Custom software or off-the-shelf: how to decide
· 1 min read
Most businesses should try off-the-shelf software first. If a tool that costs a few pounds a month solves nearly all of your problem, buy it and move on.
Custom software starts to win when your process is what makes you different, when staff keep re-typing data between systems, or when per-user licences climb every time you hire.
A five-minute test
List the five things your team does every week that frustrate them most. If an off-the-shelf tool can fix at least three without awkward workarounds, buy it. If not, it is time to talk to someone who builds.
Four questions to ask any developer
Is the price fixed? Who actually writes the code? Who owns it when we finish? What happens after launch? Clear answers to all four are a good sign.
Not sure which side you are on?
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