Introduction
The technological advancement that we are witnessing has made it possible for the computer market to have a significant development and therefore has provided us with access to cheap hardware with good performance characteristics for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). But when investing in computer equipment for a company we forget a very important step. What software are we going to use? Of the wide range of options, what is appropriate for my company? The great dilemma of buying an information system begins.
The software market for SMEs has grown incredibly, in addition the natural development of companies begins to increase the number of their operations to a degree that control becomes more difficult, competition is increasingly aggressive and difficulties in surviving economic conditions make the information necessary for decision-making increasingly important. It is here where complementing the hardware with an administration-oriented program becomes relevant.
Development
Investing more money to complement the investment in computer equipment makes buying software a headache, more for you who are not experts and also this operation is rarely performed. But what he is an expert in is the knowledge of his business, and that will help him make the best choice.
Here are some steps to guide your software purchase.
Step 1:
Here are some questions to start the process that you can answer.
- What areas of my company do I need to control with the software? What information do I want to know about those areas? What operations do I need to register? What volume of data or operations do they currently represent? In the near future, how will I see my company in proportion to the operations I currently carry out? How much can I invest? Is buying software really necessary for efficient administration?
Step 2.
Get advice from an expert and communicate your intention to purchase software, as well as clearly explain your needs and reasons.
Step 3:
Ask and investigate with software providers, on the internet, with other companies, with business friends from the same field and even from different ones, looking for options and possibilities of purchasing information systems. It is necessary to evaluate them taking as a reference the responses obtained in step 1.
Step 4.
If you found three or more options, congratulations you did an excellent job, but we are not done. It is necessary to contact the suppliers and ask them for a complete demonstration even with the end users of the system (this regardless of the size of the investment in pesos). In addition to research references with current users of the software (this data can be requested from the provider, who without hesitation must provide it. Or not?)
Step 5.
The supplier must submit a proposal "in writing" with several aspects that ensure its seriousness. Here are some important things to review before the final decision:
- That the software adjusts to our expressed needs by measuring the degree of satisfaction it offers us.Ensure the ease of use of the package with respect to the end user presented by the buyerEase of installation and license policy.Experience and historical recommendations of the supplier's customers Manuals, technical support and user training of our companySupport by the provider to attend problems difficult to solve by the staff of my company.Guarantees and conditions of the legal contract.Price already with taxes and payment conditions.More than your business experience recommend.
Step 6:
If when you reach this step everything is to your liking, start the purchase process. If for some reason something does not convince you, take the time to review the impact of your decision, it is highly recommended before investing any amount of pesos, generally scarce, do not you think?
conclusion
Joining our computer equipment with suitable software makes us effective use of Information technology to control operations within the company and to make decisions with less risk.
In summary, access to computer equipment at affordable prices is very simple. The problem begins when it is necessary to choose the purchase of software for that equipment and that also meets the information processing needs of my company.
Answering some reflective questions about our needs, discussing our purchasing intentions with experts for advice, researching with other companies, turning to see what the competition has, can give us valuable clues about the right options, taking the time to evaluate The brands or software packages available in the market, contacting potential suppliers and knowing what to ask for in a software package quote can lead us to make a really productive purchase-investment for our company.
