eting software: Before you design, think three times

If marketing software isn’t doing what you want it to, you have a choice.

• You can buy something you don’t want, and work around its flaws.
• Build your custom system.
• Buy something that you can customize.

Be aware of the potential dangers associated with either one of these custom options. You need to think carefully about what you are getting into.

This article will explain the most common pitfalls and give you a checklist to assist with your decision.

It’s not always possible to use off-the-shelf products.

Many businesses and industries have specific requirements that are not covered by standard models. Many online shops don’t offer all the necessary variables to manage subscriptions.

You might need to report on a specific industry, meet unique identification requirements or comply with special auditing rules.

Software vendors might not have heard of your requirements, or they may not consider companies with similar needs a significant enough market to be concerned about.

This could indicate that you may need a customized solution. A custom solution can bring many benefits.

It allows you to only build what you need. You have more control but it also brings with it costs and liabilities that you need to be aware of.

Get deeper: Great martech debate: Build or buy

The dangers of “Build your own”

After going through 14 product demos that don’t fit your business model or your needs, it can be tempting to say “Let’s make our own!”

These are some potential pitfalls to avoid before you make your move.

• You’re now in technology. You now need to be concerned about operating system changes, security threats, emerging technologies, and trends. It is important to keep your staff on top of these things. IT isn’t just one discipline. Competence in multiple areas is essential.
• There are two choices. You have two options: Hire your own developers or hire a developer shop. Developers are costly, and it can be difficult to find developers who understand your technology.
• The problem is not solved by “hiring staff”. The development process, business strategy and systems must be understood by the new team.
• It is equally important to know how to build the new wonder. Is it worth learning a new discipline?
• Additional costs do not end with hiring new staff. If you decide to work in-house, you will need staging and development servers. Test workstations are required. It is possible to add hardware and hosting requirements.
• You will need to budget for unexpected technology changes and problems if you are in the IT industry. Apple could release an update that causes problems in your system. Colorado may pass a new privacy law. You can have your staff focus on your business by paying a monthly fee.
• You may not need the same developer to create a custom-designed system as you will want to maintain it. The first type is creative and open to new challenges. The second type is a manager who doesn’t like change but prefers order and consistency.
• Even if your software is custom-built, it will be necessary to integrate with an external system, such as a payment gateway, or email service provider. These integrations will need periodic updates.

Additional dangers associated with ‘buy and modify’

While some of the above problems can be applied when you customize third-party software, there are other issues when you customize off-the-shelf solutions.

• Is your customization going to void your warranty? Is technical support still available from the provider after you have customized their system?
• Your customization will not be preserved when the app is upgraded. Add-ons may no longer work or require significant re-engineering. Sometimes it might not be obvious why your customization does not work in the new version. One of my developers spent a whole day trying to figure out why our script wouldn’t work with the new version. It was because a piece of software had changed how it handled line feeds in an XML file.
• Most likely, the app you bought integrates with other systems. These integrations may allow you to integrate your customizations.
• What should you do if the third-party provider of software you have purchased ceases to exist? How much will it cost to purchase and maintain the software yourself?

Get deeper: How marketers build a data-driven technology stack

A build-yourself checklist

As a gut check, read through every detail before you decide to build or buy and modify.

1. Describe the problem, why it is important and what your current solution does not do.

It’s possible to determine if a customization is really necessary by writing out the “why”.

One company I know used two fulfillment accounts systems, one for each of its 50+ titles. This was because they required distinct reporting. They thought so. One day, as they were reviewing company operations, the fulfillment department said that it would be easier to not have to use two systems.

The president of the company replied, “I thought that was your requirement.”

A customized solution might not be possible in 2024 for every operational requirement. Keep a log of all these details.

2. Other solutions are available

You’re certainly not the only one with this problem.

What are your competitors doing about it? Is it possible to license your competitors’ solution?

3. You need to distinguish between whimsical customizations

Your customers for new software can be both internal and external. This new technology will have an impact on your internal processes.

It’s one thing for a company to be able to meet a specific business need. It’s quite another to try and make your employees happy. Computers are capable of doing one thing many times. Marketers desire to be able to do a lot of things at once.

Each customization has a cost and risk. These risks and costs should be managed. Consider the return on investment for each customization. Consider the cost of customization, both the initial and ongoing maintenance and updates costs.

Make sure to be specific about the cost and expected benefits of customization. Frank, my friend, used to say that “we’ll do all the work and all the setup and then we’ll get one.”

Don’t confuse customization with a wishlist. Every customization must be justified.

4. Recall the virtues of simplicity

Apple and Kindle have drastically reduced the complexity of magazine fulfillment. They don’t take into account many of the functions that standard fulfillment houses would consider.

This arrogance was on the part Apple and Kindle. Or did they decide all the bells and whistles were not worth the effort?

Consider the simplicity of simplicity when you are considering a feature or function that is “nice to have”.

5. Make sure to document your customizations

It is very likely that you will lose the developers behind your custom system. The people who follow them need to be able to understand how it works. It is important to document everything.

Also, good documentation is essential if you want to integrate your customizations into another system. This will help both your developers and those of your partners.

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