Propel Tech’s 2025 Bespoke Software Wishlist Survey, conducted in early 2025, follows on from last year’s study to track changing attitudes towards software’s role in business success, revealing a dramatic shift in priorities. After a turbulent economic year, UK companies are no longer chasing short-term cost savings and revenue growth. Instead, they are doubling down on AI, analytics, and cybersecurity to navigate an uncertain future.

From profit-boosting to powering smarter decisions

Just one year ago, the top priority for software investment for businesses was slashing costs and boosting efficiency, with 378 respondents ranking it as their biggest software need. Revenue growth and market competitiveness followed closely behind, while only 21 businesses saw analytics-driven decision-making as a key focus for software investment.

Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape has been turned on its head. Investing in bespoke software to aid decision-making through analytics has skyrocketed to the top, seeing a nearly 200% increase from last year. Investing in bespoke software for cybersecurity is also climbing the agenda, with over 20% of respondents now highlighting data security and privacy as a critical priority.

Meanwhile, investing in bespoke software to support revenue growth has plummeted in importance, falling from 329 votes in 2024 to just 37 in 2025, signalling a major rethink in how businesses are approaching technology investment.

Why the change?

David Ritchie, Founder and Director of Propel Tech, believes these shifting priorities show that businesses are no longer in survival mode – they are in future-proofing mode and looking at how bespoke software can deliver critical advantage.

“2024 was a tough year for many startup businesses. Inflation, supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty forced companies to focus on immediate cost-cutting,” he explains. “But now, businesses are playing the long game. They are realising that bespoke systems can give them the edge and data-driven decision-making software, AI-powered systems and bulletproof security are essential for staying ahead, not just saving money.”

With cyber threats at an all-time high and AI being incorporated as standard in to many bespoke systems businesses are ditching the quick wins and investing in smarter, future-focused custom software solutions.

The future of business software: intelligence, security, and survival

Propel Tech’s findings make one thing clear. 2025 is the year businesses stop chasing short-term efficiency gains and start investing in strategic, AI-powered decision-making tools. Bespoke software is no longer a luxury. It is an essential survival tool in a rapidly evolving world.

For businesses looking to future-proof their operations, the message is loud and clear. Efficiency alone will not cut it anymore. The future belongs to companies that prioritise intelligence, security and adaptability.