Question
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Expert knowledge for digital decisions
Standard CRM or Custom CRM – Which is More Economical?
Short answer
A standard product is quicker to set up and cheaper in the first few years. A custom solution becomes economical when licensing costs per person accumulate over the years, the process deviates significantly from the standard, or many interfaces are required. The calculation must include the operational costs of the custom solution – otherwise, it is incorrect.
The Honest Calculation
A comparison that only weighs licensing costs against development costs is misleading. Both sides must be fully considered:
| Standard CRM | Custom Solution | |
|---|---|---|
| One-time | Setup, data migration, training | Concept, development, data migration, training |
| Ongoing | License per person per month | Hosting, maintenance, security updates |
| With changes | often additional costs or not possible | Development effort |
| Hidden | Workarounds for missing functions | Dependency on the service provider |
When Standard is Sufficient
If your sales follow a common pattern: inquiry, offer, order, invoice. There are mature products for this, and building new ones would be wasteful.
When Custom Development Makes Sense
- Recurring workarounds consistently cost time.
- A central process cannot be represented in the standard.
- Numerous users drive up licensing costs, even though most only need a few functions.
- Data must not be with the provider for legal reasons.
The Middle Way
Often overlooked: a standard CRM as a base, supplemented by custom modules through its interfaces. This combines a quick start with tailored processes where it truly matters.
Key facts
- Turning Point
- When workarounds consistently cost time
- Often Forgotten
- Operational and maintenance costs of the custom solution