The Complete Guide to Selecting Software Partners for Businesses

When you think of getting projects done, you probably don’t always think of the software that could help you. You may be homed in on the tasks that are at hand first.

However, getting a software partner can mean the difference between struggling with tasks and successfully completing a project on time. But what goes into selecting software partners?

There are quite a lot of things to do when looking at your options for software partners. Here is what you should pay attention to and take into account while going through the process of selecting software partners!

Read on to learn more.

Do Your Research 

The first thing that you want to do when selecting software partners is significant research. You need to look at potential partners’ qualifications, certifications, awards, experience, and what others are saying about them.

By doing this research, you will get a better understanding of who they are and what they stand for. By reading online reviews, you will also get to know more about how past and potentially current clients feel about their services. 

When you do your research, you should narrow down your options to two or three software partners. Then, you can start browsing their website to find most of the information you want to have before selecting a partner. 

You can research field service management software buildops here.

Conduct an Interview

Once you go through the research process and screen through potential partners, it is time to conduct an interview for the few you have narrowed down to. 

When you conduct this interview, you should aim to learn more about their qualifications and compatibility with your organization.

So what kinds of questions should you ask during this interview? Here are a few good options:

• What are your retention rates for clients?
• What is your implementation methodology?
• What is your company mission and philosophy?

When asking these questions, keep in mind the following questions in your mind:

• Are they being receptive to my business organization and the requirements that I have?
• Do we seem to be able to communicate effectively?

Asking the right questions and thinking the right answers during the interview can drastically increase the odds that you will choose the right partner to work with.

Determine Training Options

When you are choosing a software partner, you also want to learn more about their training and support options. It’s important that they offer this support to your team so that you and your team will better understand how to implement the software in your business.

You should also determine the hours that they will be able to support your company. This is especially important if you are in different time zones!

Discuss Implementation Resources

If you have a deadline, it is important to figure out if the software partner company would be able to go through the implementation process in time. You will also want to know how exactly the implementation process works to get a better understanding of how long it will take and what it will look like. 

Knowing the implementation team can also benefit you so that you know their experience levels and how they go about the process.

Ask for a Demo

Before you invest your money into a specific software partner, you should always ask for a demo. This is one of the last steps you should take before making a decision if this is the right software partner for you. 

But why is this important if you already have all the information that you feel you need?

Software has a lot of features, and there are usually multiple different features that you can choose between. Getting a demo will allow you to understand the various feature options and the overall functionality of the program as well.

Having your team present for this can also be helpful for multiple opinions and sets of eyes.

Request an Estimate

Before you say yes to any of the options for software partners, you should always request an initial quote. The last thing you want is to accidentally get stuck in a situation where you agree to something and it is much more expensive than you ever thought it would be. 

This is why getting an estimate of the breakdown of costs beforehand is so important. You should also ask for revisions of the estimate as features, discussions, and objectives change throughout the process.

Comparing software costs is another thing you should do between partner options.

Ask for References

When making your final decision, you should request references to get a better understanding of who the partner has worked with before. You want to know if some of their previous clients are with a company that is similar to yours.

Asking for references and then following up with them will give you more insight into what you are getting yourself into.

Selecting Software Partners for Your Organization 

When it comes to selecting software partners for your organization, it is important that you follow these tips and tricks. 

Be sure to always do your research and conduct interviews to narrow down the partners you could want to work with. From there, always ask for an estimate and ask for references to learn more about the partner. 

Did you learn a lot about what the right moves are for choosing a partner? Feel free to browse other articles like this on our site!