| So a little backstory, I have worked in Logistics and warehousing, albeit as a senior dev on robotics solutions and its needed implementations. What you don't want to do is hire a team inhouse if your pain timeline needs fixing in < 1 Financial Year. As someone mentioned. Senior freelancers preferably with some domain exposure. Don't think of this as a software problem, but a house rennovation project! Here is the playbook we have recommended and executed for many clients, - Hire a documentation guy. Start writing/drawing out all business processes your current third party system serves. Use BPMN if possible. - Sit down with a senior dev to draw a High Level Design of this system. And find subsystems or funcitons which you can live with, vs things which absolutely need retrofit/rewrite. - See how you can define a scope of work where what's good keeps running, and a new smaller better subsystem starts taking over functions you need replacement. - rinse repeat. ---
Strategically speaking,
Hiring is a bit painful. Depends on geography. Retaining someone beyond 3-5 years is difficult. People churn out of boredom as the work gets repetitive and they don't get to flex their tech stack itch. Money wise, is the third-party company a potential acquihire target?
If its small, why not take it over and inhouse the team.
You would get the "catered to us" part sorted and you can still sell to other customers if you so desire. This has its own risk-reward. But I will let you be the judge of it. And in anycase, get an independent technical consultant to cover your blind side. |