- Set proper expectations – be realistic.
- Recruit senior management support, buy-in.
- Carefully select the product vendor, someone you can “partner” with.
- Get organization-wide participation, solicit feedback.

Source: Network World, http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/051310-erp-systems-how-hard-can.html?page=1

These two CIO’s did a wonderful job of highlighting key aspects of a software search that are all too often underestimated. This reality isn’t because companies enjoy throwing money at problems in “hope” of finding a fix. Although some businesses are guilty in this regard my experience suggests instead that business leaders are not skilled at finding software. After all, how many people can you name that listed this on their resume? Yea, me neither…

The process to find software, the “right” software, is not just some task or to-do, but rather a project with multiple tasks and milestones. This project requires skill and planning. In fact, I’ll add two specific items to the bullet list above – planning and documentation. It’s interesting how so many software vendors want to jump right in to product implementation once they take on a new client. Likewise, many businesses jump right in to calling vendors and scheduling demos after minimal research. What about planning! What about documentation of your research and findings? I contend that if more software buyers would increase just these two actions alone then a significant amount of time and dollars will be saved by both software buyers and sellers. Tip: Before investing in software, invest in preparation.

Running a business is hard work. Finding software to address your business needs and opportunities can be too, but it doesn’t have to be as hard as we often make it out to be. If you’re business is considering an ERP, or any type software actually, system purchase then be sure to do the fundamental things that you likely already do with other projects within your company – plan and document. Finally, do these two BEFORE reaching out to software vendors directly; in doing so, you’ll save time, money, and be rewarded with an investment that won’t leave you with doubt and regret.

Businesses – what is your process when exploring a new software system?

Vendors – how do you reign in a buyer that’s clearly putting the cart before the horse?

Image credit: © vlorzor – Fotolia.com

As the article states, there are advantages and disadvantages to each solution approach, and I can validate this because I’ve worked for companies that marketed each type of offering. Admittedly, I’ve also sold solutions while arguing for and against each position. The “right” decision really is contextual.

In the past, I’ve witnessed clients (loyal ones at that) purchase solutions from new vendors when my company could have provided the very thing they sought. Why do they do this? Well, in many cases they simply didn’t consider calling the existing vendor. Weird, I know. Also, this situation may occur when departments fail to communicate – i.e. Development wants fundraising software for their nonprofit but fails to inquire with Accounting about what system they use. This is a mistake. Communication is vital when making decisions and investing critical funds. To be fair, some ‘integrated suite solution’ vendors focus so heavily on the “strong” product that they poorly educate clients on the complimentary applications that are also available; yet another costly mistake.

Conversely, I’ve seen organizations reach out ONLY to the existing vendor, find what they want but fail to compare for various reasons; oftentimes for fear of “offending” the vendor. This is crazy! Just because I own a Chevrolet does this mean that every family member should have one too? No. I’m a believer that software buyer’s should intentionally consider many options during the decision cycle. By doing so buyer’s become well-informed regarding their options and good stewards of their decision process and funding resources.

In summary, buyers should approach this decision with an open mind and position themselves to negotiate a purchase that provides them the right solution for their unique needs. Some other considerations may be – system utilization by end users, existing technology infrastructure, locality of service resources, and many others. Sorry, but there’s no easy way to sugar-coat this, buying software takes time and requires skill. Therefore, document your needs, challenge vendors with probing questions, and negotiating hard for the best price.

Good luck in your search. If you have a strong opinion one way or the other regarding best-of-breed vs. integrated suite solutions then post a comment.

Image credit: © rufar – Fotolia.com

As such, I want to reference a Blog post I came across some time ago that caught my attention. In this post TEC (Technology Evaluation Center) shares some information on Human Resources and Business Intelligence. Also, as a former Sage Abra Employer Solutions business partner, this is an area of interest to me and a product line that Solution Explorers has researched in preparation of helping businesses select the right software for their unique business needs.

Below is a Web link to TEC’s Blog post:

http://blog.technologyevaluation.com/blog/2009/12/17/workforce-analytics-%e2%80%93-a-blend-of-business-intelligence-and-human-resources/#comment-8385

Here are a few immediate thoughts…

1) Do buyers of this technology really know what they want by way of metrics?

2) Can vendors move away from dog-n-pony demos of this technology (BI mostly) and present real-scenario applications of the tool that resonate with the buyer?

3) Will buyers include in the initial purchase follow up services to configure metrics after some time of actual application use?

