Whether it comes to mind as you’re reviewing your twentieth spreadsheet of the day, setting up a meeting to get basic status updates on projects, or chasing down documents to finally finish up a project that is still unpaid, we all have to struggle through challenging processes and inefficiencies to finally say: we need to change. And change can’t come sooner as industries across telecom and energy are moving faster than ever to create new infrastructure for better technologies changing the world, like 5G, EV charging, and advanced fiber optics.
So what is the best way to change? Software.
Software is essential to getting away from the laborious processes of the past and rapidly scale your organization to gain efficiency, meet demand, and grow revenue. But choosing the right software isn’t easy. The software market is massive, with so many options it can be dizzying figuring out what can actually move your business forward.
Not to worry, we’re here to help.
Here are a few tips to help you select the right software for deploying critical infrastructure and rapidly changing your business for the better.
1. Know your requirements
Your team could be 5 people or 500, regardless, everyone probably has a wishlist of what they’d like to help make their jobs easier and more successful. Before you start scrubbing through Google, it’s critical to identify what key business drivers will help you get the most out of your purchase. Know the metrics that matter most to your business and use those to inform what you are looking for in a new software tool.
2. Make a plan and assemble your team
Positive change at your company doesn’t come from one person alone, and the same goes for a big purchase. Identify who should be the key participants in your search for new software as well as who could be a potential roadblock in the future. Once identified, include them! Then build your plan together. By doing this early on in the process, you can ensure success further down the line and make the selection process less painful and more successful in meeting company needs and gaining rapid adoption of your chosen solution in the near future.
3. Identify a partner, not just a solution
Regardless of what you end up with, you should choose your software in part by choosing the company behind it. Look for a partner, not just a vendor, and one who will be there by you, side-by-side, for the long term. Find someone with your best interests in mind and avoid out-of-the-box solutions that try to force fit your business into a few generic workflows. Your software should fit your unique business needs, and so should your vendor – now and years into the future.
Taking the step to digitally transform your operations is a major leap forward for your organization. Make the most out of your evaluation with these tips so you can ensure that you select the best solution for your organization to finally retire those old spreadsheets and meetings and start rapidly growing your business.
If you’d like a few more tips, check out our handy Buyer’s Guide: 8 Steps for Selecting Software to Deploy Critical Infrastructure. You can download your copy here.
