Are you ready to take the plunge and start investing in new software for your company? If so, you aren’t alone. An estimated 70% of companies now use cloud apps to run their businesses.
However, you have many options for software out there. Unfortunately, not all of them are good and fit your business needs.
Before you start buying business software, there are some important things you need to know. Below are four common mistakes in software shopping that you need to avoid.
1. Not Knowing What You Need
It’s tempting to jump into buying software as soon as you can. After all, there are many tools out there that promise to revolutionize the way your company works. The problem is that not all of them will match what you actually need.
Before you start your software search, figure out what your company needs. For example, say you are a company that simultaneously manages a number of leases but this process – including the accounting and administration of leases – is currently slow and complex, riddled by human error and inaccuracies. To streamline your lease management process and improve the accuracy of your lease accounting, it is apparent that you will need to install specialized software that will overcome these issues and streamline your workflow. By figuring out what business software features to look out for and what, exactly, your business needs, you will be able to find a solution that will make the biggest impact. You should then check out a number of different software demos – such as this LeaseAccelerator demo if you are, in fact, looking for lease management and accounting software – to see if it fits well within your pre-existing system.
2. Not Comparing Pricing
There may be software out there that looks incredible and will provide great benefits to your business. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s your only option. The chances are good that more software is out there that can provide similar benefits.
That’s why comparing software prices is critical to your decision-making process. Whether you’re looking at the top ERP software vendors or accounting software, you’ll have several options available.
You don’t want to just go for the lowest-priced option available, either. You should compare pricing to features to get the most value for your money. This way you’ll know if the pricing is worth it.
3. Not Looking At Security
Even if you work with software in the cloud, you still can’t ignore the security implications software plays in your business. Cybercrime is a problem for every company out there. If you work with third-party companies that don’t take security seriously, you’ll put your company at risk.
Look to see if there’s any information about how a software provider handles internet security. You can also check online to see if there have been issues in the past where a security breach impacted a company.
4. Not Discovering Customer Service Skills
Your software won’t always work correctly. Whether it’s because of a software issue or you don’t understand how to use the program yourself, it’s on your software provider to provide resources to get you up and running.
It’s an issue if you run into problems and can’t reach out to someone to get help. Look online at how well a software vendor handles customer service. If you see a lot of complaints, it’s worth looking for another software option.
Don’t Make the Common Mistakes in Software Shopping
There are many options for software out there, but not all of them will provide what you need for your business. You need to do your due diligence when finding software for your business. By learning the common mistakes in software shopping, you’re better prepared to examine your options and make the best choice.
Once you find the right software for your business, you can start taking full advantage of everything tech can offer your company. Check out more posts on the blog to learn more about using technology in business.