Historically, many (not all) software purchasers buy at the lowest cost and sacrifice follow up services. Then future approvals for more $ become difficult and therefore result in underutilization. All this to say that technology is great, and maturing, but have we buyers and sellers matured in our buying and selling practices/habits?

Finally, aside from software technology, this economic downturn has returned to us something we often lose by relying too much on technology and that is hiring via direct referrals from trusted sources. Today, new hires are winning from referrals and not resumes. Of course, technology tools like HR/BI, LinkedIN, other social networks, etc. are being used for referrals through viewing people’s connections. In the end, hiring smart, much like finding the right software for a client, means using a conglomerate of old school and new technology tools to navigate through a pool of candidates, filter irrelevant options, and selecting the candidate that matches pre-defined criteria. It’s hard work, and requires skill.

Thanks for your support and participation. I’m very excited about developing a mutually-rewarding online dialogue as we explore ways to “transform the software technology buying and selling experience.”

Image credit: Fotolia – treenabeena

This word alone means different things to different software buyers. Some think high dollar costs to produce “custom” functionality developed by software programmers. Others are satisfied by user-defined fields that can be used in the systems reporting tool.  Either way, the key here is to select a system that provides flexible options inherently or via established addons. One way to test for this is to be willing to challenge software vendors before and during presentations and not allow “dog-n-pony” shows that only highlight what vendors want to show you.

Warning: If you skip the Needs Analysis step then you willingly put vendor(s) in the driver’s seat of your search and ultimately your investment!

Below is a list of key components in your search process to consider regarding customization.

Ease of Use

What exactly does this mean? Sorry, but it means what YOU mean it to be; Lame, I know. Virtually EVERY software vendor claims this for their product, and likewise virtually EVERY software buyer demands it. But no one really knows what it means! ??????? I’ve witnessed a few things though over the years that helps win engagements in this particular search area.

1)      Customized Procedure Guides – this generally involves taking screenshots after your database structure has been established and writing step-by-step procedures of your entry process. There is huge value in when your organization experiences turnover, but this must be maintained.

2)      Pre-recorded tutorials – often accessible via a secure website or hopefully through the Help menu/icon option. This is less customized to you, but still a nice “ease of use” feature.

3)      Editing field names, tab names and/or position, or choosing how many characters can be entered into a particular field (i.e. Customer number or name). Some systems even allow end users to add Help text as an append to standard system help documentation. Cool!

4)      User-specific settings, creating “Favorites” lists, Quick Links to other apps, and much more.

Support

Product support services are critical to protecting your investment as well as long-term satisfaction. The options available to clients though vary by product vendor. In some cases, options are offered which allow for more customization in your purchase. For instance:

• Phone support – would you like to speak with U.S.-based techs or is India ok?
• Phone support – annual agreement, pay-per-call, pre-purchased batch of hours, etc.?
• Chat Now option – just click here and a representative will chat online with you.
• Online Knowledgebase – allows users to search by keyword, incident number, and in some cases even view your call history.
• Consulting services – some vendors only offer in-house services while others have “authorized partners” (aka VARs, Resellers) that are more local to your location.
• Training – classroom, online class, one-on-one private session, pre-recorded tutorials, etc.
• User Groups and/or Customer Forums – these can be very valuable as they allow you to speak with actual product end users like yourself. Often, participation in these is free too.

Customizability

Here we go again, what exactly does this mean? In many cases the following options may exist:

• API – Application Programming Interface – when available, a really nice tool that allows for interaction (aka integration, interface) between software programs. Stated plainly, “I want my systems to talk to each other!” – share data, reduce duplicate data entry, etc.
• Professional Development services – where you tell the vendor what you want and for a price they’ll develop the application according to agreed upon specifications.
• Source Code – there are some companies that actually license their program source code which allow you to develop, internally or externally, additional product capabilities. This need typically only applies to buyers with unique application needs, the kind that will be virtually impossible to find “out of the box.” Give this some thought before going this route because it likely requires a much great investment and could limit support services and/or effectiveness.

Note: Customizability and Configurability are NOT one in the same. The latter usually involves using out of the box administrative settings that tell the software to perform and/or make available certain existing product functionality. Buyers often pay consultants for “setup” or “implementation” services that focus on configuring the application settings to your end user processes and preferences.

