Off-the-shelf software is often the right place to start.
If there’s a product on the market at around £6 per user, per year, and it comfortably does what you need, that’s a sensible decision. It’s quick to implement, easy to budget for, and removes a lot of complexity from the early stages of running a business. Someone else maintains it, updates it, and keeps it secure, while you focus on running the company.
For many businesses, that setup continues to work well for a long time. In some cases, indefinitely. And that’s absolutely fine. Technology choices don’t need to be complicated when the fit is right.
When the fit starts to change
As businesses grow, their needs naturally evolve.
Teams get larger. Processes become more interconnected. Data starts to matter more across departments. Additional tools are introduced to support new requirements. None of this happens overnight, and each decision usually makes sense at the time. Over time, though, what was once simple can begin to feel fragmented.
You may find yourself using multiple systems that don’t quite talk to each other. Licence fees quietly increase year after year. Teams rely on workarounds to get everyday tasks done. Reporting takes longer than it should. Simple changes feel disproportionately difficult. On the surface, everything still “works”. Underneath, the business feels heavier to run.
This is often the point where the questions shift.
Why does it take so much effort to get a clear picture of what’s going on?
Why does the same information exist in multiple places?
Why do capable teams feel slowed down by the tools meant to support them?
The cost of the missing 10%
Most off-the-shelf software does a lot very well. Often around 80–90% of what’s needed. The challenge is that the remaining 10% doesn’t stay small forever.
That missing functionality starts to show up as duplicated effort, manual processes, disconnected data, and frustration across teams. The cost isn’t just financial. It’s time, momentum, and missed opportunity. In some cases, it’s the inability to do things differently from competitors because the tools simply won’t allow it.
This is usually when off-the-shelf software stops feeling efficient and starts feeling restrictive.
Where bespoke software earns its place
Bespoke software isn’t about replacing everything or building something custom for the sake of it. At its best, it’s about simplification.
It’s about joining systems up so data flows properly. Designing technology around how the business actually operates, rather than forcing teams to adapt to generic assumptions. Removing friction from day-to-day work and creating a setup that supports growth instead of slowing it down. For businesses spending significant amounts on multiple tools that no longer feel joined up, a tailored approach can reduce complexity rather than add to it.
Choosing what’s right for your business
Good technology decisions aren’t about always buying off the shelf or always building bespoke. They’re about fit.
Sometimes off-the-shelf remains the right answer and continues to serve the business well. Other times, growth creates a need for something more joined up, more intentional, and more aligned with how the organisation actually works. Knowing when each approach applies is what really matters.
And when the right moment arrives, it tends to be felt very clearly.
