Integrated system vs. best-of-breed: how to choose the IT system that won't hold back your growth?
1. The dilemma of the service company manager
When an IT services company or consulting firm accelerates, the IT system quickly becomes either your best ally or your biggest obstacle.
At first, you “tinker” around: a CRM here, an HR tool there, production monitoring in another software program, and a few Excel files to tie it all together. Then comes the moment when the organization reaches a turning point: more consultants, more projects, more fixed-price contracts, more subsidiaries… and therefore more dependence on the quality of your data.
The question then comes up again and again:
- Should everything be centralized in a single “all-in-one” software program?
- Or should the best specialized tools (Best of Breed) be connected?
And above all: how can you avoid spending your energy putting out fires rather than driving growth?
In many organizations, a small part of the business generates a large part of the irritants (re-entries, disputes, billing delays, unclear margins). The role of IT is precisely to reverse this ratio: less energy wasted, more control.
2. The integrated system: the promise of simplicity... and the reality on the ground
The promise
An integrated (“all-in-one”) system promises something very appealing: a single platform to manage the entire chain, from prospecting to invoicing.
This is the promise made by dedicated IT services ERP systems such as Boond: centralizing prospects, customers, projects, time, invoices, HR, and more in a single tool.
Frequent limitations (when complexity increases)
An “all-in-one” solution works well… as long as your model remains simple. But during the scale-up phase, several limitations often arise in the field:
- Rigidity of “monoliths”: the more an ERP system tries to cover, the more it tends to standardize (processes, screens, fields, workflows). This can work—but sometimes becomes a struggle when you have specific processes (flat rates, multiple entities, complex validation cycles, advanced project governance).
- The illusion of integration: “having CRM + production” does not guarantee smooth data flow. In some cases, teams end up compensating with exports/imports… and the infamous double entry.
- The return of Excel: as soon as an operational metric essential to management is missing (e.g., work remaining/ETC on the fixed price, end-of-drift monitoring), project managers recreate a “control tower” alongside it.
Who is it for?
The integrated system may be relevant if:
- your business is mainly contract-based,
- your organization needs to standardize quickly,
- you are prepared to align your processes with the tool (rather than the other way around).
3. The Best of Breed approach: flexibility for performance
The concept
Best of Breed is the idea of choosing the best tool for each job:
- a specialized CRM for sales,
- a specialized ATS for recruitment,
- a delivery tool (such as Jira) for production,
- and a management platform capable of unifying these flows.
This gives you a different promise: local excellence + global consistency.
The major advantage
Rather than an “average” tool, you benefit from:
- better adoption (interfaces designed for everyday use),
- greater functional depth (reporting, management, workflows),
- and better scalability (you can replace a module without disrupting the entire IT system).
The AlibeeZ vision: a “central core” rather than an “all-in-one” solution
With this in mind, AlibeeZ positions itself as an operational hub: an ERP for service companies and digital services companies that integrates via APIs and connectors with accounting, CRM, recruitment, and BI tools, among others, to unify data without forcing your teams to give up their specialized tools.
4. The secret to a successful Best of Breed: connectivity (API)
A Best of Breed solution is only effective if it solves a key problem: the reliable flow of data.
4.1 Put an end to double data entry
Double data entry is not only irritating: it also leads to errors and disputes.
A classic example:
- the delivery team enters data into Jira,
- while management re-enters it elsewhere to produce the CRA, invoicing, and management reports.
But Jira is specifically designed to integrate with other tools via its ecosystem of integrations and REST APIs.
4.2 Automate the time-to-cash cycle
In services, cash always follows the same logic: produce → validate → invoice → collect.
The more friction there is, the longer your time-to-cash becomes… and the more fragile your cash flow becomes.
AlibeeZ promotes a principle of “fast billing”: reducing data entry errors, speeding up validations, and converting timesheets into invoices more quickly.
And this optimization becomes even more important with the reform of electronic invoicing:
- as of September 1, 2026, all companies must be able to receive electronic invoices,
- with issuance becoming progressive according to size.
4.3 Connect BI to make decisions based on reality
Growth management (staffing, profitability, inter-contract, forecasting) requires consolidated data.
AlibeeZ can be integrated with Business Intelligence tools to provide real-time indicators.
5. Comparative table to aid decision-making
| Criterion | Integrated system (all-in-one) | Best of Breed (connected specialized tools) |
|---|---|---|
| Scalability | You grow “within” the tool; changes can sometimes be cumbersome. | You can add/replace a module without having to redo everything. |
| Ergonomics & adoption | Adequate but sometimes generic. | Often better, as each tool is designed for a specific business function. |
| Business depth | Broad coverage, sometimes less specialized | Highly specialized by domain (CRM, ATS, delivery, BI, etc.) |
| Integrations | Varies depending on the publisher | It’s the name of the game: APIs, connectors, automations |
| Risk of double entry | Possible if modules are not well connected | Reduced if orchestration is well thought out |
| Actual cost (TCO) | May seem “cheaper” at first | Often better in the long term (fewer errors, less re-entry) |
| Ability to change course | More difficult (lock-in effect) | Simpler (modular architecture) |
Important point: even integrated solutions invest in openness. Boond, for example, promotes an API and integrations (including Zapier).
The difference often comes down to philosophy: “do everything in the tool” vs. “orchestrate an ecosystem.”
6. Conclusion: towards the “Complete Operational Blueprint”
AlibeeZ’s vision goes beyond software that simply “stores” data: the challenge is to build a Complete Operational Blueprint that connects:
- your business tools (CRM, ATS, Jira, BI, etc.),
- your management flows (time, staffing, billing),
- and your performance indicators (profitability, forecasting, cash flow).
For growing service companies, especially when complexity increases (flat rates, multi-projects, engineering, multi-entities), the Best of Breed approach is not a luxury: it is often a direct lever for profitability—provided you have a core capable of orchestrating everything properly.