Appropriateness

Put your product search effort into context. For instance, I once helped an organization that was initially looking at $10,000 nonprofit fundraising software before we met. Those vendors were diligently competing and trying to “close the deal.” Unfortunately, this client was very small – under 5 employees, less than 1,000 donor records, and an operating budget of less than $200,000. What were those vendors thinking!! $$$ perhaps? Meeting quota?? Smokin’ something illegal? This real life example emphasizes why I stress so often the value in the Needs Analysis software search step. Happy ending…I was able to help this client perform an effective assessment of their issues and system requirements, search for “appropriate” solutions, and make a purchase – in this case GiftWorks. Their investment was under $1,000 and that included an Events module to track their annual Golf Tournament. We were also able to negotiate a two-year support services agreement at reduced pricing. Again, “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.”

OK, this Solution Exploration topic is truly an endless subject. So, we’ll move on to Collaboration: Vendor Outreach and Presentations next. In the meantime, what’s your software exploration story? Did you follow logical steps like these, or “wing it” as you talked with vendors? Every company strives to be good stewards of their resources, and this is just one area of business that cutting corners becomes costly and produces poor outcomes. Let me know what you think.

Image credit: © Petr Vaclavek – Fotolia.com

Accounting software search sites:

• FindAccountingSoftware.com
• AccountingSoftware411
• Accounting Software Library

General search sites:

• Capterra
• TEC
• HRIS Software Buyer’s Guide
• Project Management Software Directory

Reviews sites:

• TopTenReviews
• CNET Reviews
• Idealware Nonprofit Software Reviews

This is certainly not a comprehensive list, but each resource listed above has shown value in my service to clients in one way or another. The challenge is to know when to use which online tool. Also, in using certain services, timing may be important too because some of these inherently open you up to speaking with software vendors – i.e. some are research tools and some are vendor inquiry resources. Therefore, understand this ahead of time and be prepared beforehand by having your Needs Analysis and System Requirements information ready for reference.

As always, I am interested in learning of resources you have used and found helpful. You never know when your comments may help another company struggling with a software search project.

I have another post planned for this subject area before we move on to Collaboration: Vendor Outreach, Presentations step. Additionally, I’ll be sharing soon a video interview I recently had regarding the idea of Solution Explorers, including a chance to discuss a Case Study and my ideal client.

These are all good questions and worth your consideration. In fact, this may surprise you, but you’ve already answered some of these, and others not listed, by refusing to skip the Needs Analysis step. In other words, you’ve laid the foundation for success and established some guardrails to prevent veering too far off course; if off course at all. Congratulations btw.

Feel good about what you’ve accomplished already and move forward confidently. Like building a home, you can regularly refer back to your blueprint, the Needs Analysis and System Requirements details, as information begins accumulating. To find software that meets your unique business needs, below are a few common software search (aka Solution Exploration) approaches: (I’ll expand on solution exploring, and list additional steps and resources in later posts)

• Internet searches
• Inquire with like-kind businesses
• Submit online form requests for information (possibly in the form of an RFI)
• Trade publications
• Word-of-mouth referrals (often your Trusted Advisor, CPA)
• Direct source – i.e. systems used in prior employments

Have you used these resources before? Any others? These can all be good sources of information but let me share a few cautions. First, exploring software solutions via multiple resources takes a lot of TIME. Should you do this internally or outsource the task to a consultant (cost to benefit)? Another caution is the likelihood of gathering irrelevant information. For instance, if you call a like-kind entity they’ll tell you what they use but how useful is that really as it pertains to your unique business needs. Is their system outdated? Was it donated or deeply discounted? Have they added custom functionality to deal with out-of-the-box deficiencies?  Finally, understand that many sources – especially trade publications and online software search tools – give biased results based on participating and even in some cases member-based software vendors. All this to say…it can be a HASSLE to navigate through the software jungle and know who and what to trust. However, don’t get discouraged, because you took the time to start off effectively and that step alone will minimize irrelevant information sources while reducing your risk of considering and selecting the wrong system for your business.

In the next post – Part 2 of 5(b): Solution Exploration – I will actually share some online resources and steps that I take to help identify the right software system for a business. In the meantime, what steps have you or would you take to kick off a business software search project?

Find Software-Tips for Buyers: Multi-part Series: Introduction

I recently went into a local Barnes & Noble and asked the help desk clerk to search for books with keywords, such as: Find software, Buying software tips, Software for Dummies, etc. The result was quite stunning…NADA!! I couldn’t believe it. Actually, I looked at my wife – an existing published author but full-time school teacher – and said, “Honey, you need to quit your job now because I just found a gap in the market!” This was a bit tongue-n-cheek of course, but I’ve decided to make an effort of this online. This won’t be anywhere near as comprehensive as writing a book but I truly hope readers of this content find value and choose to pass this blog along to other businesses. If so, I’m certainly happy to consider developing an e-Book and making it available online.

