ISV Application Solutions 101: What they mean for your business

What is an ISV and why should I care?

Unless you are involved in the application corner of the software industry, it is very likely that you have never heard of the term “ISV.” Or perhaps, you have heard it in passing but never bothered to look up what it meant. Either way, The Odigo Group is here to keep you informed on what’s happening in the world of business technology.

So, let’s get straight into it: What is an ISV? ISV stands for Independent Software Vendor and is a category of firms that develop software applications for already existing software platforms. ISVs can range in size from a small 2-person operation coding an app in a dorm room or basement to a large corporation that has developed a series of app solutions across multiple platforms.

Why ISVs matter

Now, you may be thinking, “that’s all well and good, but why should I care? Giant companies have thought of or will eventually think of everything I need to run my business on their platform, right?” Wrong! ISVs are critical in this age of increased reliance on technology for businesses, and especially for small businesses. Every day, more and more companies make the switch to digital. In fact, doing so has almost become a requirement to function in the world, particularly if your business interacts with other businesses. ISVs are critical in this age of increased reliance on technology & especially for small biz. 

Some large technology enterprises create robust platforms upon which to build applications and solutions to real-world business pains, but these technology giants cannot think of everything a business could need and they wouldn’t necessarily do the best job of developing each solution if they could. That’s where ISVs come in.

• ISVs bring innovative ideas to an ever-changing marketplace. Competition breeds innovation. ISVs are in the business of problem solving and are, therefore, constantly searching for new pains to address. Having a large number of ISVs in the market results in superior products and lower prices. In order to be successful in a competitive market, ISVs need to solve real problems that businesses are facing, and they need to do so more effectively and efficiently than anyone else.
• ISVs allow a wider variety of businesses to use the same platform. Every business is unique and will therefore have a unique set of software needs. One software provider could not possibly cover all these needs on their own. By solving specific problems with individual app solutions, ISVs can cover these unique requirements so that more companies are able to use a consistent software platform over all aspects of their business. This is exceptionally beneficial for small businesses that are then able to pick—and pay for—only what they need for their business from a wide variety of options rather than having to spend a lot of money on multiple software platforms. In addition, having more businesses running on the same platform increases the likelihood that you and your business partners may be running the same platform.

Everyone knows trying to communicate and do business across multiple software platforms is a frustrating and generally painful experience for everyone involved. There are formatting issues, trouble opening types of documents or programs, and myriad other complications. Using the same platform alleviates that headache for everyone.

ISVs are a vital and ever-expanding component of the software industry. They provide autonomy and convenience to small businesses as well as expand the value and usefulness of current software platforms for everyone.