Although benchmarking is a popular management technique, many firms are not engaged in the benchmarking process. There are several drawbacks that can hinder the implementation of a benchmarking process. Without mutual benefit from the process, the initiating or target firm will not invest the resources necessary to implement the benchmarking process successfully. Benchmarking between noncompetitive industries makes gauging performance differences more difficult. The person initiating the benchmarking process would need to know in overwhelming detail his/her own processes to find comparative processes in the other company. The process takes a lot of time and money to implement.

These reasons are all valid for not initiating a benchmarking process. In order for a company to participate in the benchmarking process, the anticipated reward for getting involved would need to be greater than the resources that will be poured into the project. If a company is not willing to expend the time, money, and energy required to implement a benchmarking process successfully, it should not be done. Those companies that do invest in the process will have an opportunity to advance their level of quality maturity.