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By Ajoy Gonsalves
November 27, 2020
Like most companies, you've probably also developed your own version of the plan-do-check-act cycle over the years and are now looking for a way to digitize it with an EHS solution.
Surely there must be EHS software that does what I need, right?
Just about every EHS manager
Sooner or later you will face the same dilemma that the techies have been dealing with since the dawn of business software:
Ultimately, whether you build or buy, you will have to make compromises.
So, which one is the 'least evil'?
We will discuss the pros and cons of building vs. buy sketches and inform you about the 7 things to look for in your search for EHS software.
The appeal of this option is that you have full control over the final product, and you get a custom solution that ticks all the boxes. However, an internal build can take up a lot of your precious time, probably more than you can afford.
So before you turn on the "internal" construction machine, it's worth checking out how fast this machine can move.
Here are the key questions to ask yourself:
If you manage to develop your own EHS platform, then it is almost certain that the software will have the exact functions and workflow you need. However, there are a few things you should know before you decide to build your own EHS software.
1. Expectations may not match reality
Unfortunately, building a software solution in-house is often seen as a useless chore. Statistics show that 46% of internal software projects do not meet the initial requirements. Worse, 43% of the projects delivered are over budget and 49% are overdue; if they are launched at all. Before you know it, your project may be lumped together and forgotten.
2. The work never ends
In addition to needing the in-house expertise to build an EHS platform, you also need to be prepared that your IT team will be working on this project for months, perhaps years, to come. Once the solution is live, the work doesn't end there. The solution must be continuously maintained and upgraded to keep abreast of industry trends and comply with government regulations.
3.You need more IT staff on the payroll
Another important factor to consider is the hiring and support of your staff. If your solution is built internally, you will also need to provide internal support. This means that you will have to hire more IT support staff to process the influx of applications. Companies with internal solutions end up spending 80% of their budget on maintenance.
Of course, there are advantages to building an EHS platform in-house. In short, let's make a good old-fashioned pros and cons list:
If you can find a way to offset the pros and cons, you've got your answer. Start building your own solution.
In the past, companies did not have the option to purchase ready-to-use EHS management systems. This technology has only recently become widely available at a reasonable price. In addition, most ICT decision makers did not tolerate the few turnkey solutions due to lack of transparency, limited integrations, security issues, etc. On the business side, purchasing EHS software was avoided because companies did not want to compromise in terms of of features and functionality.
However, now you can evaluate a handful of EHS management software solutions, with enough features and functionality for almost any industry. At one end of the spectrum are the highly specialized EHS platforms that provide solutions for specific verticals. On the other hand, there are the all-in-one platforms that come with a plethora of features and can be customized to suit the needs of any business.
However, there are some important questions to ask yourself before purchasing any EHS software:
Despite the variety of solutions out there, implementing a turnkey EHS management system can feel like trying to fit a square into a round hole. Let's see why.
1. It may work for others, but not for you
An industry-focused solution may claim to 'understand your business', but in reality it may not be 100% true. Every organization has its own EHS process, which means that a solution tailored to the workflow is usually required.
2.Your data is on their servers
Then there is the security issue. Usually your data is hosted in the cloud, on your supplier's servers. It's great if they're GDPR compliant, but how comfortable are you with storing and processing your sensitive business data on a third-party platform?
3. 3. 'Adaptable' is a slippery term
While most out-of-the-box EHS solutions are customizable, there's a limit to how much you can customize. Usually you will eventually have to adapt your business processes to the solution, not the other way around. This can wreak havoc in your organization as you have to inform everyone about the changes.
4. "We'll add that in a future update."
Finally, when it comes to adding new features, it's very unlikely you'll get your suggestions implemented quickly. After all, prebuilt software serves hundreds or even thousands of customers who all make requests for different functions. So you can wait up to 1-2 years until the functionality is actually implemented; if that is ever the case. With some vendors, you can only hope that custom capabilities will be developed, but that will mean a significant increase in your licensing costs.
Just like building, buying a turnkey EHS solution has both positive and negative sides. So, how about making a pros and cons list again?
If you decide to go for a ready-made solution, make sure you make the comparison. Only when you are able to weigh the pros and cons should you commit to buying.
Hopefully, this has made it easier for us to choose between building or buying a solution. Let us know in the comments what your choice fell on and why!