Software could be the solution your looking for to make your company more organised and more productive. But with so many different programmes to choose from, how do you know which software is the right pick for you? Here are just a few tips that could help you to choose the best software for your needs.
Read reviews
Reviews can offer unbiased information on the pros and cons of each programme. There are two types of reviews worth reading – professional reviews and customer reviews. You’ll often find professional reviews in tech publications or on official blogs – these are thorough reviews written by tech experts and may include single reviews and comparison guides such as this guide to accounting software. Customer reviews meanwhile are less detailed but can help to give you a more practical opinion.
Watch Youtube walkthroughs
You may be able to find Youtube walkthroughs of certain business’ programs. This can help give you a good idea of what a programme might look like on the screen so you can determine whether its basic or complex enough for your needs. Some of these walkthroughs may be set up by the company themselves, so they may be a little biased.
Download free trials
Better still, you may be able to test out the software for yourself by downloading free trials. Many software companies offer free trial download links on their website. Free trials may have certain features locked so you may not get a full idea of how the programme works, but it might still be enough to come to a general conclusion of whether the software is right for you.
Organise a software demo
Some programmes such as this event management software may come with the option to organise a software demo. These are sales conferences in which you can talk to someone at the company itself and get a full tutorial of the tools they offer in their program. Because you’ll be talking to a sales rep, expect the information to be a little biased – the main advantage of such events is the opportunity to ask questions and potentially get an exclusive discount on the product (some companies may offer their software for a reduced price if you attend a software demo).
Consider building your own software
If none of the software packages out there seem to meet your specs, you could always consider building your own. This can be a lot more expensive, but you can be certain that you’ll end up with a programme that does all the functions you need it to do whilst being easy to use. There are lots of software development companies out there all charging different rates – shop around and see what the best price quote you can get is.
