaches for clients. We work with automation processes, content migration, customised web parts, complimentary web applications and document storage. Find out how an intranet can benefit both your employees and organisation. We have delivered many seamless solutions, which you can read about below.
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What are the benefits of teaming up with Dapth?
- Our digital team lead and implement your intranet project from beginning to end - no outsourcing anything.
- We proactively teach you how to manage your intranet yourself, removing the reliance on us or any web developer.
- When you are ready to evolve your intranet to execute your strategies, the same team are ready to partner with you.