Series Introduction

A couple of posts ago I expressed frustration with journalists who write regurgitated material on how YOU should go about finding software for your business. It’s not that the information is bad per se, but rather old-school find software tips fail to consider today’s business environment and software markets. For instance, business leaders today realize more than ever that time management is vital to their success in an increasing competitive market. This is especially true for nonprofits, where resources are always tight. Therefore, many organizations and businesses are rethinking tasks that can be outsourced to specialists, such as social media strategy, virtual assistant services, and even finding the right software for their unique business needs.

Likewise, the software market has grown into an endless sea/ocean of solution options:

• Proprietary – owned, internal client/server or hosted, but you own it!
• FOSS – Free and Open Software Systems, aka Open Source
• SaaS – rent online space, pay-as-you-go, outsourced IT services
• Web-based – different than SaaS, typically an owned product but runs via Web services
• Other options – finance/lease purchases, no contract (cancel anytime), and so on.

As such, most buyers simply don’t have the required time and resources much less know where to begin and who is worthy of consideration. The tasks of analyzing your business needs, researching available software solution options, and negotiating with skilled sellers with increasingly complex contracts has developed into a daunting, risky, and time-consuming challenge for businesses.

When done effectively this is a time-consuming task – no, it’s a project – that when done internally typically requires 30-50+ hours and involves numerous interruptions of vital daily responsibilities. Note: this does not include the hours invested by the salesperson, technical consultants, even your other resources that are brought in at various points of discussion, etc. The point here is that finding business software is a PROJECT, and a large time investment at that. I realize that not every business will choose to outsource this project. Therefore, the purpose of this multi-part series is to provide some updated buying tips, more like steps, that you’ll want to be sure and consider. We will cover the following topics:

• Internal Discovery: Needs Analysis
• External Discovery: Research, Explore!
• Collaboration: Vendor Outreach, Presentations
• Negotiation: Pricing (product and services)
• Purchase: Agreements, Contracts

Although this list appears very general in nature it’s the content provided under these major headings that I hope you find refreshing. Much of this stems from what I’ve observed as both a software salesperson and now as an independent outsourced resource helping businesses and nonprofit organizations find software that meets their unique functional and budget needs.

In the meantime and ongoing I welcome your comments – from both software buyers and sellers – describing your experiences. Do you share these concerns? Are you willing to share some effective steps that you’ve taken before? Even if you have opposing views your comments will provide value to us all.

Image credit: Fotolia – Tyler Boyes

Before we look at a real online illustration, let me provide a few thoughts.

First, it seems that regardless of the particular type of solution you’re looking for – accounting, CRM, HR/Payroll/Time, fundraising, project management, etc. – there is an OCEAN (large body of…) of options on the market today. So, where do you begin and how do you navigate through all of the solutions and salespeople that want to tell you how great their system is?

Second, BEWARE of responders that jump at the chance to tell you to “look at what I have” or “can I send you our brochure on…” after only seeing a short snippet from you online. Although some referenced solutions may turn out applicable, many can actually be harmful – i.e. drain your resources. These typically come in the form of solicitations or general references, often from well-meaning folks.

Finally, there are many “FREE” software search sites online today. However, many of these provide search results based only on solutions from paid membership software vendor companies. They’re helpful to an extent but inherently exchange an “ocean” of solution options for a small pond. Therefore, be sure if you use these to also extend your search to other venues as well.

For time sake, we’ll move on, but I have and will continue to share additional thoughts on software research – a project, not a task – in my posts.

CASE STUDY

I recently came across one of those “I’m looking for…any suggestions?” inquiries from a solopreneur considering CRM software (direct source reference intentionally omitted). Instead, I’ve pasted below selective parts of the originating inquiry and then in my following analysis I’ve included some handpicked comments that were given in response. I believe you’ll agree that the post itself and replies are quite illustrative.

The originating post (partial content):

I also realised that I have customer and contact information coming in from different sources and stored in different ways.

What I’d like to do is to be able to:
1 /use my list for direct marketing activities
2/ Blog and newsletter
3/ Consolidate contacts from general enquiries

I started to specify a database for my IT guy, who I’m sure will do it – but am I recreating the wheel here, and is CRM software a better solution?

Aside from functionality, Low cost and scalability are important.

Any suggestions?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now, to the question posed at the beginning of this blog post – What happens when you make it public that your business is looking for software?

