Buy for common problems
Accounting, email and standard CRM needs are well served by existing tools that improve every year.
Build where you are different
If a process is central to how you win customers, custom software can become a real advantage.
Consider the total cost
Licences, customisation, maintenance and training all count. Compare five-year costs, and look past year one.
Plan for integration
Whichever you choose, it has to connect to your other systems. Ask about APIs early.
Putting it into practice
List the processes the software would support and mark each one as standard or distinctive. Standard means most businesses do it the same way, such as invoicing or email. Distinctive means it shapes how you win or keep customers. Shortlist existing tools for the standard ones before any custom work is discussed.
For each realistic option, build a simple five-year cost sheet covering licences, setup, customisation, hosting, maintenance, training and the internal time needed to run it. Ask vendors and developers the same questions, including how your data can be exported if you leave.
Before signing anything, sketch how the new software will connect to your current systems and confirm the APIs exist to support that. If an existing tool honestly covers most of your needs, buy it and spend the custom budget on the part that sets you apart.
Key takeaways
- Buy for standard needs
- Build where you compete
- Compare five-year costs
- Check integrations first