Common Software Shopping Mistakes
Businesses that embrace new technology fast are 3 times more likely to create new products.
Your business is always on the lookout for new software solutions to gain this edge. You hope to find new software to help you cut operational costs and boost revenues. Yet, the rush to get new technology often leads to fatal errors that hurt your business.
So, what can you do to mitigate this risk when adopting new technology?
To help you out, here are seven common software shopping mistakes to avoid for your business.
1. Failing to Specify Your Business Needs
In a rush to keep up with the competitors, you’re likely to invest in the latest business software. The problem is that you’re investing without determining your needs. You assume that since other companies in the same space are buying this software, you also need it.
Yet, software that’s valuable to another enterprise may not be beneficial to your business. And that’s why when shopping for software, you should always start by specifying your needs. You want to predict the specific ways the new software will serve your business.
With this information, it’s easy to review business software features to check if they meet your needs. Also, your business needs will direct you to pick a reliable software development company.
2. Not Checking Software Security Features
Most businesses assume that all software developers carry out the necessary security tests before launching software. Unfortunately, this isn’t always true, as some companies skip crucial software testing steps. They claim these steps are costly and unnecessary.
So, dealing with such companies magnifies the cybersecurity threat by investing in unsecured business software solutions. To mitigate this risk, you must review security features before investing in given business software. Only deal with companies that hire software testing specialists such as Quality Logic to simplify your work.
You want to know beforehand that the software you plan to buy has been tested to ensure it’s secure and free of bugs.
3. Skipping Online Reviews
When shopping for business software, you may feel like you don’t have the time to read online customer reviews. You may think there are too many software reviews on the internet, and it’s impossible to read all of them. On top of that, you cannot trust everything you read on the internet, as some people post false reviews.
Although you’re partially right, this doesn’t make online customer reviews useless. Without them, you’re taking a huge gamble when you invest in given business software. Reviews help you get hints on the software’s features and functionalities.
To counter the problem of false reviews, search for a genuine website that posts accurate software reviews. Also, realize you don’t need to read all software reviews; instead, you only need to skim through several testimonials to get credible insights.
4. Skipping Software Trial
The top business software provider will give enterprises a free trial period to test out a given software solution. Unfortunately, some businesses skip this trial and assume it’s unnecessary. They claim to have reviewed the business software features and are satisfied with them.
However, reading a software’s features is different from how it operates in some instances. So, although business software looks great on paper, it may not fit your business needs. And that’s why you end up frustrated when you realize you invested in the wrong business software.
You should take advantage of a software trial run to mitigate this risk. You want to test out this software’s functionalities to ensure it meets your needs.
5. Spending a Fortune on Customized Software
Most businesses often assume that they need to invest in customized business software solutions to get value. They claim these solutions are tailored to meet their needs perfectly, and it’s worth spending a fortune on them. These businesses often go beyond the budgeted amount to get customized business software.
Understand that getting customized business software is not always the best option. In some instances, it’s not worth it overpaying for tailored software, yet a general one serves the same functionalities. That’s why you need to take time to justify the decision to invest in customized business software.
You want to know the specific ways this software will deliver value to your enterprise.
6. Ignoring Future Needs
When shopping for software, most businesses tend to neglect future needs. And that’s why they don’t check software scalability before buying it. The problem emerges when the business grows, and the software can no longer meet their needs.
They’re forced to spend more money getting new software that meets their current needs when this happens. To avoid this pitfall, you need to consider both short and long-term needs when shopping for software. Hence, involve different business stakeholders to help you anticipate your future needs.
Also, choose the best business software provider to help you know the key scalability features to check.
7. Not Checking Software Support Options
When getting business software, some companies forget to check support options. These companies have a hard time knowing who to call when the software malfunctions. To avoid this pitfall, discuss support options with the business software provider.
You want to know whether this provider offers support and, if they do, whether they charge any fees. Your goal is to know beforehand if you can rely on this provider for timely software support.
Boost Business Growth by Avoiding Common Software Shopping Mistakes
To enhance business growth in this digital era, you need to embrace new technology. You need to undertake enough research before investing in any given business software. You want to avoid the above common software shopping mistakes.
The objective is to invest in the right business software that gives your enterprise a competitive edge.
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