In this seemingly innocent case, a few responses came in the form of solicitation or general product references. In fact, they were a bit all over the map – i.e. Zoho, Sugar CRM, Salesforce.com, Highrise, etc. All of these have varying degrees of scalability and price levels. I contend that these responses, likely well-meaning, should at the very least be viewed cautiously.

A better option is illustrated by one responder who stated, “To decide which one to use you will need to make an exhaustive list of features and processes you require and then investigate all options to see which one fits the best – and then decide if it is good enough to fit your business.” Similarly, another post stated, “…you need to work out what you will use (which is not always as simple as what you need!) and what it needs to link to, THEN start talking to vendors/providers about what they can offer.” Finally, the spot on comment winner is….”I’ve seen too many CRM projects go bad because the right thinking wasn’t done up front.”

To which the originating author responded, “once I start looking at the options I realise that there is a whole world in there. After all the advice I realised that firstly, I didn’t really understand what CRM software was, and secondly that I didn’t have a full handle on what I needed.”

Go figure! The persons head must have been hurting at this point. I can imagine the response:

• “I need to do what?”
• “Where am I supposed to find the time to…?”
• “What do you mean ‘link to’?”
• ‘THEN start talking to vendors/providers…’ – “Who has time for all those calls?”
• “Can I have a mulligan and retract this post?”
• “Can’t someone just talk to me and get back to me with a short list of viable options?”

Do you feel any empathy for this business person? Can you relate to their dilemma? Once you make your software search public the water can become muddy real quick! There are just too many things to consider and most businesses I know can’t afford ($) to get this decision wrong. In summary, outsourcing this type of project is increasingly becoming a viable option for businesses. However, many will not choose this approach and some arguably have strong internal resources. Therefore, in these latter cases, it’s wise to do as much research – internal and external – as possible BEFORE allowing access to your resources by vendors associated to a particular product(s). As I’ve stated before, one of my favorite quotes is “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.”

In my next few posts I’ll segment in more detail some strategic steps applicable to those that seek to find software and considering using internal resources. For those willing to consider outsourcing I’d love to hear from you and discuss your situation.

In my last post I expressed frustration with journalists who write regurgitated material on how YOU should go about finding software for your business. It’s not that the information is bad per se, and I’m certainly not looking to create ill-will, but rather old-school find software tips fail to consider today’s business environment and software markets.

The source that prompted my last post, my frustration, can be found at http://bit.ly/504nfD. Of course, this particular source is not the only publication hanging on to these old-school recommendations. It’s also fair to state that some businesses, based on their circumstances and resource capacity, will find these practices applicable.

For purposes of this follow up post, however, I take issue with the old-school approach of “the next step you need to take is…” For instance, here’s a quote to consider…

“In order to choose a business accounting software program, you need to understand some business accounting basics, take a good look at your business and its accounting needs, and assess the products available today.”

Wow, albeit incomplete, that’s a lot to take on. Even more, successful software evaluations (time) which lead to software investments (money) requires skill, diligence, and knowledge – aka, critical business resources. For instance, do you know what questions to ask yourself and those impacted by the change – i.e. to probe beneath the initial surface complaints and issues? Do you know where to begin looking for the right system? What’s the opportunity cost to your business?

By the way, this publication references FindAccountingSoftware.com. Given my software reseller background, I’m very familiar with this company. They state,“FindAccountingSoftware.com operates independently of any software vendors but will help match your business needs with suitable software programs after you fill out an online questionnaire.” Actually, this is NOT true. Their search results are limited to membership companies (software vendors) that pay annual fees and additional fees per awarded lead record (that’s you). They also do not cover a wide range of business solution options. So what if a “suitable” solution is out there but they don’t have membership with this company? Many folks use this service, and others like it, because it’s FREE. Do I need to say it? Ok, I will…you get what you pay for! I also take issue placing services like this in a section titled “…software consultants.” Services such as this one deliver a standard qualification form, followed by a standard questionnaire call, and then sells your information to its limited vendor members and aligns your account to responders that may or may not know enough about you to really be of service. Unfortunately, the damage is done – i.e. many software vendors (salespeople), some with products that aren’t “suitable”, now have your direct contact information and will be interrupting your day with calls, emails, literature packets, etc. Why? Well, FindAccountingSoftware.com allows you to grade these vendors and they then use these grades as criteria to sell them more or less leads. Does this sound “independent” to you? Does this guarantee you “suitable” options?

