Map the workflow
Identify the job, users and data. Separate essential requirements from habits. Standard products may fit common processes; custom software needs a demonstrable benefit.
Compare three years fairly
Our planning framework is setup + migration + 36 × monthly licences and hosting + integrations + internal time + maintenance + exit. This is a calculation method, not market pricing. Use identical assumptions for users, data and support.
Custom does not mean rebuilding everything
A hybrid can combine established components with a custom interface or automation. Require exports, documented APIs, code rights and a maintainable handover.
Find affordable quality
Ask for acceptance criteria, ongoing costs and exclusions. A small, bounded first release can control risk. Search visibility still requires useful accessible content; a custom build alone does not create it.
What to prepare for the first conversation
Ask every vendor about setup, user/data limits, APIs, support hours, updates, export and termination. Add source-code access, documentation and handover for custom software. Work through a realistic future migration. A cheap contract without usable exports can be less flexible than a more expensive, well-documented system.
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