Off-the-shelf software is the right buy when many companies do the job the same way. Custom software is worth it when the way you work is why customers pick you.
Buy when
- The workflow matches what the product already does, with light settings
- You can live with the vendor's screens, data model, and release schedule
- The job is accounting, email, or another problem that is already solved
Build when
- Staff keep a spreadsheet beside the tool because the tool cannot do the real job
- Customers would notice if you swapped the product for a generic one
- Two or three tools have to be glued together for one order, booking, or shipment
Quadrato Cargo needed booking, tracking, and dispatch in one product. A generic site would not have run that operation. If that sounds like the problem, see web and app development or talk through the workflow.