Pros and Cons of Native vs Customised Business Systems

The question is the same for all businesses, from start-ups to SMEs to large corporations; which digital system do you use to keep your ship running smoothly?

Is it easier to buy a CRM that works out of the box, or does it make more sense to build one for you and your specific needs?

Well, it’s not a straightforward answer. Both have their pros and cons, and whichever direction you take will depend on the unique requirements of your business and the challenges it faces.

This post will take you through both native and customised systems, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and which one may be right for you.

What’s the difference between a native and custom CRM?

A customised CRM is designed and built specifically for you and your business, while a native system is a generic software that meets the general challenges that organisations usually deal with on a daily basis.

The two will have plenty of common ground – in fact, most of what they do will be the same. Handling sales, customer data, email... the difference is in the details. If your company is heavily compartmentalised, then a bespoke system might suit you better, whereas if you have an uncomplicated business model, then a simple, off-the-shelf CRM will work just fine.

But what if you fall somewhere between the two? Well, that’s actually the solution we recommend. It’s called Power Platform, and we’ll get to that later!

Advantages and disadvantages of a native CRM

Off-the-shelf systems are by far the most commonly used in the business world. We’re talking about business management solutions for ERP, CRM and more from tech brands like Oracle, Salesforce, SAP and Microsoft Dynamics.

These systems have been around for a long time and are built to get you up and running with minimal fuss. A system like this can be installed and up and operating relatively quickly, saving time and allowing you to hit the ground running.

The other big advantage of a native system is reliability. Thousands of other companies have used this software before you, meaning that glitches, issues and UX problems have mostly been ironed out. Software is a continuous creation, constantly being updated and changed. If you buy a system off the shelf, you’re getting the latest version of that system, better than the ones that came before it, and moving forward, upgrades in security and features happen frequently.

Probably the most significant advantage of a native system is cost. Off-the-shelf software is not built from scratch and therefore does not require a considerable upfront investment. For many businesses, this is the main factor when deciding, but it also comes with disadvantages...

The main problem owners face is the obvious one – a generic system might not meet the needs of your business. All the tools are designed to be used by a wide range of businesses and users, so if you need something specific to your industry or company, you’re probably not going to find it.

Another problem is compatibility. Most of these solutions have little room for change, which can turn into a serious issue as your business grows and expands. Often third-party plugins are needed, which in turn leads to security issues.

Advantages and disadvantages of a customised CRM

A customised system is built with you and your customers in mind. Its biggest advantage is personalisation – it’s designed to do the job you want it to do and nothing more. This means you’re not stuck with additional features you don’t need, and any add-ons adapt to you rather than you having to adapt to them.

As it is built from the ground up, you can decide which features it has, determining what happens between the systems you integrate. This also makes updating easier; as technology advances, you can change the software to match.

Having full ownership of the software also means you don’t have to worry about licence fees, which can quickly add up with native platforms. Custom-built systems can also increase security if prioritised during and post-development, and usually, an entire internal team behind them to fix any issues.

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The most significant disadvantage of a customised business system is the cost. There is an initial high price to start the ball rolling, then as the build continues, setting up and testing also doesn’t come cheap.

The other major issue is time. Building a system from the ground up takes a long time to create, set up and test. If you’re looking at starting from scratch, you need to consider how long before you’ll be operational.

Which one is right for you?

As a business owner, you need to take all things into consideration before making an informed decision. Like most things in life, choosing which type of system to use is a balancing act.

If you want to get going quickly and don’t have to worry about complicated systems, then a generic CRM will do the trick. They are designed for quick installation and use, but they cast a wide net.

A customised system is worth the effort if you have the time and money. It can be tailored to your industry, grow with you as your business expands, and will probably be more cost-efficient in the long term.

There is, however, a third option...

The best of both worlds

There is a middle ground you can take between out-of-the-box software and a built-from-scratch system that will satisfy practically all your requirements.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Power Platform is a low-code solution to digitise, customise and automate processes.

It’s an off-the-shelf system that we tailor for you and your business. Because it’s native, you can hit the ground running, but the customisability of the software means you can develop your unique competitive gain within the product.

Power Platform supports integration with other services, but because Microsoft manages it, security is constantly updated. The result is a secure, easy-to-use system designed to work specifically for you and your business.

Whichever path you take, a native, bespoke or hybrid solution, talk to us first.

By harnessing the power of Microsoft Dynamics, we can help your business run smoother, faster and more efficiently. Using Microsoft Power Platform, work with you to build the perfect system for you, your company and your clients.

Contact us today if you have any questions about business software or if you’re having trouble deciding which is best for you. Our friendly and experienced team will happily have a friendly, informal chat.