The Trojan horse of the tech giants
Over the past ten years, as a rapidly growing scale-up, we’ve closely observed many dynamics in the SaaS market. One of the most striking is the role of large technology platforms. Many companies choose these providers — convinced by promises of security, scalability, and innovation. At first glance, these arguments seem plausible and forward-looking. But in practice, critical voices are growing louder: lack of flexibility, high costs, complex processes, and increasing technological dependencies are becoming more apparent.
It’s not uncommon for companies to feel they’ve brought a Trojan horse into their operations. Have they been swayed too much by the brand promises of market leaders? Were the truly relevant criteria properly evaluated? And how can costly dependencies be avoided?
Choosing the right software solution: five key factors that matter most
Large technology vendors often convince companies with their dominant market presence, broad feature catalogs, and strong branding. The promise: everything from a single source — secure, scalable, future-proof. But especially for digital publishers with dynamic business models, a more nuanced look is worthwhile. Not every standard solution fits unique needs. To avoid long-term lock-ins and ensure systems can truly support business processes, decision-makers should pay close attention to these five aspects:
1. Social proof is no substitute for actual fit
Decisions are often based on what others are doing — with the assumption: if it works for them, it’ll work for us. But in fast-moving and complex markets, this is risky. Popularity isn’t proof of quality. What matters is: does the solution match your use cases and processes—or are you just following a perceived industry norm?
2. Vendor lock-in: the underestimated strategic trap
Gartner warns in its 2023 report “How to Avoid Vendor Lock-in” about long-term contracts, proprietary data models, and costly migration hurdles. Not all vendors handle this the same way: while some promote openness and customer focus, others create dependencies through tech or legal structures. If agility is your goal, identifying and avoiding vendor lock-in early is key.
3. All-in-one vs. expert platforms: Which one better supports your actual workflows?
All-in-one sounds tempting — but often fails in everyday use. According to Digiday Research (2022), many publishers continue using specialized tools even after investing in big platforms — because real-world operations are more complex than monolithic systems can handle. Open expert platforms are often the better fit: modular, integrable, process-oriented.
4. Long implementation times are a real business risk
AdExchanger (2023) reports that rolling out large systems often takes 6–12 months, and up to 18 months for complex setups. For publishers who need fast time-to-value, this is a critical factor. Systems with clearly defined processes and short rollout times are essential for scalable growth.
5. Transparent cost structures require complete specifications
Many vendors offer attractive entry-level pricing — but often only under ideal circumstances. Forrester (2023) found that over 60% of companies report unexpected additional costs after implementation — for integrations, customizations, or support. Decision-makers should evaluate whether a solution remains economically viable as needs evolve.
René Plug, CRO at goTom says:
Too often, big tech providers sell a false sense of security — and end up creating dependency. Companies need partners that return control and flexibility to them, not a golden-cage ecosystem.
Flexible, open, built for publishers
goTom deliberately takes a different approach. Our platform isn’t a bloated all-in-one solution, but a specialized system for digital ad management — designed for the real needs of publishers, not as a generic, cross-industry compromise.
At the core is an open, independent architecture: no vendor lock-ins, no mandatory partnerships, no opaque black-box setups. Customizations remain predictable, releases are transparent, and customers always retain full control over their processes and data.
That these priorities matter is also confirmed by our own internal survey among clients and industry professionals. Interestingly, “brand awareness” was not named by a single respondent as a top priority. Instead, the most important factors were fast and simple implementation (57%) and seamless integration (29%). Another 14% cited long-term flexibility as their main concern.
Still, the strong presence of major vendors influences decisions — often subtly. Even if no one says it out loud, it feels reassuring to choose the solution that “everyone else is using.” This psychological bias is understandable — but those aiming to make sound decisions should question it consciously.
What truly matters isn’t logos or market share, but questions like:
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How well does the system fit our specific needs?
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How fast and flexibly can it be integrated?
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What dependencies are created — and which ones are avoidable?
This philosophy also drives the technical design of our platform:
goTom integrates seamlessly into existing system landscapes — even complex setups are typically live within three to six months. Clearly defined interfaces and data flows create a stable, end-to-end process architecture — instead of fragmented tool chains.
goTom is built for the world of digital advertising—with full cross-media capabilities. Print and TV can be added without disrupting digital workflows. The platform adapts flexibly to evolving processes — and evolves continuously through close collaboration with its users.
Alban Grossenbacher, CEO & Co-Founder at goTom adds:
Many companies realize too late how difficult it is to break free from rigid systems. We focus on real partnership and give our customers back their flexibility and control.
True innovation doesn’t come from complexity but from clarity, openness, and adaptability. That’s exactly what goTom stands for.