For the past several years, I've seen countless small
businesses waste enormous sums of money trying to find the
perfect vertical software application for their particular industry.
In Chapter 4, we looked at computer support
considerations with outdated industry-specific software. Now let's
look at some evaluation criteria for a new industry-specific
software application your firm is considering purchasing.
Consider how the proposed software program fits in
with your investments in Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows.
In addition, find out how the software compares to
what you've come to expect as standard amenities from software
programs -- such as importing, exporting, context-sensitive help,
pull-down menus and toolbars.
Have your internal guru or computer consultant
perform a technical evaluation of the proposed software.
So, before you get all excited about some slick
marketing presentation you saw at a trade show, a glossy direct-mail
piece that landed on your desk, or a persuasive trade magazine ad that
caught your eye, be sure to perform some due diligence on the software
vendor and its product.
Assign a representative user or set of users to
evaluate the proposed software purchase for business value.
Once you're satisfied that the proposed
industry-specific software program is technically sound, consider the
program's business value. Turn the program over to a few
representative users in your company. Ask them to evaluate it from the
standpoint of solving specific business problems.
In managing these pilot tests for small businesses,
I've seen abysmal results when doing technical evaluations of proposed
purchases of industry-specific software. So, rarely does software even
get to the stage of end user business value testing. However, it's
much better to find out if the program is a dog with fleas before
you've written the nonrefundable check to the software vendor.
A few other words of caution to consider:
-
Avoid nontechnical salespeople. For many
years, I've seen dozens of industry-specific products verbally
misrepresented by borderline computer-literate sales staff. If you
have any doubts about the product's technical capabilities, insist
on speaking to someone at the vendor who is technical.
-
Be watchful for obsolete technology. If
you're used to purchasing software from major software vendors,
such as Adobe, Symantec and Microsoft, you may be shocked to find
that small, industry-specific software vendors are years behind
the curve.
-
Don't settle for a demo. You need to kick
the tires -- ask for the real program.
-
Find out whether the software vendor is
committed to enhancements and upgrades. The program may be
great today but seem really passé years later if no upgraded
version becomes available.
-
Watch out for 32-bit Window-dressing covering
up a 16-bit program. Many times you'll find that a small
industry-specific software vendor has tried to update an aging
16-bit software program by upgrading select parts of it to 32-bit
code.
|
Tip:
Need help sniffing out the stench of a 16-bit
impostor?
In many versions of Microsoft Windows, the
Processes tab of the Windows Task Manager yields big clues.
To reach the Windows Task Manager, press Ctrl
+ Alt + Del and select Task Manager.
On the Processes tab, red flag any occurrences
of WOWEXEC or NTVDM.
Also be wary if the Setup program won't install to a folder
with a long file name, greater than eight characters --
another telltale sign of 16-bit relics. |
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the Sample Action Items for Tip #74
