Packaged solutions certainly form the vast majority of deployed software to support business process automation. Typically, a multitude of such packages may be found in any one organisation. Even with this coverage, however, existing business processes remain unaccounted for, or are not linked together as they ought to be.

Although many of the packaged solutions claim to be based on "best practices", they can only deliver the same solution to each of their customers. This prevents organisations from using a different approach which may in fact provide a significant competitive advantage.

Custom software development provides an opportunity for an organisation to address the short-comings of packaged solutions without compromising the benefits that they offer. By identifying missing linkages, or unique added-value processes that are not provided for in packaged solutions, custom solutions ensure that all information technology competitive advantages are realised.