Best of Breed VS Custom App What is the best choice?

12 Dec 2022

In 2022, 64% of companies (more than 500 employees) foresee an increase in their IT budgets compared to 45% of SMEs (1-499 employees) according to a survey by SWZD. So, if you are one of these companies, we are aware that your budget is already fixed, your needs are aligned and your schedule is established. But the most important question is whether you need to develop your solution or acquire it. Now, as a technology company, we always get this question from our customers. What is the best option? developing a custom solution integrated software, a custom application, or opt for purchasing a Best of Breed solution? To help you make the right decision, here are the points to consider.

Why choose a BOB ?

First of all, what is a BOB? According to Techopedia, “A reference system is the best system in its niche or reference category. Although it performs specialized functions better than an integrated system, this type of system is limited by its area of specialization.” In other words, A Best of Breed is a solution for a specific process such as marketing, sales, accounting, etc. For each process, you choose the best solution available on the market. Before discussing the benefits of a Best of Breed strategy, our first advice is « Don't reinvent the wheel! » If there is a solution that meets your requirements and is within your budget, this would be your first option. If you decide to opt for a BOB solution, here is what to expect

01. Fast to deploy

Theoretically, it does not require much customization or configuration. This means that you can start as soon as your project is complete, without wasting time on the learning curve. But this is not always true.Wether you are looking for a standard and mature process like marketing, sales, or CRM... you will find tons of solutions.In that case, it would be quicker to deploy. Otherwise, it becomes tricky when the solution is complex. In case of finding solutions that meets your needs, the choice would be based on whether or not you could integrate this solution into your digital ecosystem.

02. Affordable price

Best of Breed solutions are often more affordable than custom-built solutions, this is especially true for small businesses as fewer resources are available, which reduces maintenance, training costs and also the number of licenses. Suppose you are looking for a simple process solution concerning sales, human resources management, or financial management... In that case, the prices will be affordable as these solutions have reached their maturity which presents a considerable competitive advantage. And again, it's just a question of which solution would best fit into your digital ecosystem.

03. Profitability

Best-of-breed solutions save you money on software development, which can make a big difference in the long run. You will also be able to get your application up and running faster. Meaning it will be available sooner. Furthermore, if you were using a Best of breed solution for fewer users and therefore fewer licenses, BOB is faster to deploy and easier to adopt. This ensures a faster return on investment. On the other hand, if the company grows and requires a larger number of licenses, this will inevitably increase the costs.

For this reason that it is essential to determine the prospects for the department's evolution to determine its needs, in the long term. There are many BOB solutions for mature processes, so prices are competitive and affordable for SMEs. For this reason that it is essential to determine the prospects for the department's evolution to determine its needs, in the long term. There are many BOB solutions for mature processes, so prices are competitive and affordable for SMEs. To conclude, a Best of Breed solution is the first option to consider in case you are not working in a niche or if your process is standard. hence, you need to analyze the market to see if there are solutions that meet your needs so you don't reinvent the wheel.

Why choose custom software development?

According to Libeo Custom software is defined as software that is fully designed and customized to meet your specific needs with particular features to successfully conduct the implementation of your process. Customized software or custom solution ranges from creating a website and mobile applications to personalized ERP for your business. As mentioned at the beginning, some companies choose custom software development because it fits their IT philosophy or because their process is too complex for a BOB. For example, Amazon and Walmart as cases have developed their solutions based on their business models and business process. So, if you are a company that wants to have software tailored to your specific needs, here are the main reasons to opt for custom software development:

Scalabilty

Your business grows exponentially over time, and each phase of that growth has specific needs to match that evolution. By turning to custom software development, you will decide how it will evolve as your business grows and what options to add to meet your new needs.

Independence

Your customized software evolves according to your requirements and needs and offers you the advantage of adaptation. You own the solution and you can make changes with free technology. You can ensure that your system is maintained in good working order while making the changes and updates you want.

Control

By developing your custom application, you control the pace of features’ development that respond to your needs. This means; you control the growth rate of your software without having to follow a roadmap. According to a pre - established contract with the agency, you can access to the codes. You will, therefore benefit from the intellectual property of your application. Theoretically, the application belongs to you, which offers more security and a competitive advantage in the long term.The customized software subsequently, evolves according to your budget and schedule at the same time as your company.

Another advantage of personalized development, it's the maintenance of your application which can be done by your team internally or through other agencies according to your choice and in conformity with the contract negotiated from the beginning.

Combine Best of Breed with custom software

Depending on the strategy adopted, companies often mix the two options between choosing a BOB solution or developing custom software. This is done by using a BOB as the basis of the business and adding specific Software as a Service (SaaS) layer for certain business operations. Next, the APIs will allow BOB software to integrate with the company's tools, namely custom apps. The very principle of data integration is to bring together heterogeneous data from the two software programs in order to build a homogeneous set. Alternate Text

According to AzureMicrosoft, Data integration is defined as a process that combines data from multiple sources in order to provide users with a unified, single view. This means grouping multiple data subsystems and creating a single, more comprehensive and extensive system, which allows your team to access consistent information. The integration of data takes into account all types of data, for example, their growth, their volume, and all forms of variables. This combination will facilitate business decision-making and produce actionable and attractive insights for long-term success. The purpose of this is to make it easier to use the data and to make it a reliable decision support tool to meet specific needs. These mixed systems are typically operated by creating intuitive interfaces, they bring together the integrated data of your various systems to facilitate the operation and interpretation of your information flows from your BOB and custom solutions. By combining these two solutions, you will be able to maintain some flexibility in your information system. In order to be successful, some factors must be considered

The Evolution of the company

As the company grows and evolves, the more traffic it generates, and therefore more data is accumulated, the system must be efficient and stable to support the storage of a large data stream.

The capacity of the security

A reliable security protocol must be provided, to ensure security against the sensitivity of hosted data.

BOB Extensibility

See if the solution allows customization at the process level according to the extensibility by adding an additional layer that fits the BOB.

Data opening

We are talking here about interfacing, the system is able to function by itself but we must exploit its data opening potential which will allow the extraction and integration of future information.

What solution should I use?

A custom software solution or a Best of Breed solution ? There is no “better option”. Each company has its philosophy and vision, so to make the choice that best suits you, first define your SMART goals with your team.These objectives will indicate the functionality of the solution you are looking for. Writing these features would make it easier for you and your team to explore all the possibilities that might be useful, whether immediately or in the long term, as your business grows. Buy It or build It

Yet, it would be helpful to have someone from the technology field on your team ; Knowing the different software and technology trends can clarify some ambiguities about the properties of certain features and the best ways to address them. If you don't have anyone in your company who fits this role, you can always ask for help from agencies or consultants. Nevertheless, investing in a team of consultants from the beginning can be useful and will save a lot of money in the future by providing the right information from the start. Finally, to decide whether you choose a BOB option or a custom software development or simply mix the two, you need to specify your needs, identify your requirements, set your budget, and ask yourself the right questions.