Make Sure You Aren’t Comparing Apples to Zebras
Here are five things you need to consider when choosing an integration partner and/or integration software.
- What are your integration needs?
- Real-time or batch?
- Transaction volume
- Cost
- Strategy
In this post we discuss integration costs:
Many integration companies offer a “low cost” option which provides a minimal integration.
While it may sound like a great deal, that minimal integration is almost never going to be a good fit for a company with anything other than very simple integration needs. If you are entertaining an integration provider because of their low cost, be sure to learn everything that is included in their service and what you will need to provide to them to get started. When you have a clear list of what they include, you can determine your true cost and make a better comparison to the offerings of other integrators.
For example, your low-cost integrator offers options A and B but you need to give them C before you can get started, and you can’t get D unless you pay them more money. How does that stack up against a full-service integrator that includes A, B, C, D, E and more for a single, up-front price?
Many integrators charge extra for data or have tiered pricing according to transaction volume. That can make the “as low as” price rise in a hurry. If you are evaluating an integration solution that charges extra for data or transactions, make sure that your quote includes the estimated cost data and transactional costs.
Look for posts where we discuss your strategy for integration.
If you have questions about any of this, please contact us.