Researching your Construction Software Vendor

Jun.27, 2009 in Computers

Why it is Important:

Some argue that evaluating the vendor of your next construction software package is just as important as evaluating the product itself. Why? Imagine that you’ve purchased the software that you believe will be the perfect software for your company, you’ve installed it on your company’s system, and have trained your staff. Initially, everything is as perfect as you expected. You are completely satisfied with your purchase and believe that you’ll quickly gain a competitive advantage as a result of the new software. Then it happens - a glitch in the software that takes your software from a life-saver to a death-sentence. So what do you do? Call the vendor, of course! This is where the quality of your vendor will be of the utmost importance. If you’ve researched your vendor and chose one that is as good as the software that they sold you, you should be up and running again in no time. However, if you haven’t researched you vendor, this minor glitch can quickly turn in to the kind of thing that sets you back days or even weeks.

Given that, it’s key to ensure that you select the right software AND the right vendor. There are several things that you need to consider in this process of vendor evaluation - here are a few ideas.

Where to Begin:

A good place to start your research in on the product’s website. How many versions of the product have been released in the past? What improvements were made with the release of every new edition? What level of support did the vendor offer for previous versions? How has the level of support improved over time? What level of support is still offered for companies that have opted not to upgrade to a new edition? Take all of these things in to consideration to get an idea of what kind of support you can expect throughout the time that you use the software. Many companies forget that they may be using the same software for many years, so be sure to check for what kind of support is offered for companies that bought software from the particular vendor 5 years ago.

Moving on, look online for information about the product and vendor. If you can find some construction software reviews or construction software comparison sites, take a look at them to see how they stack up. Also look for news articles that mention lawsuits or relatively recent changes in ownership and get as much background information as you can. Both can indicate an unstable organization that may not be able to provide the long-term support that you’ll need. Or, worse, a company that is on its way out of the market, which could leave you up a creek without a paddle down the road. If ownership has recently changed, look for information about any changes in support levels. It could be better, but it could also be worse.

Last but not least, search within your industry with other users of the software or independent agencies that provide free construction software reviews. Speak with other professionals you know and ask about their past experiences. Check online forums for user experiences. Also look to see if the product website has a forum - these can be extremely valuable resources for getting tips and troubleshooting advice from other executives that use software from your potential vendor.

The bottom line is that you will do your company a huge disservice if you fail to research your software vendor. The best manufacturing erp software product in the world will be useless if you can’t get the right support when things inevitably go wrong. Taking the time up front could very well save you valuable time and money down the line, ensuring that you get the most out of your software for many years to come.