Passkeys represent one of the most significant advancements on the internet since the emergence of the web browser in the mid-90s. An alternative to passwords and one-time passwords (OTPs), companies are quickly discovering how this groundbreaking technology enhances and expedites the sign-up and sign-in experience for customers.
New to passkeys? Get the run-down here.
Comparing building and buying
If you’re like several of the businesses we talk to, you’re wondering if you should develop a passkey solution in-house (“build”) or purchase a ready-made, off-the-shelf solution (“buy”). The truth is: there can be benefits to both upfront — but many companies don’t have the internal bandwidth or infrastructure to maintain a “build” of their own making over the long term.
Even launching a passkey solution on your own comes with important considerations:
Sometimes out-of-the-box thinking for your company means purchasing an out-of-the-box solution that’s already built and ready to be deployed swiftly and effectively for your company and customers.
10 Hidden burdens of building
It has happened to all of us before — we start a project or initiative and quickly realize we’re in over our heads. Unexpected technical requirements arise, expenses begin to grow beyond budget forecasts, and the timeline is moved out weeks or months.
When you’re trying to deploy pace-setting technology, you don’t want to find yourself at odds with the complexity of a project that was meant to simplify your life.
These are some of the most common hidden speed bumps we hear about when businesses go the “build” route:
- They don’t know how to set up a FIDO server.
- They don’t know how to develop client-side support of the WebAuthn protocol.
- They aren’t prepared to implement a multitude of new user passkey journeys.
- They aren’t prepared to provide passkey management settings for your customer.
- They aren’t ready to perform passkey device compatibility checks and journey logic adaptation.
- They aren’t ready to implement passkey performance metrics and audit logs.
- They don’t currently have access to a passkey analytics and reporting system.
- They don’t currently know how passkeys will connect or interface with your existing enterprise systems.
- They don’t have an available, reliable, and scalable infrastructure to support passkey deployment.
- They don’t have a plan or resources for how ongoing maintenance, i.e. keeping up with changes to the passkey standard and/or browser and OS evolutions, will occur post-launch.
If there’s insecurity about even one of these obstacles, it can derail a company’s ability to be successful deploying passkeys.
A way forward
For most organizations, the “buy” option is the more attractive and simple approach. A passkey-as-a-service solution from a cloud provider is a faster, more efficient and cost-effective option, which allows companies to stay focused on their core business while letting the cloud provider handle the authentication service and its intricacies.
That being said, whether you decide to buy or build, Trusona Authentication Cloud can streamline and expedite the implementation of passkeys, delivering a user-friendly CX design for the new passkey-related journeys. In fact, you have the flexibility to use both integration approaches simultaneously by combining them into a hybrid solution. This way, you can easily deploy some user journeys directly from the platform while also custom-building more intricate journeys in-house.
Fastest time-to-value, minimal deployment risk
- Generally within 4-12 weeks
- Almost no CX and developer resources required
- Built-in user journeys leverage Trusona’s passkey expertise
Increase revenue
- Higher account creation conversion rate
- Higher customer lifetime value (LTV)
Lower costs
- Eliminate SMS OTP costs for 2FA
- Reduce account fraud and theft
- Lower call center and user support costs
Happier users
- Increased user engagement
- Lower attrition and abandonment
- Higher retention, lifetime value
Take the next step
If you’re ready to see how Trusona’s passkeys can be a gamechanger for your organization, contact us today.
If you want more information on “Build vs. Buy,” read our comprehensive white paper.
