Buy, adapt or build: choosing your business software
Every growing company eventually hits the same wall: the shared spreadsheet no longer holds. Three roads open up, and the choice is too often made on instinct.
Buy off the shelf
When it is right: your need is standard and your processes are negotiable. Invoicing or payroll has no business being custom-built.
The hidden cost: adapting your processes to the tool. Count your teams’ time, not just the licence.
Adapt an existing base
When it is right: 70% of your need is covered by an existing platform and the remaining 30% is critical. This is the most cost-effective route, and the most underrated.
The hidden cost: dependence on the base vendor. Check before signing who owns what, and what happens if you leave.
Build from scratch
When it is right: your process is your competitive advantage, or no solution respects your regulatory framework. This is common in education, the public sector and infrastructure.
The hidden cost: maintenance. Custom software with no budget for evolution becomes technical debt within eighteen months.
The deciding question
Ask yourself this: “if I describe my process to a vendor, will they tell me I am doing it oddly?”. If yes, and your way of working is justified, you are a candidate for a custom build. If not, buy.
We work all three routes, including the one where we tell you that you do not need us. Let’s talk for 30 minutes.
Let’s talk about your project. The first call is on us.
30 minutes to understand your need, tell you whether one of our platforms already answers it, and if not, estimate what a custom build would cost.