It's a common problem: You have an existing business that's doing well, and you want to expand. However, the infrastructure you already have is holding you back. So, you're looking for a way to get more out of your current system. As a solution, you're probably considering buying or building software. But which is better?
Ordinarily, you have 3 choices;
📌 Sign up for a SaaS
📌 Build a custom solution with technology partners
📌 Build a custom solution with an in-house team.
Let’s break down how to make the right choice for your business.
Understand your business needs
Here is an easy decision framework;
📌 If you’re open to adopting best practices and out-of-the box solutions then SaaS can be a a great fit.
- Ask if your team will welcome mass scale changes to existing processes. This is not free!
📌 If your domain has specific processes, that cannot change then the answer requires more research;
- Gap Analysis → How different is your process from what the SaaS offers? A higher gap would indicate a custom build. A greater than 60% gap would indicate a custom build.
📌 Are there legacy or security reasons for you to not consider SaaS (cloud) solutions?
More often than not, you will need to customise, its the quantum of customise, its the quantum of customisation that will sink you, hence, a gap analysis is key!
Costs!
While you work out the budget think long term and not just for the launch.
ㅤ | SaaS | Custom Build | Why? |
License Fees | 💰💰💰 | 💰 | Recurring fees will grow as your business scales up. |
Implementation | 💰💰 | 💰💰💰 | Building from scratch is always more expensive, versus adapting an existing framework |
Maintenance | 💰💰 | 💰💰💰 | SaaS platforms offer easy configurability |
People | 💰💰 | 💰💰💰💰 | Hiring / Outsourcing and retaining good tech talent is expensive |
Hardware | - | 💰💰💰 | ㅤ |
Integration | 💰 | 💰💰💰 | Connecting to popular systems you use, is easier in SaaS |
NoCode is the best of both worlds!
NoCode comes out on top in nearly every category. It is the most flexible, most affordable option and provides the best possible return on investment.
NoCode solutions, which have a low cost footprint, and allow you to stitch together workflows and processes far more rapidly, allow you to perform the Discover → Iterate → Adapt cycle rapidly.
This is the best of both worlds, where you can go to market, without complex financial projects and contracts, while delivering value at each step!
Want to know how you can leverage NoCode for your business? Get in touch with me 👇🏾
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