Choosing a Software Vendor
It’s difficult to find a vendor for anything, let alone something you have to pay for and use every day. The process is usually exhausting and many times, there is a lack of followthrough, wasting time and ultimately, money; but that doesn’t have to be.
In this short article, we’ll show you a few ways to expedite this process from an insider’s scoop and help you make the right decision on your next operational software expense.
Gaining understanding or clarity of what your team wants, needs, and can handle is a big aspect of choosing a vendor. Knowing your team and pain points will help you identify solutions that will fill those voids. Make sure that you get input from all aspects of your operation and management teams, from the plant floor to upper-level decision-making. Make sure you understand how technically adept your team is and what type of systems would fit your culture best.
Once you figure out your wants and desires for a software solution, filter it out to several basic necessities for each department and make sure your new solution checks all of these boxes at a minimum or, they are coming to the software soon. If it checks all the necessary boxes for you, great. But, if not, then you may want to consider another one that does. You don’t need to sacrifice basic necessities if you don’t have to.
Next, make sure you understand the difference between software and software service. Software is easy to license directly from a vendor, but many times there are software vendors that sell software with an added service on top. This could include support, general maintenance, or even consulting. Focus on the service only after you know what software you desire. Sometimes, software companies will have service options in tandem with their software license; so, be sure to inquire about everything that would be included with the company first.
Levels of service definitely matter. When working with any service-oriented business, there need to be a few guidelines in place so that you aren’t let down by your vendor. Key characteristics to focus on with a software service are communication, trust, and written proposals or proper documentation. It’s hard to trust any business that you’ve just met, but look at things like how they conduct your meetings, what types of questions they ask, how they answer your questions, and what their customers are saying. Written documentation needs to be in place and up front before any steps are taken toward closing a deal. These written proposals should be high-level with enough detail to lay a foundation for working together. Make sure you review this if provided, and to ask plenty of questions, making sure all lines of communication and expectations are clear.
Once you’ve decided on what software you would like to use, then comes making the decision. Do you need just the software? Do you need more support? Additional training? Or consulting services? Whatever will help propel your results, should be a main focus for you, assuming it lies within your budget. Many companies don’t necessarily need all the extra service, but if you are just beginning to implement software and your company culture is not comfortable with it just yet, plan to utilize other resources to help support your new efforts.
How do you know it is the right choice? Good question. This is where a ton of feedback and criticism is needed. Launching a new software either company-wide or in one department requires many opinions. Some good places to look for opinions are on comparison sites for software, ask industry experts or current users of the software, confront peers and colleagues with your questions, join trade groups for insider knowledge on the company, or potentially ask the advice of other software vendors that work with the target software you are considering (make sure they are not competitors and have a close relationship).
The overarching theme of choosing a software vendor is to make sure you are getting the right thing for your operation. By taking the steps above, it will help you narrow down your options, make a decision, and help you improve your operations.
For more help or to get you started, here are some helpful KPIs.