Monday, November 14, 2005
Useful resources
We have just added new link to our website - useful resources. I know its nothing special, but it came to my mind just today when I was preparing for my BNI presentation. I will dedicate one whole blog entry to explain what is BNI so I am not gonna explain it here. So I was trying to prepare some handout for my BNI fellows that would be something useful and memorable for their businesses after my presentation and I came up with something called SME customized software purchase checklist. I know, even from my experience, that it is more troublesome to persuade SMEs to go for customized software solution at the first place, only then comes the hurdle of making sure you go for the correct solution or rather for correct vendor, but at the end of the day it does not matter if customized or standard, if NextLogic or other software vendor, but how much the system will actually help.
And that's why we did something that many software companies would not do - its simple checklist, but it covers all areas a company that doesn't have much IT experience should consider when purchasing solution or selecting IT vendor. Many software companies, unfortunately prefer not to educate their customers so they can benefit from their "IT illiteracy" let's say.
It's again very common and we all know about it. Software guy comes, throw some small initial number and company would go for it as the cheapest solution. Then they sign some overwhelming system requiremenst document and they are expecting great system to come and help their business. But at the end of the day what they get is - solution that doesn't work and changes would be too expensive, training was not included in the price and additional cost is too hight, software vendor is charging them lots of money for application maintenance and still they do not get basic things like bugs fixing (unless they pay extra) and many other troubles. I am not surprised companies do not trust software companies anymore, there are so many of us at the market that spoiled the image of the industry. Now small companies would rather go for expensive Microsoft or SAP solutions just to make sure quality will be there.
Well, even for us its definately difficult to gain the trust of people but it is still much easier than gain the trust of companies back AGAIN after they've experienced something negative. So the main objective of our checklist is a piece of help for small or not experienced companies - its a list of things to check before you go into any next relationship with software company. I am know it's sad, but it has to be done....even in 21st century and highly customer oriented BOOM many companies care more about something else than their customers. Do not forget to check also NextLogic in all areas we mentioned, you never know, I might be lying too :o)
And that's why we did something that many software companies would not do - its simple checklist, but it covers all areas a company that doesn't have much IT experience should consider when purchasing solution or selecting IT vendor. Many software companies, unfortunately prefer not to educate their customers so they can benefit from their "IT illiteracy" let's say.
It's again very common and we all know about it. Software guy comes, throw some small initial number and company would go for it as the cheapest solution. Then they sign some overwhelming system requiremenst document and they are expecting great system to come and help their business. But at the end of the day what they get is - solution that doesn't work and changes would be too expensive, training was not included in the price and additional cost is too hight, software vendor is charging them lots of money for application maintenance and still they do not get basic things like bugs fixing (unless they pay extra) and many other troubles. I am not surprised companies do not trust software companies anymore, there are so many of us at the market that spoiled the image of the industry. Now small companies would rather go for expensive Microsoft or SAP solutions just to make sure quality will be there.
Well, even for us its definately difficult to gain the trust of people but it is still much easier than gain the trust of companies back AGAIN after they've experienced something negative. So the main objective of our checklist is a piece of help for small or not experienced companies - its a list of things to check before you go into any next relationship with software company. I am know it's sad, but it has to be done....even in 21st century and highly customer oriented BOOM many companies care more about something else than their customers. Do not forget to check also NextLogic in all areas we mentioned, you never know, I might be lying too :o)