Business owners and senior management today realize that their resources must be completely focused on delivering competitive products and customer services resulting in new client referrals from loyal, “raving” clients. This alone requires strategic planning and dedicated resources.

I’m preparing a multi-part blog series to address this belief that will be published within the next few days. In the meantime, and to be fair to “journalists” in general, let me contrast the old-school article referenced above with a different publishing on software evaluation tips. Source: http://bit.ly/9ilKam. The key difference is how this latter reference places much less emphasis on YOU, what YOU should do. Instead, this publishing takes more of an informational, content-based approach.

Both articles have takeaways that are helpful for those researching business software options. As such, I hope this comparison increases awareness to buyers that finding software that fits your unique business needs isn’t a task…it’s a PROJECT. Therefore, give reasonable consideration, before you begin such a project, to outsourcing vs. insourcing. If you decide that outsourcing is the best option in your situation, or you want to explore this approach further, reach out to me for a complimentary consultation.

I look forward to discussing with you in my next few posts a thorough examination of the software research process that will clearly illustrate how much of a project this really is. Agree or disagree, your comments are welcome. It would be helpful to hear both from businesses that had rewarding experiences in both approaches. If internal, then what’s your take on the opportunity costs of time that could have been spent on daily responsibilities directly related to your mission or business purpose?  If external, would you outsource again and why/why not?

Disclaimer: I’m biased in regards to this subject matter. In other words, I’m passionate about helping businesses outsource specialty projects so their resources can remain focused on daily operations directly related to their mission or business purpose. Outsourcing is certainly not for everyone. There, I said it. Whew!

I read last week another article by a journalist claiming to understand the best way to find accounting software. Actually, the content was regurgitation of software buying tips we’ve all seen many times over the years. Here are the article’s main points:

Understand Your Accounting Needs

Talk to your accountant and staff

Know your budget limitations

Reach out to other businesses and software consultants

Create your wish list

Make your business accounting software decision

Look, not searching, but re-searching business software is a major task. Reference my blog – http://blog.solutionexplorers.com/?p=67 .

This article mentioned numerous times “the next step you need to take is…” Question: Do YOU internally have the time or knowledge resources to take on yet another time-consuming task? Some businesses do, possibly a nonprofit with volunteer assistance, but most folks I talk with are struggling to find work-life balance. Are you really willing to invite numerous sales calls, marketing packets, and demos into your already busy work life? At the same time, turning to glass half-empty sites like FindAccountingSoftware.com or AccountingSoftware411.com (two sites referenced in the article as good resources) are not the answer either. That’s right, I’ve used these. Why do they fall short in helping businesses find the right software for their needs? Because after you complete their form and talk with the rep for 10-15 minutes then all they do is write up a summary and wa-la, you are handed off to multiple vendors that start sending literature and calling/emailing on a regular basis wanting to talk about how great they are. Really? Is that a good use of your time? Is that good resource stewardship? In most cases, no, it’s not. Remember, these find software resources are FREE to you. As you know, we consumers generally get what we pay for.

Admittedly, I’m just a little passionate about this. In fact, I’m building a company designed to “transform the software technology buying and selling experience.” But as I write please understand that I too am a small business owner, former software reseller, and I’ve had to make outsource decisions too. If you want things done right the first time and as efficiently as possible so that you can remain focused on your client needs and business growth then outsourcing is a very viable alternative…especially in the area of business software research. Below are brief summaries of Solution Explorer’s comprehensive 3 step process…let me know if I can be of service (Contact link at top of page).

1. Discovery—Needs Analysis

We analyze your needs (as opposed to pointing you to a standardized two page questionnaire). We look at what problems you are trying to solve, what type of software would help, and then dig deeper (probe) by interviewing the key members of your team and learning what their needs and pains are.

2. Solution Exploration
We research the world of software solutions (as opposed to referencing only vendors that pay membership fees) based on the needs analysis completed in Phase 1, and come up with a short list of viable options that we review with you.

3. Presentations, Negotiations & Agreements

Your team sees proof-of-concept product presentations (not dog-n-pony demos) and decides which solution best matches your system requirements and selection criteria. We help you negotiate the terms of the contract and review Agreements.

If you’re willing to set aside old-school, DIY software buying tips then contact me (Contact link at top of page) and let me help you take the Time and Hassle of finding the right software for your needs off your To-do list. The ROI alone is a good reason, but even more so you will outsource a grinding task to an expert so that YOUR focus can be on customer service and business development. This next step you need to take is…schedule a complimentary one hour session to discuss outsourcing your next business software research project.