The Problem with Over-Customization
I recently got a call from a CEO who was really frustrated about the delays in their system implementation. He asked me to meet with his executive team to figure out what went wrong. They expected the process to be smooth and quick, but it wasn’t. This situation is something I’ve seen many times in my career, and it often comes down to one main issue: too much customization.
Holding Onto the Past
When I looked into the project, I found that one key employee—someone very influential—insisted on keeping the same workflows they had been using for the past 18 years. This person’s resistance to change meant they wanted to keep doing things the same old way instead of taking advantage of the new features and flexibility of a modern SaaS solution.
Our implementation team had tried to push back, recommending newer, more efficient workflows and encouraging the use of standard features to keep the system flexible and scalable. However, the influence of this employee and the company’s reluctance to change led to a lot of unnecessary customization. This not only caused major delays but also drove up the costs, making the whole process more complicated and harder to manage.
The Cost of Over-Customization
When I spoke with the CEO and the rest of the executive team, I was very straightforward. I explained, “Your SaaS system is meant to grow and evolve with your business. Over-customizing it ties you to the past, which makes it harder for your company to grow and adapt in the future.” SaaS platforms are designed to be flexible and easy to scale. They work best when businesses use the standard features, which allows them to benefit from regular updates and improvements without needing extra work.
Embracing Change for True Transformation
This story is not unique. Many companies buy modern technology but end up reducing its value by holding onto old habits and outdated processes. It’s hard to let go of what feels comfortable, especially for people who have been doing things the same way for a long time. But real transformation requires being open to change and the new opportunities that come with it.
After a lot of discussions, we were able to help the team change their mindset. They decided to minimize unnecessary customization and align with the built-in workflows that the system offered. The results were immediate and clear—deployment moved faster, maintenance was easier, and they ended up with a solution that could adapt to their future needs.
The Risks of Over-Customization
At Solvait, we always emphasize the risks of over-customization. We’ve learned from experience that changing too much from the original plan often causes more problems than it solves. It’s not just about avoiding extra costs, though that is important. It’s also about making sure our clients are set up for long-term success—able to grow, adapt, and scale without being stuck with a system that’s too complicated and hard to manage.
A recent Gartner report found that 50% of SaaS implementation projects are delayed because of unnecessary customizations (Gartner, 2023). Over-customization doesn’t just raise costs; it adds complexity to every future update or integration, reducing the agility that made SaaS appealing in the first r
If your company is going through a SaaS implementation, take a moment to think: Are your customizations really needed for the business, or are they just a way to stay comfortable with what you already know? True growth often means letting go of what no longer works and embracing what will.
Partnering for Future Success
At Solvait, we see ourselves as partners in transformation. Our mission is to help our clients build a system that is strong, scalable, and ready for future challenges—not one weighed down by old, outdated processes. Let’s focus on what’s possible, not just what’s comfortable.
