Business owners have a large number of decisions to make about their company. For instance, company owners must decide if they want to implement one large integrated solution from one vendor to handle a number of tasks, or if they want to approach it from a “best-of-breed” angle, which involves a business owner selecting the best product of each type to handle specific jobs.
While there are pros and cons to each approach, the “best-of-breed” strategy does have a number of key advantages. Here are four to keep in mind.
1. System Updates Are Easier
As Technopedia notes, the best-of-breed approach is most successful when it is applied to one or a small number of functions that help to facilitate system maintenance. One reason this strategy works so well is that updates and other building blocks can be implemented without affecting other systems. For example, if a company uses a specific accounting program that is ideal for the size of the business and its needs, when the software needs to be updated it will not impact the separate inventory, invoicing and other types of computer programs the company uses on a regular basis.
2. Making Changes to a Specific Program Is Simpler
Another reason that a “best-of-breed” approach makes a lot of sense is because when business owners want to upgrade and expand a specific program or service, it is much simpler to deal with one platform. A solid example of this is call center software like Aspect Via. This secure, flexible and cloud-based platform allows company owners to evolve and scale their contact center as their business needs demand. Companies can start with the best-of-breed applications that solve their existing call center needs right now, and then deploy additional contact center and workforce optimization capabilities quickly and easily down the road.
3. Best-of-Breed Typically Include the Optimal Features
The best-of-breed approach typically ensures that companies will get the cream of the crop product or software tool for every need, according to TheReflex.com. Instead of one massive program that might be great at certain tasks but only so-so at other things, cherry picking the best products means businesses will have the best features and functions for every component. In order for this approach to work, each area of the company must be evaluated carefully to determine which individual solution is best.
4. Vendors Are More Knowledgeable
When business owners use a single vendor who provides a large “one-size-fits-all” integrated solution for their entire company, chances are good the vendor might understand some aspects of the program better than others. On the other hand, using a best-of-breed approach means working with a number of specialized vendors, each of whom is extremely well versed on their product and can more easily troubleshoot issues and suggest solutions.
As Its Name Implies, Best-of-Breed Is Clearly the Best Approach
Going with a best-of-breed strategy can mean your employees will have to be trained on a number of systems instead of just one, and working with multiple vendors also requires a business owner to have a schedule that is flexible enough to meet with each company as needed. But when you take into account all of the advantages a best-of-breed approach offers — including easier software updates that will not shut down the entire system, scaling a specific program as needed and working with vendors who truly know their products, any disadvantages are outweighed by the many advantages of going with a best-of-breed approach.
