Compare three options, including configuration
The choice is rarely limited to a completely standard product or a completely custom build. A configured CRM with a few integrations may solve most of the problem. A custom portal can sit above an established database or accounting system. Compare this middle option before committing to replacement.
| Factor | Off-the-shelf | Bespoke |
|---|---|---|
| Initial availability | Often available to trial quickly. | Needs discovery, development and testing. |
| Workflow fit | Depends on available configuration. | Can follow an agreed specific process. |
| Changes | Constrained by the vendor’s product. | Depends on your budget and development capacity. |
| Operation | Vendor often runs the core platform. | Hosting and maintenance must be assigned. |
| Exit | Check exports, contracts and integrations. | Check code, documentation and infrastructure access. |
Use five questions to test the fit
- Is the process distinctive? Identify the steps that create value, rather than preferences about screen layout.
- Can a standard product handle real examples? Use your difficult cases when testing a vendor demonstration.
- What do workarounds cost? Record duplicate entry, manual exports, delays and avoidable errors.
- Are requirements stable enough to build? A changing business may need an inexpensive experiment first.
- Who will operate the result? A custom system needs an owner and a maintenance arrangement.
These questions organise a decision; they do not produce a universal score or a guaranteed break-even point. One unusual integration can outweigh several otherwise standard requirements.
Compare total cost over the same period
For a subscription product, include licences, higher-tier features, implementation, integrations, administration and the cost of workarounds. For a build, include discovery, development, migration, hosting, maintenance and expected changes. Use the same period and the same operational scope for both.
As an illustrative calculation, a team spending eight hours a week on avoidable re-entry at an assumed internal cost of £25 per hour incurs £10,400 a year across 52 weeks. That is a planning example, not an Orwell result or a claim that every hour can be removed. Estimate the portion a proposed solution could realistically eliminate, then subtract the costs of operating it.
Test migration and exit before choosing
Ask for a sample export and inspect whether records, attachments, relationships and audit history can move together. A CSV of names is not a complete exit plan. Confirm API limits and the cost of accessing the features your integration depends on.
For bespoke software, ask whether another competent developer could deploy and maintain it using the handover materials. Ownership on paper is less useful when credentials, deployment instructions or database knowledge remain with one person.
Make the smallest decision that resolves the uncertainty
Trial a standard product against several real workflows. If one gap remains, prototype that gap. If the process is still changing, use the trial to learn before committing to a large build. Set a review point and identify what evidence would change your decision.
A buyer who can demonstrate a costly, repeated problem is in a stronger position than one with a long feature wish list. Read the bespoke development guide for the delivery questions, or custom CRM development for a concrete application of this comparison.
Written for Orwell Lab’s practical guide collection. Examples and calculations are illustrative unless a project is specifically identified.
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