Bad Software Buying Habits
Solution Explorers on December 1st, 2009. Under Problems
Who’s to blame for a disappointing business software purchase experience – the buyer or seller(s)?
Before we go any further, I want to suggest that this question is just too relative to accurately answer – i.e. there are many sellers (vendors) that lack integrity but there are also many buyers that are poor planners. More often than not, the responsibility is a shared one. However, as a buyer, it’s ultimately your money and you have to “live with it” once the purchase is made.
Rather than trying to answer such a relative question let’s instead take a close look at some Bad Software Buying Habits. My last post – Components of a Good Software Needs Analysis – certainly ties in well here as well. Do any of these resonate with you?
1) Failure to document existing issues and system requirements.
2) Purchase the system based on pre-evaluation budget guesswork or some pre-defined grant award that’s about to expire.
3) Referral from a friend, close associate, or like-kind entity without an understanding of your needs.
4) Getting “hooked” by a skilled salesperson, slick collateral, a “sexy” user-interface, or a finely tuned “dog-and-pony show.”
5) Paying 100% – that’s bad enough – but even worse without requiring a detailed work-scope (aka Letter of Engagement) document that’s signed by both parties.
6) Choosing the lowest bidder and still minimizing services.
7) Selecting the vendor with the stamina to “hang around long enough” through all of your delays or the vendor “in the right place at the right time.”
In summary, proper planning is key to a rewarding buying experience. As you document your system requirements and selection criteria BEFORE contacting software vendors then you will position your company to not only select the software system that meets your exact needs but also be a good steward of your financial and time resources.
I’m sure you too have witnessed some Good and Bad habits. What’s been your experience?
