Adopting Off-the-Shelf Robotics Solutions

A company once approached me with a problem. They had invested in a custom-built platform, one that promised to handle everything from operations to customer management. Six months in, they were drowning in delays, bugs, and escalating costs. The worst part? A ready-made solution existed that could have done 80% of what they needed at a fraction of the cost. This isn’t just their story. I’ve seen countless companies overcomplicate tech decisions, chasing “custom” when “right fit” is what really matters. Here’s the framework I use to ensure businesses make the right call: 1. Start with business needs. Tech should serve the strategy, not the other way around. If a tool doesn’t align with your goals, it’s a liability, not an asset. 2. Explore existing solutions first. Custom-built isn’t always better. Off-the-shelf solutions save time, money, and effort; and they evolve faster with market needs. 3. Configure before customizing. Most platforms offer flexible configurations that get the job done without extra development. Use them. 4. Go custom only when necessary. If your challenge is truly unique, that’s when you build. But not before exhausting every smarter alternative. Beyond just picking a tool, I always factor in scalability, pricing models, and long-term maintenance. Because the wrong tech choice doesn’t just slow you down, it locks you in. Tech should be an accelerator, not an obstacle. The key is knowing when to adapt and when to build. How do you decide between custom and off-the-shelf solutions? #techsolutions #decisionmaking #customsoftware

Person: "I have a cool idea for a product/company. I am going to design & engineer my own hardware device!" Me: "OK, 3-24 months and $100,000 - $1,000,000+" Them: "😮" Hardware design is expensive. It also takes a ton of time. There are tons of benefits to owning you IP and controlling your own destiny -- BUT, it is not always the right choice out of the gates. So, what is the right use case/when is the right time to design your own hardware? The high-level approach I see most implemented: 1️⃣ Leverage Existing Products: If an off-the-shelf solution solves your problem, start there. It’s cost-effective, quick to implement, and carries minimal risk. Perfect for early validation. 2️⃣ White Labeling: Want to differentiate without starting from scratch? White label an existing product to customize the branding and test the market with lower upfront investment. 3️⃣ Use Hardware Modules for Prototyping: Need some customization? Modules offer flexibility for prototyping and early scaling without the full cost of custom hardware. 4️⃣ Design Your Own Hardware: Once you’ve validated the market and scaled, custom hardware can lower unit costs and optimize performance. Ideal when off-the-shelf solutions limit growth. Taking a phased approach—from existing products to modules, then custom hardware—can help manage risks and maximize resources. #ProductDevelopment #Manufacturing #Hardware #Electronics

Buying robots for your warehouse? You’ll need more than a demo that looks good on slides. Here’s what I’ve seen stall deployments in the field: 1. Wi-Fi dead zones the robots couldn’t cross 2. WMS integrations that broke under real order volumes 3. Exceptions no one mapped until orders piled up 4. Ownership that disappeared once the vendor left Robotics doesn’t fail because the robot broke. It fails because the operation wasn’t designed to absorb it. That’s why I keep pushing operators and execs to think this way: Robotics adoption isn’t a project. It’s a system. And just like any system, it needs a quarterback. Not just a vendor. This is the lens I bring when I’m asked to de-risk robotics adoption. #Warehouserobotics #Automationleadership #Operatorfirst #WMS #Warehousedesign #warehouseautomation