Examine, for a second, the thought process of the staffing software buyer. It’s amazing how many times buyers will say it has to be an ASP or “web based” before they ask any questions about what the software can do. The thinking is to pare down the systems before taking an in-depth look at any of them. The idea is to save time, as there are too many systems out there to be able to evaluate them all. So, they eliminate a number of systems and then take a close look at the survivors – trying to pick the one that best fits their actual business need. The error in this process is subtle. It must be since so many good business people seem to fall into the same trap. By using a non-functionality based criteria to winnow out possible solutions they’re left choosing from amongst systems that may not meet their actual business needs. If an integrated payroll and billing solution is needed, why look only at systems that don’t offer this capability? Yet this is exactly what would have happened.
Here are some things to consider before embarking on a new software selection project:
1) Define your real requirements. To do this, you must identify where your pain truly lies. It’s unlikely that your biggest system problem is that you’re not running on the web. More likely there’s some kind of bottle neck in your process. Maybe it’s taking too long to do pay/bill. Maybe your contact management is inadequate. Or maybe your current system doesn’t offer enough search capability. Whatever it is, this should be the first filter any new system must pass through. A simple check list, maybe a dozen or so items, will probably eliminate 90% of the system flak. In other words, get to know yourself first. Do internal needs analysis. Include everyone in the organization who will be touched by the new software. Evaluate software based on what it can actually do for your company.
2) Look at platforms. This is second because the platform doesn’t make the system and, in general, anything made for Windows or the web is going to meet the basic platform requirements. You probably want to stay away from systems based on older or less common operating systems like Unix or Dos and you probably want to restrict your choices (if possible) to systems based on a real database like SQL Server, but beyond that it doesn’t matter that much.
3) Contact potential vendors and collect information on the remaining systems. You’ll learn a lot about a potential partner by how they respond to your inquiry. Could they be reached easily? Were they responsive? Did they listen and ask questions? How a company behaves during the sales process is a pretty good indicator of how they’ll behave after the sale. Remember: at this stage of the game, they need you more than you need them. This will flip flop after you become a client. If their follow up was only fair in the sales process, imagine what it their support will be like.
Clearly, this makes sense. It’s always better to work backwards from the answer. You’re more likely to be satisfied with your decision if you’ve opted for software that meets more of your needs.
Terri Roeslmeier is president of Automated Business Designs, Inc., software developer of Ultra-Staff, a full-featuered staffing software solution with components for front office, back office and the web. www.abd.net
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