Introduction
What to buy? That is the question
Purchasing decisions is the essence of life in 21 business-driven. From everyday decisions like the choice of lunch menu restaurant, get a new car, to purchase large corporations, and spent much of our time? Buying ????. These choices are anything but simple. Each trader professes to be the sole champion of consumer rights, we have hit our attractive advertising, how are their products? Bist and ????. Seductive and these reports, rather than product or service is exactly the same. The difference can be glaring â? Presence? Best Value worseâ ????, or barter hidden between price and quality and feature set, customer service, and durability. It is therefore important that our reason about and develop a systematic approach to deciding what to buy. Should be broad in our view, a far-sighted, rather than buying solely based on what immediately meets the eye. Hasty decision to leave us with flashy features never, or big repair bills products that come cheap. A good example of a systematic approach, and when you buy a car. Countless factors and weights, which affect the owner in the next decade. This includes signs, and performance against the style, price, safety, and funding requirements, mileage, maintenance, resale value and many other factors.
Software Selection
In our new? wired? The current reality, and software is no less important than the products and services in our daily lives. If itâ? Program sa personal e-mail, instant messaging software for communication and collaboration software for organizing dispersed workers, or the implementation of ERP for the company’s management processes? Thereâ? With live without them! But the Evangelical Alliance? To some extent, re-use it to buy more products and services from software, which is a relatively new phenomenon. In many ways, and choose the programs that are no different from choosing a product or service. Although non-material, software, and deal with very real needs that personal and professional success depends in many cases. Of course, some of the factors to buy the same application? The cost of the brand, service and maintenance. Despite the clarity of sponsorship for the selection of the programs mentioned above, is a gray area, square underdeveloped. This explains the high proportion of â? shelfwareâ? â? Programs that are bought with great intentions, but ultimately on the dusty shelves. This is because unlike products and services, it is not clear, so intuitive, that have programs? Life Cycles? And it must be maintained ??????, â? ????, updated and answer? repairedâ ????. Therefore, buying on the basis of what immediately meets the eye? Technical characteristics. This mistake is understandable, because the technical parameters of the well-documented and advertising, and easily the buyer to use decision criteria. But with this approach, and factors that are not only important, but not so immediately obvious, and get neglected. Some research and think hard, and it is necessary to measure the â? hidden? Factors.
Key factors for the purchase of software
1) The company’s history and experience
The seller must be great to go before we even the same program. Basic company information was necessary because, unlike traditional companies, and software companies are often small, and often exceeds national boundaries. Since these companies may be dealing with sensitive data we have, we need to do background checks. Some important questions: How long were not around? As in most cases it is logical to assume that the records of the past is a good indicator of future performance. Important questions are – how long they were not around? As they were not long in this area? If they’re? Again, cooperation programs over the Internet, have been in this industry long enough? Although the new program, you have experience in developing software related? What is the right place? I do not know the status of your company well enough to know their own needs? If you’re a small business and medium-size company primarily serves Fortune 500 companies are not for you. If you work from home, and is likely to find a solution that serves large offices and meet your requirements. Pact end? Client judge at the end of the program is its user. For the true picture, it is important to look at how clients who use and comment. Does not include the place of her client? The second list, or website? Check what clients say the certificates, or you could even get in touch with your customers, to react. Risks There are certain things about the software industry, the buyer must be wary of. Start programs and a shorter life expectancy than traditional companies and riding a high wave of success, but did it go? Bubba? When the bubble bursts industry. Examples of this â? Dot Com burst? 2000th If the current wave? Web 2. 0A? Bubble expansion, other companies will inevitably explode, is debatable, but it makes sense to be vigilant and to bet their money on companies with proven good track record.
2) Costs
Thereâ? Deny the importance of cost-effective buying decisions in all areas. However, it should be seen as costs in a broader perspective, because the cost of low-income may also be at greater overall cost of the product? Life. Function of price versus cost-benefit analysis makes sense, and costs must be compared with all software? With many features and functions. Can a system for managing documents, can be cheaper, but may allow you to create a virtual office. Go download the feature is also a trap, because users get to use about half of them. Needs compared with the price, and the next question is whether there is overlap between the characteristics and needs of all. Many of the features may not cover what needs to be addressed. Must clearly define their needs, characteristics and classification of features such as â? Required? The answer? Functions that are not Needed ????. There could be another possible scheme for the classification of the functions? Must Have a ????,?? Nice has ????, and answer? Future Requirements ????.
