Choosing the right software for your business isn’t as easy as some people assume because there are a lot of factors you should consider. The reason why you should invest your time and money in new programs is to make a difference between you and your competition. Even a small difference can mean something when you are starting out.
These things are even more important for large corporations that invest millions of dollars into new technology so they can be better than others. This doesn’t only make them better but it makes the processes of your businesses faster and manageable. So, have a few people that have the experience to help you in making the right choice.
What Problems Your Business Has?
Having an issue with your company doesn’t mean it has to be something really bad, it just means that you are always looking to make improvements. But, it’s usually something that needs to be changed as soon as possible. Start by identifying these needs by yourself or with your management team depending on how big you are.
This is the first and most important step because it will be a template for your future improvements. To identify your needs, start by checking your sales funnels, employee efficiency, and other procedures that make your business possible. Exclude those that don’t require any kind of software but remember to include management tools for your communication and interaction between employees.
Make a List Based On Your Needs
Besides making a list of software you like as you can find on Truely, you first need to make a list of your needs and work according to it. Some things will have to be resolved right away and others can wait because sometimes you won’t have a big enough budget to cover everything you need.
The list should also include what is expected from the program to have because you need to think of your employees. They are probably the ones that will use the software and they should feel comfortable with it. This will make them more efficient and they will feel better about their work.
There are a few things the program can do like making the processes easier, solving an issue, and enhancing production. Solving the issue should be on top of the list because these problems are causing the profits to be lower. Always start from the bigger issue because you will resolve the small ones much easier. There is also a lot of free software you can use for small problems.
How Much They Cost and What The Value Is?
Budget is usually the biggest problem for most companies when they need to invest in new software but sometimes it’s necessary to make these changes. Figure out a budget that will be used to resolves as many issues as you can even if the quality of the software isn’t the best.
Depending on the provider, the product can be overpriced because of the features it has and because of the brand name. So, use the one that has only the features you need. This will help you cut down the cost and make the right choice even if it’s not recommended by most people.
Check the Top List
You don’t have to pick the number one on the list you find on Google but it will be helpful to find out what are the best programs for a certain process. The list should include what features the software has, how much it costs, and feedback from users or customers. This can save you a lot of time than using it yourself, just to figure out you don’t need it.
Remember to only check reputable websites because a lot of these companies will make their own pages with their own list and place their product on the top. A reputable website will usually be highly ranked Google but how many people are using it is also a clear indication.
Try Out Top Choices
Once you have a list of top options, you should be able to try a trial version of the program. If they don’t have the option, it’s acceptable if you have some kind of guide or someone that will teach your employees to use it. Most of the tools you find online are easy to use and you shouldn’t have any problems but because you will pay for someone, you should have a trial version.
The price isn’t the only reason why you should try it out but also because your employees have to check if it suits their needs. For example, if your team is going to use a paid version of Slack, you should know if they have a recommendation for a different communication tool. There are a lot of them that you don’t know of, so use the review websites to get informed.
Customer Support
One of the ways to check how well they manage their clients is through customer support. There’s a big chance you won’t need to contact them but if the software is paid per user, you can try to get a discount for multiple users or just to check how quickly they respond. This may not seem like something you’ll need right away but when you get a lot of employees, even easy-to-use apps can get crowded.
Check the Progress
Buying the program isn’t the last step because it will take some time to try it out and see how useful it is. This can last a month or a few depending on how fast you and your employees adapt to it and how complex it is. If you are using something simple, always check if there is a better option.
These programs change each year and there’s always some vendor that makes a better product. It’s great when you get used to certain software but it’s much better to use the best one out there and get used to that one.
