Build vs Buy: Why Retailers Choose Proximity Over DIY Clienteling Tools
27/05/2025 | by Proximity
- In today’s hyper-competitive retail landscape, the pressure is on to deliver personalised, high-touch experiences that drive loyalty and long-term value. Many brands know that clienteling is the key to achieving this – but when it comes to choosing the right technology, a big question emerges:
Should we build our own tool in-house, or partner with a proven platform like Proximity?
On the surface, building something internally might seem like a cost-effective way to get started. But once you dig deeper, the hidden complexity, ongoing cost, and missed opportunity quickly become clear.
Here’s why forward-thinking retailers are choosing to buy with Proximity rather than build from scratch.
The Hidden Costs of Building Your Own Clienteling Tool
Creating a fully functional, scalable, and secure clienteling platform is anything but simple. You’ll need to:
-
Hire or assign developers with retail-specific UX and backend expertise
-
Build (and constantly maintain) features like CRM, appointment booking, messaging, analytics, and events
-
Manage integrations with your POS, eCommerce, inventory, and customer data platforms
-
Ensure enterprise-grade data security and compliance
-
Support training, onboarding, and ongoing support for your store teams
That’s before you even begin to innovate.
What You Get With Proximity
Proximity isn’t just a platform – it’s a partnership shaped by years of experience and trusted by global brands like Graff, Helzberg, Paul Smith, MaxMara, MCM, Mikimoto and more.
By partnering with Proximity, you get:
- A fully featured platform from day one that will grow with your brand
- Seamless integrations with your existing tech stack
- Scalable infrastructure designed for global, multi-store retail
- Dedicated customer success and training teams
- Dedicated support team
- Continuous product innovation based on retailer feedback
- Secure, compliant architecture that protects customer data
Most importantly, you’re not alone. You’re backed by a team that understands your challenges and works with you to unlock real value from your store experiences.
Build vs Buy: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Build In-House | Buy Proximity |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | 6–12+ months | Can be live in 6 weeks |
| Cost | High over time (dev, support, updates) | Transparent subscription |
| Functionality | Basic, needs constant development | Complete clienteling suite with the option to add modules like event management etc |
| Maintenance | Your team | Fully managed |
| Security | DIY responsibility | Enterprise-grade, compliant |
| Innovation | You own the roadmap | Client-driven product updates |
| Retail Knowledge | Generalist developers | Deep retail expertise |
Focus on What Matters Most: Your Customers
When you build in-house, you’re committing time, resources, and focus away from what you do best – delighting customers and growing your brand.
With Proximity, you skip the guesswork and start driving value immediately. You get powerful tools in the hands of your store teams, deeper customer insight, and tangible results like 4–5x increases in customer lifetime value for clienteled customers.
Ready to See the Difference?
Let’s talk about how Proximity can support your brand’s growth without the complexity and cost of building it yourself.
Book a demo here or get in touch with our team today.