\u201cAt that point, customer software isn\u2019t a cost \u2013 it\u2019s a competitive advantage. You\u2019re building something your competitors can\u2019t buy off the shelf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AI\u2019s ability to accelerate delivery timelines has made the case for going custom even stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith the right partner, you get purpose-built technology at a speed that would have been unthinkable even a year ago,\u201d said Beyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The business case<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Thanks to AI-accelerated delivery, the ROI on replacing expensive SaaS has become so compelling that any business spending over R40,000 per month on software license should already be considering a shift to custom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen returns in as little as six months, and in more complex builds, it can take up to four years,\u201d said Beyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven at the longer end, a four-year return outpaces most capital investment decisions a business will make.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyers added that there is additional value that often goes forgotten \u2013 avoiding the cost of things you can\u2019t do when stuck on someone else\u2019s platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can’t innovate because the system won’t flex. You can’t integrate the way your business needs because the vendor’s API doesn’t support it. You’re waiting on their roadmap for features you need now and if they ever deliver them, you’ll pay for the customisation on top of the licence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the age of AI, that trade-off no longer makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Going custom also flips the economics of business software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SaaS pricing scales with your business \u2013 so as you grow, you pay more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, custom-built software is an initial outlay \u2013 you can grow tenfold, but your technology cost will stay flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The element of asset ownership is extremely valuable, too, as your custom software increases in balance sheet value as you develop it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you ever raise capital, seek acquisition, or need to demonstrate propriertary capability, that asset has real worth,\u201d said Beyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Codehesion is a leader in building custom software solutions that meet the needs of South African businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It recently won the 2026 MyBroadband Award for Best Software Development Company \u2013 making it three years running that Codehesion has won this award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe software industry has changed dramatically over the past three years,\u201d said Beyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWinning this award three years running means we’ve kept pace with that change while maintaining the engineering quality and client experience that earned it in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dailyinvestor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DSC00082.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLong-term value<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Codehesion advantage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n