Software research can be a daunting task. Whether it be for a work application or for personal use, success in getting the right application for your investment can be key to saving you time and money down the road.

Software research can be a daunting task. Whether it be for a work application or for personal use, success in getting the right application for your investment can be key to saving you time and money down the road.

Here are some tips for getting the most from your software research.

1.Define what you are looking for. Collaborate with your coworkers to define what exactly it is that you need. Draft a features list of critical and optional features, determine the number of users and set a general budget.

2.Research keywords. There are typically industry names, or keywords that relate specifically to what you are looking for. Start your research with some words that explain what you are looking for. Wikipedia can be a good source for finding industry ‘names’ and ‘acronyms’. Another trick is to find a web page that relates to what you are looking for. Right click to ‘view source’ and you will see the code for that page. Near the top you will see tag (not all sites use this but many do). That will list other related keywords for the type of product you are searching for. For example if you are searching for customer support software, you may also want to search for customer service software, customer support tools, customer support applications, etc.

3.Begin your search. In addition to vendor pages you may also find companies that offer reviews, or short lists for the product you are looking for. Keep in mind most of these sites are biased – many are vendor managed or subscription based (vendors are paying to be there).

4.Evaluate the vendors websites. Most software vendors give you multiple ways to gather information. Resources such as data sheets, white papers, feature lists and videos will let you peak into their software. Gather and chart information so that you can compare features and pricing between vendors.

5.Create a long list of 5 to 10 of the best fit vendors. Create a comparison grid of the features compared to your needs. For some this is a good time to start contacting vendors for more information. Organize your notes – it is easy when speaking with multiple vendors to mix information.

6.Consolidate to a short list. You may be down to 3-5 that are a good fit. This is the time to get behind the wheel and see the app for yourself. Companies typically offer a free trial and/or free sandbox demo where you can play with the app yourself. Many will also offer a guided demo with a salesperson.

7.Select your app! In addition to features and pricing, be mindful of post sale needs. What is the commitment? Is there support provided? Where and how much? What about implementation and training? Will this app meet your current and future needs? You can see there are a lot of factors besides obvious features and base pricing to consider.

A good salesperson will help you through the software research process; they should listen to your needs and tell you if they are a good fit for what you are looking for. So as they say, do your ‘due diligence’ and be mindful in your search. Having the right software to streamline your work can save you time and be a pleasure to use.

Resources:
Anne Sych, Marketing Manager for Novo Solutions, Inc. Novo Solutions, Inc. is an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) in Virginia Beach, Virginia specializing in Customer Support Software Free trial versions of the Novo Help Desk Software, and suite of web-based Customer Support Solutions are available.

Author: Sych Anne

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