Previously on this blog, we discussed the pros and cons of standard or "one-size-fits-all" solutions (more on that here). While standard solutions can be a great option, chances are they wont fit seamlessly into your business needs.
So what are the pros and cons of custom solutions? Lets discuss the top three considerations.
Pros
1. Meets All Business Needs: You don't expect your customers to compromise so why should you? Create a solution that meets all your needs, not just a select few.
2. Puts Your Business First: Let a partner build and run your customized service solution so you can concentrate on what you do best.
3. Scalability: With a custom solution and the right partner, you can have a solution that grows with your business.
Cons
1. Increased Risk: The team running your custom solution will certainly have mitigated some risk from past similar solutions, but inevitably there will be new requirements built just for you. This is why it is important to choose a partner that is experienced in custom solutions and can manage the associated risk.
2. Higher Cost: With standard solutions the initial startup/infrastructure cost is dispersed across many clients. However, with custom solutions you have to take a large portion of those costs on yourself.
3. Time: As expected, building a custom solution can take some time. This time isn't just on your partner to help you create the solution, but also on your team to identify your workflow and needs.
Your company has very different needs than your competitors, and sometimes that requires a very different solution.
In keeping with our relate-able song lyrics theme, we will let Roy Orbison have the last word:
Anything you want, you got it Anything you need, you got it Anything at all, you got it.