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Software purchases, like all business purchases, should be about finding a solution that best fits the problem your business is facing. The software you choose can help enhance your business, but only if you select the right one.
Below are five things managed service providers (MSPs) should consider when buying software. Remember just because a vendor is selling it, it doesn’t mean that it is right for you.
Functionality
Look beyond shiny bells and whistles. Because the goal should be to reduce problems, not create more, functionality is the most important factor. Purchasing software based on extras features that don’t even address your business’ problem is not advised. You don’t want a convoluted product that takes forever to onboard or worse, doesn’t solve what you need it to at all. Start with a list of your “must-have” features and go from there.
Support
A vendor should be providing software that alleviates one or more of your company’s issues. Part of that inherently includes supporting you when problems come up. Support teams should be available and able to answer software-related questions, provide updates, and fix bugs as needed.
Implementation
It helps if the software you are considering purchasing integrates with other products you already use and can scale with you as you grow. That way you don’t have to start from scratch. For instance, Nilear works with ConnectWise PSA and can grow with MSPs as they onboard more clients.
Customization
Being able to tailor the software to your business use cases is incredibly powerful. Nilear is constantly adding features and making sure you can use our products in whatever way is most efficient for your business.
Price
One of the most important factors in any purchase is price. A recent report from Kaspersky found that 89% of MSPs surveyed ranked price as their most important consideration when purchasing from a vendor. If a software product is amazing but is so expensive it puts you out of business, then it’s not the right product for you.
Whether you’re looking for a new tool or replacing an existing product, following some basic guidelines can provide a good starting point for companies looking to make smart software purchases. Prioritize what type of software you’re looking for, then look at functionality, support, implementation, customization, and price before committing to a purchase.