Standardised website templates can be a quick and easy way to get a start-up off the ground, but at Stratos we believe every established business deserves a tailored, precise, future-proof digital solution. Your organisation is unique, so why should your website be any different?
Tom Jenkins, Lead Developer at Stratos, explains the benefits of bespoke development over off-the-shelf plugins.
Bespoke solutions mean the possibilities are endless
Complex projects require customised thinking and the reality is that off the shelf software or standard CMS plugins are usually built to satisfy the majority, not the specific. They often deliver around 70–80% of what a business needs. Useful, but rarely getting everything the client requires.
Bespoke development, however, allows you to create exactly the capabilities your website requires, without compromise.
One example of this is our long term partnership with the Joint Inspection Group (JIG), a global leader in aviation fuel safety. When we first met JIG, they needed a robust learning management tool. We selected LearnDash, a well established LMS plugin for WordPress, as the foundation but it quickly became clear that it could only deliver around half of the functionality they required.
Our first job as JIG’s digital partner was to unpick the plugin and rebuild a system that delivered 100% of their required functionality. This included custom payment gateways, bespoke event management tools, tailored role management, and advanced reporting. The result was a unique, fully customised solution that precisely matched their operational needs.
Over the years, we’ve also helped JIG manage and interpret vast amounts of data, developing a powerful dashboard tool that transforms raw information into clear, user friendly graphs, charts, and reports. The system integrates with multiple third-party platforms through APIs and data feeds; all custom built, all running seamlessly on top of a WordPress core.
Thanks to this bespoke development, JIG’s platform is no longer “just a website”. It has evolved into a comprehensive digital ecosystem: a data analysis tool, an event booking system, a learning management platform, and so much more, all built around their unique goals and workflows.
The possibilities might be endless, but what if the budget isn’t?
A common concern around bespoke development is cost. It’s true that off the shelf solutions are usually cheaper at the outset, but they also come with limitations that can hold a business back in the long run. Fully bespoke development isn’t always necessary, though and that’s where our hybrid approach might help.
At Stratos, we build on a curated set of proven plugins, trusted frameworks and our own library of pre-developed bespoke modules. Over the years, we’ve created robust, reusable components for everything from event management and job posting systems to dashboards, reporting tools and integrations. These serve as flexible building blocks that can be adapted and extended for each client.
This means you’re not paying for development from scratch, nor are you restricted by the “one size fits most” constraints of an off the shelf product. Instead, you get a tailored solution that fits your requirements exactly, delivered faster and more cost-effectively than a traditional bespoke build.
It’s a best of both worlds approach; the freedom of bespoke functionality, with the efficiency of established foundations.If you’d like to explore whether a hybrid or fully bespoke solution is right for your next project, we’d be happy to chat.
What about website security?
Security is often one of the first concerns businesses raise and rightly so. With WordPress powering around 40% of the internet, it’s an easy target for myths about being “insecure”. In reality, WordPress itself is highly secure and is supported by a huge global community, with specialist agencies and developers monitoring vulnerabilities around the clock.
The real risk isn’t the platform, it’s the quality of the build.
Security issues usually arise when a site is put together quickly, cheaply or without the right technical expertise. Poorly coded themes, outdated plugins, weak hosting environments or a lack of ongoing maintenance can turn even the best platform into a liability.
That’s why who builds your website matters just as much as what it’s built on.
At Stratos, we apply strict coding standards, vetted plugins and best-practice development processes to ensure the foundations of your site are solid from day one. Every build is fully reviewed, maintained and structured with security, scalability and performance in mind.
Cutting corners at the start often leads to paying an expert to fix or rebuild things later, costing more time, more money and more risk. Investing in secure, high-quality development upfront ensures your website remains stable, efficient and protected for the long term.
Hit me with it… the pitch for why bespoke is always best
At Stratos, we believe digital platforms should be shaped around a business, not the other way around. WordPress gives us a powerful, flexible foundation, and by using its extendable architecture, we’re able to craft bespoke solutions that fit a client’s needs perfectly.
We don’t just use platforms; we push them to their limits. From touch-screen systems and interactive mapping tools to exhibition managers, scheduling workflows and complex booking solutions, we specialise in turning ambitious ideas into reliable, fully integrated tools.
Our work often brings together multiple third-party APIs too; payments, calendars, CRM systems, event platforms and more, all woven into a single, cohesive portal. The results are systems that don’t just meet requirements; they work harder, last longer and give your business room to grow.
Off the shelf tools can only ever take you so far. Bespoke development ensures your website and digital systems evolve with your business, supporting every process, every integration and every ambition, without compromise.
Want to learn more about our website capabilities?
We don’t just design pretty websites, we shape powerful digital brand experiences. We combine smart thinking, sharp design and robust development to craft websites that do more.
