After years leading Dékuple Spain, I’ve come to a realization that I’m afraid might be quite unpopular: in most cases, when it comes to software that supports your unique business processes, a custom-built solution, tailored exactly to your needs, might be better than buying an off-the-shelf product.
Of course, this idea doesn’t apply to standard or common tools like word processors or e-commerce platforms: there’s not point reinventing the wheel with those, just buy the solution and be done. But for software that touches your specific workflows - be it a timesheet tool, an incentive-management platform, or even a full-fledged ERP - a tailored approach offers advantages that are too significant to ignore.
Custom Software Fits Your Needs—Nothing More, Nothing Less
When you buy off-the-shelf software, you’re paying for three types of features:
Features you need
Features you think you’ll need (but probably won’t)
Features you know you’ll never need
But you still pay for all of them.
Worse still, when the software lacks features you know you need, you’re faced with two poor choices:
Heavily customizing the software, often with expensive consultants, trying to twist it into something it was never meant to be.
Changing your own processes to adapt to the software, which is worse. Your business should dictate your software needs, not the other way around.
Custom-built software, on the other hand, is like a suit tailored exactly to your measurements: it fits your needs perfectly, nothing more, nothing less. This not only saves costs but also keeps things simple for your users, preventing them from getting lost in features they’ll never use.
Simplicity Means Better User Experience
Those unnecessary features in off-the-shelf software don’t just inflate the cost; they clutter the interface and make the software harder to use. When users are overwhelmed with too many options, they:
Avoid using the software altogether.
Use it inconsistently or incorrectly, creating chaos in data and workflows.
With custom software, the interface is as streamlined as your needs. There’s no clutter, and users can focus on what really matters, ensuring consistent and correct usage across your organization.
The Total Cost of Ownership is Shifting
Not too long ago, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for off-the-shelf software was more attractive than building something from scratch. But things have changed:
Advanced frameworks (like Ruby on Rails, which we use at DĂ©kuple, but there are others) have dramatically increased developer productivity. Experienced developers can now build complex applications in a fraction of the time it used to take.
You could even use low-code or no-code platforms to further improve productivity. You might lose some flexibility, but maybe that’s ok for your needs.
AI tools like GPT-4 and Claude make coding even faster. Developers can create skeletons quickly and focus more on refining the solution to fit your specific business needs.
Cloud and container technology have made hosting internal software cheap and easy, eliminating the need for expensive or hard to maintain infrastructure.
For example, at Dékuple Spain, we needed a timesheet tool. The off-the-shelf options would have cost us around €3,000 a year (not much, I know). Instead, we built a simple timesheet module in our ERP system with just 20 developer hours. It requires minimal maintenance and saves us a few thousands annually.
Real-Life Example: Insurance
One of our clients, a major insurance company, was stuck with a rigid, off-the-shelf solution for managing their sales network. It was expensive, difficult to adapt, and ultimately failed to support their evolving processes.
They took a leap and worked with us to develop a custom solution. Three years later, they are:
Far more satisfied because the software fits their exact needs, much like a suit tailored to their measurements.
Saving hundreds of thousands of euros each year by avoiding license and consulting fees.
Conclusion: Building software is an option to be seriously considered
The decision between buying and building software isn’t just about cost - it’s about aligning your tools with your business strategy. When the software you need must be tightly coupled to your business processes, by building your own software, you gain agility. You control the features, the interface, and the direction of future updates.
For many companies, custom-built software, in those cases, could be the better investment. It’s not about spending less; it’s about investing wisely in a solution that will grow with your business and truly meet your needs.
