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Director of Digital Products at Travel Counsellors
To Buy or to Build, That Is the Question
In a business focused on continuous transformation to enhance the experiences of our people and customers, one of the decisions we face daily, is whether to buy 'off-the-shelf' software, partner with external tech providers, or build custom solutions to meet current and future technology needs.
At Travel Counsellors, a global community of travel business owners supported by a global technology platform, we have experience with all three approaches in our pursuit of achieving our goals.
Whether you’re a C-suite executive or a tech support team professional; working within a small startup or a large-scale enterprise, understanding the implications of buying, partnering, or developing proprietary tech is crucial for advancing a digital strategy that not only drives growth but also ensures that the needs of end users are the top priority.
Ready-Made or Perfect Partnership
The decision to bring partners on board begins with a simple cost versus benefits analysis, which helps evaluate the pros and cons of each option.
When the 'bought-in' technology requires a long-term partnership, we strive to ensure that the new technology partner aligns with our company values. If we’re discussing 'plug-and-play' software, the process may be straightforward—we buy, install, and move on. However, if we’re integrating a long-term tech partner where mutual growth is anticipated, we aim to find a 'perfect match' in company values and user-centricity.
Some of our recent external technology partnerships have enhanced our corporate travel solution, 'Travel Counsellors for Business,' which provides work-related trips to professionals globally. One partnership introduced a self-booking tool for corporate travel clients (myTC Online), and another improved reporting functions, enabling Travel Counsellors and their clients to analyze business travel activity (myTC Insights).
We seek tech partners who share our values of showing care, fostering trust, and being human (even when discussing tech!), and who are innovative, reliable, and driven to grow alongside us. We value partners willing to act as extensions of our in-house capability, adopting a joined-up, hybrid-team approach.
Pros of Proprietary
We have a long history of tech partnerships, but historically, we’ve built more than we’ve bought, especially true for our bespoke booking platform, Phenix. Over more than two decades, Phenix has been significantly developed by our in-house talent.
Phenix has evolved alongside our business, growing from a handful of Travel Counsellors supporting corporate and leisure travelers to over 2,000 experts in six countries managing their travel operations from locations that suit their customer or client base.
In-house development and innovation are continuous to ensure Phenix operates in the best and most efficient ways for our TC business owners and supports the growth of our global community. By developing in-house, we can rapidly respond to user requirements with features such as a platform status page highlighting the latest updates and fixes, and dedicated “Phenix TCTV” episodes that broadcast updates to the community.
Born and raised at Travel Counsellors, our booking platform is bespoke to us, and we reap the benefits daily.
The choice between buying and building technology is not a one-size-fits-all decision but a strategic one, and therein lies the secret sauce—be clear on your end goals
Bespoke to You
The choice between buying and building technology is not a one-size-fits-all decision but a strategic one, and therein lies the secret sauce—be clear on your end goals. Are you seeking to develop a proprietary capability that will grow with you over the years, or simply a functional feature that represents a logistical improvement?
There is nothing more intuitive than technology designed, developed, and innovated in-house, driven by continuous feedback from users. The total value of owning your bespoke technology and the benefits it brings often outweigh the initial costs in time, budget, and resources, provided you have the in-house talent to complete the job.
However, there is also a time and a place for bought-in or partnered technology plug-ins and platforms. The lens we use in making these balanced decisions is to proactively consider how the new application will enhance the user experience for our customers, end users, and, often, our Travel Counsellor business owners—making it easier, better, more seamless, and, of course, more enjoyable. This remains our north star.
Ultimately, any tech integration or innovation—whether bought, partnered with, or developed in-house—should be a decision tailored to your organization, driven by those who will benefit most from your technology platforms: your people and your customers.
