"I need custom software." I've heard this hundreds of times in five years of consulting. In 60% of cases, after analyzing the problem, my answer has been: you don't need custom, you just need to configure existing software properly. In the remaining 40%, yes — custom is the right call, and when it is, it pays off in ways no off-the-shelf product ever could.
The problem is that most companies choose by gut feel or hype. Result: custom software abandoned after 18 months, or off-the-shelf tools strangling growth. Here are the concrete criteria I actually use.
The rule that sums it up
If your processes are your competitive advantage, custom. Otherwise off-the-shelf.
Sounds obvious. In practice it gets applied badly. Let's translate it into operational questions.
5 questions to decide
1. Are my processes the same as my competitors'?
If you run a pizzeria, a notary office, or a tire shop: your processes are already codified in existing software. Buying off-the-shelf, configuring it, and using it is the right call 95% of the time. Investing €30k in custom is waste.
If instead you run a business with a truly unique process (a vertical SaaS company, a manufacturer with anomalous logistics), then custom starts to make sense — your process is the product.
2. How big is the company?
Three rough bands:
- < 10 employees: standard, always. Custom cost won't recoup. Exceptions: SaaS, marketplaces, tech products.
