Out-of-the-Box vs. Bespoke Software: Which One is Right for Your Business?

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Every contact center that is looking to implement new contact center solutions are faced with an important decision: implement a bespoke solution [I] or go for an out of the box solution [ii].

• [i] Any functionality that is configured using built-in workflow tools shipped by the vendor, but may not be forward compatible with future releases. Also, other functionality not shipped directly from the vendor that cannot be created using built-in workflow tools shipped by the vendor. All customization has no guarantee of compatibility with future releases and contains the risk of being costly to maintain over time.

• [ii] Any functionality that comes shipped directly from the software vendor or can be configured easily (where “easily” means configured by a business, not IT user) with built-in workflow tools, templates, and/or best practices provided directly by the vendor.

Both of these options have their pros and cons. The contact center business needs to carefully way their immediate needs and reflect on possible future needs and ultimately decide whether those business needs are best served with a bespoke solution or an out of the box solution.

Bespoke solutions are often used in complex business processes where the cost of having to adapt to a solution` limitations is simply to great of a sacrifice to the organization. I think it is fair to say that the contact center environment generally speaking is fairly standardized and can be handled very well by out-of-the-box software solutions.

With that in mind lets have a look at some of the pros and cons of Out-of-the-Box vs. Bespoke Software:

✔ Advantages of Out-of-the-Box Solutions

• Budget Friendly – “off the shelf” solutions are typically less costly than bespoke solutions
• Significantly Faster to Deploy – Implementation of the solution is fast and generally speaking straightforward.
• Proven Quality and Support – the solution has likely matured with a proven track record. It is being backed by the company`s quality assurance and support teams, therefor reliable.
• Better and Stable Product Lifespan – the solution likely comes with regular updates that improve software by adding features and refine the design. The provider of the software is able to provide this by having a large client base that provide feedback and cash flow through support contracts.

✖ Disadvantages of Out-of-the-Box Solutions

• Functionality Gaps – there is a possibility that the solution does not fully cover your business requirements.

In Conclusion

Bespoke solutions are built based on requirements set forth during the implementation process. The end result should be a solution that is entirely catered to the client` business processes. Implementation is no easy task. Clear communication and vision are key which is a daunting task on itself. Vendors with developers from regions outside your own make this even more of a hurdle. Through maturity of the solution you rely on the vendor for all of your support issues. As the solution is bespoke there is no telling what client-side changes might do to the product. Developers that initially worked on the implementation might have left the company.

If all goes well you end up with a solution that might offer you a competitive advantage over off-the-shelf solutions. Though at a likely hefty price tag.

2Ring offers the best of both worlds using Configurable Solutions [iii] like 2Ring Gadgets for Cisco Finesse and complete out-of-the-box solution like 2Ring Dashboards & Wallboards. Would like to know more? Request a demo and allow us to inspire you.

• [iii] Any functionality that can be created using built-in workflow tools shipped by the vendor. To be considered configurable, functionality should be forward-compatible with future releases.