Transforming Supply Chain

CarrierDirect is on a mission to Transform Supply Chain and here-in you'll find documentation of that journey.
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[Free Ebook] The Ultimate Buy vs Build Guide for Freight

We understand the importance and complexity that can come with embarking on a journey to bring new technology into your freight business.

We have worked with many companies in the transportation & logistics space to help them make this decision. We have also helped businesses implement purchased software and develop their own proprietary tech. Taking what we've seen and learned along the way, we have created this guide for the decision process.

Spoiler Alert

The truth is you should not strictly buy OR build the tech you use for your business. The best results come from a hybrid approach:

  • Buy what you can.
  • Build what will differentiate you in the market.

Ultimately, we recommend buying AND building. That being said, this guide helps you decide when to buy and when to build.

Buy vs Build Guide by Metafora shadowDownload The Ultimate Buy vs Build Guide for Freight now by submitting the form below:

 

This ebook includes expert insight on:

  • The Current Market
  • The Foundational Work to Complete Before Beginning the Process
  • Common Pitfalls to be Aware of so You Can Avoid
  • Organizing Your List of Capabilities
    • Must Haves
    • Nice to Haves
    • Differentiators
  • Defining Success
  • Factors that Affect Your Buy vs Build Decision
    • Control
    • Time Frame
    • Cost
    • Vetting and Trade Offs
  • The Selection Process
  • Making the Decision

Spoiler Alert #2! Here's an excerpt from the conclusion of the guide:

The goal of the build versus buy analysis is to make the best decision for your organization and its needs, covering every factor of control, capabilities, time frame, and cost.

"What's important for a company that is growing and scaling is to understand what they're good at and where their revenue growth is truly coming from–and working from there to choose between build versus buy."

–Grace Sharkey, Writer at FreightWaves and former supply chain executive

If examining the pros and cons of building and buying leads you to a clear answer of building, you can be confident in this decision, provided that every type of factor was addressed. However, in the majority of cases, the answer is buying rather than building. The reason comes down to specialization.

Buying from a technology provider allows your organization to lean on the expertise of others in an area outside of your strengths. Businesses specialize in niches as a competitive advantage, to be able to provide every kind of efficiency that only comes through depth of knowledge. You benefit from a technology company that is experienced in bringing new software solutions to transportation and logistics companies.

Similarly, a consultant like Metafora helps companies by offering expertise–in this case, in navigating the choice of build versus buy and the steps that follow. We serve as your partner who knows the questions to ask and how to weigh the answers for the best decision. If that decision is building, we help you increase your capacity in that process to more efficiently meet your objectives. If buying, we help you choose the technology provider and solution options and help you confidently accelerate the process.

"By working with CarrierDirect for our build versus buy decision, we had a partner who helped us figure out how to operate more efficiently and move more volume, driving more revenue and profit, helping us get a return on investment quickly, and driving a better customer experience."

- Steve Aborn, CEO of FreightPlus

With Metafora, you get an industry expert looking out for your organization's best interests in every decision, helping from start to finish with your build or buy process.

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Metafora
Metafora
Metafora is the leading consulting & software development firm for transportation, logistics, and supply chain businesses. Metafora partners with carriers, shippers, and freight tech vendors to help you optimize your business and build software to fuel their growth. Welcome to the new way forward. Welcome to Metafora.

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