Custom software or standard software: an honest comparison
Not every process needs its own software. This comparison helps with the decision before money flows in the wrong direction.
When standard software is enough
If your processes are common in your industry, if they do not set you apart from the competition and if a ready-made program can be adapted sufficiently through its settings, standard software is usually the better choice. It is introduced faster and is developed further by its vendor.
When custom software pays off
- Your own process is a competitive advantage and should stay one.
- Several programs have to work together, and today data is transferred between them by hand.
- Customers or partners should get their own portal that fits your processes.
- Over the years the standard solution has turned into a patchwork of add-on programs, spreadsheets and workarounds.
The mixed approach
Often the best solution is a combination: standard software for the usual, plus interfaces that connect the programs, and a dedicated portal for customers or partners. What works stays, and only the part that sets you apart is built.
Checklist: five questions before the decision
- Does this process set you apart from the competition, or does everyone do it the same way?
- How many programs are involved, and where is data transferred by hand today?
- Should customers, partners or staff access data themselves, also on the go?
- How often does the process change, and who adapts the software then?
- Who operates the solution after launch, with backups, updates and further development?
Frequently asked questions
- Is custom software always more expensive than standard software?
At the start, usually yes. Whether it pays off depends on how much manual work and how many add-on programs it replaces and whether the process is an advantage over the competition.
- Can I keep my existing programs?
Yes. In the mixed approach they stay, and interfaces connect them with the part that is newly built.
- Does upbyte® also say when custom software does not pay off?
Yes. In the initial call we also say when a ready-made product fits better.
Let's talk about your process.
In the initial call we also say when a ready-made product fits better.
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