FranklinCovey CIO Blaine Carter Cuts $50K by Replacing Packaged Apps with Low‑Code and AI

Why It Matters

Carter’s low‑code pivot illustrates a tangible pathway for large enterprises to reclaim budgetary control from the ever‑growing SaaS market. By demonstrating that internal teams can deliver comparable—or superior—functionality at a fraction of the cost, FranklinCovey provides a template for CIOs grappling with software sprawl and escalating license fees. The move also signals that generative AI and low‑code tools are moving from experimental labs into core IT strategy, potentially redefining the skill sets required of future technology leaders. If other CIOs replicate this model, the cumulative impact could reshape vendor‑client dynamics, pressuring traditional SaaS providers to innovate pricing and integration models. Moreover, the success of low‑code in a finance‑critical use case validates its suitability for high‑risk, compliance‑heavy environments, expanding its appeal beyond marketing or citizen‑development projects.

Key Takeaways

• FranklinCovey CIO Blaine Carter replaced a $50,000‑a‑year SaaS purchase with a low‑code solution built on Make.
• The new system eliminated a manual 30‑day binder process for the finance team and reduced external audit fees.
• Carter’s quote: “The project was called ‘the fiscal binder’ … a big three‑inch binder full of evidence around financial metrics.”
• Low‑code market projected to grow at ~28 % CAGR through 2028, driven by cost‑pressures and AI integration.
• FranklinCovey plans a company‑wide SaaS contract audit to identify additional build‑instead‑buy opportunities.

Pulse Analysis

Carter’s decision reflects a broader inflection point where the economics of low‑code and generative AI have finally caught up with the legacy cost model of packaged software. Historically, CIOs avoided custom builds because of high upfront investment, long development cycles, and maintenance overhead. The Make platform, however, compresses development time to days and leverages AI agents to handle integration, effectively lowering the total cost of ownership. This shift re‑introduces the build option into the strategic toolbox, forcing vendors to compete not just on feature sets but on extensibility and API openness.

The ripple effect for the CIO community is twofold. First, internal development teams will need to acquire new competencies—visual workflow design, prompt engineering, and AI governance—while still maintaining rigorous security and compliance standards. Second, the procurement function must evolve from a gatekeeper of third‑party licenses to a steward of internal development pipelines, balancing speed with risk. Organizations that can institutionalize low‑code governance will likely capture the cost savings and agility gains that Carter has already realized.

Looking ahead, the next wave of low‑code platforms will embed more sophisticated generative AI, enabling non‑technical staff to describe desired outcomes in natural language and receive production‑ready applications. If FranklinCovey’s upcoming SaaS audit uncovers further opportunities, the company could potentially slash millions in software spend over the next few years. Competitors that fail to adopt comparable low‑code strategies risk being locked into legacy contracts and losing the ability to innovate at the pace demanded by today’s digital economy.