What is one common challenge associated with vendor lock-in?

Vendor lock-in often creates a situation where a business relies heavily on a single service provider for its technology needs. One significant challenge that arises from this dependence is the difficulty in switching to another provider, which can involve considerable costs and resource investment. These costs may include financial expenditures, such as exit fees or penalties, as well as the time and effort required for data migration, training employees on new systems, and reconfiguring processes to align with a new vendor's infrastructure.

This can lead to a scenario where, despite possible advantages that another vendor might offer, the organization feels compelled to remain with the original provider due to the barriers associated with transitioning. This inherently limits the organization's ability to respond swiftly to changes in the market or to take advantage of better services or pricing offered by competitors.