Choosing the right software for your business can be complicated. The best choice will depend on your specific needs, and there are many factors to consider, including price, functionality, and cost of implementation. Making the wrong choice could cost you time, money, and frustration as you click endlessly through a program that isn’t suited to your needs, and it’s a fate that wise business owners will seek to avoid.
This guide will outline the steps you can take to find the right software for your business needs, including both on-premise and cloud-based options.
Consider your business type.
From inventory management and customer relationship management (CRM) tools to project-management software and accounting packages, every business needs software. Create a list of your business needs, then compare that with what each piece of software offers.
Do you want software that’s cloud-based and accessible from anywhere? Or are you in a line of work where your clients like to meet face-to-face? Consider how you expect people will use your software.
A company that often deals in intellectual property, for example, would profit from IP software from companies like Dennemeyer Group. Still, a company that concentrates on consumer retail might benefit more from point-of-sale software.
Before committing to anyone program, make sure it will do everything you need. If not, look for something else that will fill in those gaps. Having a solid understanding of what you need before shopping around is vital for finding something that works for your business and meets all your requirements.
Create a software vendor shortlist
One tactic for narrowing down your search for business software is creating a vendor shortlist. Once you’ve got your list, start researching vendors and see if they offer what you’re looking for. If not, move on to another company until you find one that fits all of your criteria.
Take a look at your business needs. When you’re trying to choose software for your business, you might find yourself with a list of requirements that seem to be in conflict.
Think about how much money you want to spend and what features are non-negotiable. For example, consider how much marketing automation and customer service support you’ll need or whether an online backup is a must-have feature. Then, try to narrow down your choices based on those factors.
If one option costs more but has better support than another one that’s cheaper but requires more self-service efforts, it might make sense to go with the pricier option. Once you’ve done that, start crossing off options until you have one good choice left that meets your criteria.
Test out your selected software
Testing out your selected software is a crucial step in making sure it’s right for you. You can avoid potential problems such as security threats by first determining your criteria for choosing a piece of software and then testing out possible solutions before making a final decision.
If you’re not happy with your choice, it could mean a lot of wasted time and money. The best way to test out software is by using it on a trial basis. Most companies offer free trials that allow you to use their software for a limited time before committing to buying it.
Many also offer thirty-day money-back guarantees, so there’s no harm in trying something else if you don’t like what you see.
Do your due diligence and start negotiating.
If you’re going to make an expensive software purchase for your business, you must do your research. You can find out which programs are best by asking trusted colleagues and friends for their advice or by talking with a consultant who specializes in a similar business to yours.
Look into an expert’s opinion and user reviews from sites like G2Crowd. These resources help give you an idea of what other companies say about specific products and if their user experience aligns with yours.
Once you settle on one option, reach out to a salesperson and start negotiating. You may be able to get a better deal if you’re willing to commit for longer or pay upfront for multiple years.
Before you go
At each step of your decision-making process, utilize this guide in the context of what you want most in terms of features, price, and support options. Make sure that whatever software you choose is something that can grow with your business over time.