3) Ease of use / adoption
The area of adoption and learning curve with every purchase of new software. It is necessary to integrate with existing systems and software, and end-users and provide up to speed use. If the program is very robust and complicated the adoption of resistance may occur. Easy to use and program should be easy to use interface and application functionality should be clear to a large extent independently. Shorter learning curve training new users, the better. The program should also be able to fit easily into existing systems which will need to communicate. For example, it may be a program in collaboration will allow you to use some features of Outlook, or even share the same Outlook data. Made to get the track ??????, shelfwareâ i. e. programs that are purchased but never used, some studies have linked a series of standard solutions for managing content 20-25%. Million dollars to implement, that? With shelfware very expensive! Is never used, according to a recent study in the United States, 22% bought a Gateway Foundation (ERP) licenses. There is no doubt about it, â? Shelfwareâ? As a result of ill-thought out decision to purchase. These studies clearly underlines the importance of making the purchase learners. One of the ways to protect yourself from shelfware is a new concept? Software as serviceâ? Hosted (Secretariat of Administrative Affairs) and software. This program is hosted by the developer, the buyer must pay a monthly subscription, you can unsubscribe at any time. Support for even the best program, it must be when one of Qana? T know how to operate a specific feature or a bug to the crop. May be some software solutions require you to hire support staff, their own, and others may be easy to use, and no specialized staff may be needed, and others may offer free support. The costs of employing support staff should be taken into account when deciding what to buy. Support provider may be in the form of support for human lives or drives through automation. For human help, and quality solutions, and the availability and support for the conduct of managers. It may also aid in the form of motor assist documented in large-scale, or a whole range of information that will help the company’s website. This form of aid is often faster and more efficient than human assistance. Training and education is another form of support that they deserve special attention. Free educational seminars or new gods – webinars (seminars) – helps a lot when getting up to speed the program at no additional cost. In some cases, the company offers paid training, which may be necessary, and therefore the price must be taken into account when deciding what to buy. Maintenance costs and maintenance efforts, which have a significant impact on performance and ability to accept software and, therefore, an important criterion in buying decisions. If the program was run on the companyâ? End of Second, it is important that the program is on the Internet all the time, or for? uptimeâ ????. Uptimes coverage under? service level agreement? In the range from 98% to 99 99%. Operability and at least 99% is what you should look for one. A companyâ? The maintenance is also important. Efforts to improve consistently on the program confirms the commitment to provide quality services. Errors quickly and continuously? They just released a software and not updated? One should develop the habit to keep pace with the company newsletter, or release notes? What? The Newa? Section on its website. Periodicals and answer? What? The Newa? Section shows a company is vital.
4) knowledge
? feel? Program is another important criterion. Should remain with the programs of the basic design and navigation systems are used. This contributes to a faster transition. One of them is a good way to compare with the operating system, which we would like to use the program. Have the same basic knowledge and operating system environment? The program is planned with Mac and Windows wouldnâ? T sit well. Or we can compare it to other programs that are used to. When you switch to low-cost solution to expensive and from a variety of programs with similar? feel? Would make sense. Do you keep most of the main functions and uses you?
5) Security
Safety is a primary consideration is likely critical for software companies to address the information to us? Commercial, financial or personal. We need to ensure good security of our data and the absence of any risk of default risk. This research needs, and the breadth of which depends on the data available for our sensitivity. What security features are not provided on this?
Is the use of encryption or encoding information, which most companies to protect the safety of these clients? Information. There are different types of encryption, each associated with varying degrees of security. Das is one, once popular but now known to have deficiencies. Is associated with SSL 128-bit encryption security first class. Password protection is another important aspect. The program is equipped to withstand attempts to guide, and to hack your password? System’s ability to detect attempted intrusion and locked at an important time. Data backup in extreme cases, collapse of equipment due to fire, natural disaster or technical failure, etc., it is important that your data is in many cases, and supported appropriately. It should back up your data frequently and sufficiently. Some of the factors to be considered in the backup procedures. The first of these is the frequency of backups. If a long gap, there’s the potential loss of data at intervals. Secondly, what are the security measures at plants which data exists? Is that it is inhabited and guarded by security men? What additional security measures in place? Is there a good firewall? What are the protection against viruses? What procedures are in place for disaster management? Records as is the case with the company background, a little research on the safety of the logical log. The company is still vulnerable to attacks from before? What are the losses? How to respond? How many years the company has good results? New companies and has a clean record, but it? ISNA? T necessarily an indication of improved security. Server system and server system in which sensitive data is actually very important. It is a state? Ownership of infrastructure service provider themselves or their software outsourcing company specialized in providing hosting solutions. Outsourced hosting is a good thing, because hosting companies have extensive experience and infrastructure security, and it releases presenter to concentrate on the program itself. The company can not have detailed information on all settings, and run the software and data processing by computers that are set to work in a garage somewhere in the servers. Should get a ringing alarm bells on!
Finally – a systematic approach to selection
Now, when we were discussing all the relevant details and a better perspective of this topic, it is important to develop a systematic approach to analyze these factors. What are the factors that are important to me? Although all the above factors related to the relative importance may vary from customer to customer. To a company with deep pockets and the price goes down in the list. For a company using the program of cooperation in solving business and information security is a top priority. , If a solution is an important part of the companyâ? Business, it is important to integrate well with existing systems. Vital sectors such as real estate, short duration training mission. Know your program through this step will have a choice of programs. But that’s not the end. We have all the theory and research, and the program still must pass the test harder to him. Most programs allow a free trial period. It would be good to use this period to analyze the programs seriously. It is important to continue to concentrate during this period to test the impact will be long. Follow the methodology of planning. Setting goals and needs, and plan testing, planning and appointment of people from various departments for testing various properties. Assign responsibilities and goals so that the trial take their job seriously.
Decision)!
Donna? T hesitate to burden the company to prove itself. Allow the company to show you the features that seem important to you. For example, if security is of paramount importance, ask the company to see how to deal with a high degree of safety. Donna? T contact them if you have any questions. Test the level of service to see if he lives up to its promises. Received a ticket if present, is it on the spot? And offer a good solution? If the problem requires the assistance of a living, do not get fast enough? When you call the problem of whether people live or automated message to speak with? It is widely as you analyze the software. youâ? Re-educated enough to make choices, is likely to disappoint you. You should definitely not be disappointed in his decision.
