Investing in readymade sales force automation (SFA) could seem unnecessary if you have the available in-house tech knowledge and only need to make small tweaks to existing systems. But if you want to do something complex or specialized, buying a readymade solution might make more sense in the long run.
Considering building it?
Before making any decisions on whether to invest in the creation of new software, there are some factors you need to consider. Ask yourself questions like:
- What does it need to do and what capabilities does it need to have?
- What is the need for it, and is it a short term or a longer term need?
- Is there a similar product already available on the market?
- Is your team capable, in both expertise and capacity, to create this software?
If, after having answered these questions, you still want to build your own software, it’s time to consider the true costs involved in software development. Some of these questions should get you thinking about the basics:
- What is the cost of building this software?
- How much time will it take you to build it, maintain it and update it?
- Is there no other workable solution available?
- How much will it cost to maintain and update your software?
One of the major drawcards to building your own software is that you can mould it to suit your company’s needs directly. This means, however, that you will always be reliant on your developers for future updates and ongoing maintenance. When a developer leaves, you could be left with unusable coding that new developers would have to rework from scratch.
Building your very own software is surprisingly expensive. The development costs involve more than just the new software you’re building. You’ll have to constantly modify your newly built software as software in the broader ecosystem it’s integrated with gets updated or replaced. This happens whenever your company changes its business processes, some of its departments switches to using different software, or the original developers leave the company. Can you cope with these potential bumps in the road?
Considering buying it?
Timing plays a crucial role in most businesses’ decisions, and this doesn’t change when deciding between building your own software or buying it.
The benefits of buying your software are that it can take less than a month to have it up and running, you don’t have the costs involved in updating and maintaining it, and your staff receive the training/support you need from the company supplying the software directly. It can take months or even over a year to iron out all of the development issues involved in building your own software, while it may cost a small fortune to maintain/update. On top of this, you will require some of your own staff’s time to train you or support you with any software issues you experience. Upfront costs are also usually cheaper when buying software as opposed to building it, although this might differ in the long run depending on your businesses needs and the software capabilities.
Most companies find it a more suitable and easier option to buy already existing software, rather than building their own. Although this choice works for most companies, some are experiencing different needs and are looking for options that simply aren’t available on the market.
Finally, developing and maintaining your software will also take your in-house developers away from developing your company’s other tech needs, and while you’re building your own platform, your competitors will be making sales using other software. Is that something you can afford?
If you would like to find out how Skynamo can help your software needs Contact us to get more information or Schedule a demo now and discover first-hand how Skynamo offers the software that you and your reps need to become more efficient, accurate and successful.
