Every growing business reaches this point one day: the system you started with no longer fits. Do you pick a new standard package, or do you have software built to measure? The honest answer is: it depends. In this article we give five questions that help you choose.
What is the difference?
Off-the-shelf software is made for a large group of businesses. Think of an accounting package, a CRM or a web shop platform. You usually pay each month, you can start quickly and the supplier takes care of updates.
Custom software is built for your business. It does exactly what you need, fits your own processes and can connect to the systems you already use.
Often it is not a choice between one or the other. Many businesses use standard software for the basics, such as accounting, and custom software for the part that sets them apart.
Question 1: is your process standard?
Sending invoices or paying salaries works roughly the same in most businesses. Standard software is ideal for that. But how you build a quote, how your planning works or how you handle lots and suppliers is often exactly where your business is different. That is where custom software pays off.
Question 2: how much do you bend your work to the software?
A clear sign that a package no longer fits: next to the package, your team still uses Excel sheets, notes or a whiteboard. Every workaround costs time and invites mistakes. When that happens in several places, the package costs you more than it seems.
Question 3: how many systems must work together?
Data that moves by hand from one system to another is a well-known time sink. Standard packages often have integrations, but not always with the systems you use, or not in the way you need. With custom software you build exactly the integrations your process asks for.
Question 4: what does it cost over five years?
Do not compare only the start-up costs. A standard package looks affordable, but the cost per user grows with your team. Also count the time your team loses to workarounds. Custom software costs more at the start, but the cost usually does not depend on the number of users. Work out both options over several years.
Question 5: how fast do you need it?
Standard software is often ready within a few days. Custom software takes more time: first a good conversation and a plan, then building in steps. With an approach in short steps, you still get a first version you can use quickly, and you grow from there.
A rule of thumb
- Is the process standard and does the package fit almost completely? Choose standard software, and connect it to your other systems where needed.
- Is the process what sets your business apart, or do you spend a lot of time on workarounds? Then custom software is worth considering.
Not sure? First look at our Do It Yourself page to see which standard tools exist. Or book a free consultation: we give honest advice, even when that means you are better off without custom software.