Are you considering switching software? Is your software holding you hostage?

We know purchasing new software solution for your team is not an easy decision. Not only do you have to consider costs, usage, and functionality, but it also requires a commitment. A commitment of your people, their people, everyone’s time, and most of all money. If it’s a custom software development effort, then consider additional money and time spent in development.

But what about when what you got, is not what you expected? What happens when it’s time to move to a different system to provide better operational use and compatibility?

Here are some things to consider when making the decision whether to continue with your current software.

The Cost of Software

In software today, the cost is determined by many factors like development, complexity, the interaction of usage, and technology stack (or the number of people involved to build out the program), all of these can easily increase the price. Many software companies require an upfront payment which requires you to make the decision all in and locked in. The problem with this is if you have not taken the time to fully understand the type of app you have selected. Will it be simple? Most likely not the case when you’re discussing costing, production, direct-to-store shipments, inventory, and availability, this is far from simple.  Additional factors driving up the costs are customizations, user interaction, API’s – ability for the application to integrate with other applications, back-end processors, and rigorous testing to validate the customizations. AGS offers monthly subscription pricing with no upfront large-sum investments.

Differences in Software Usage and Functionality

Make note of the likes and dislikes, what works and what doesn’t work on your existing system and what you need from your next system. Not only what needs to be improved but how?  Learn what others are using and what their feedback is on the products they use. Reviews are important but also who in the industry operates like your company? And do they have the same intended usage of the product?

Software Support and Upgrades

The need for ongoing support and system upgrades regularly is a vital factor. While some companies may appear to be the most popular, could it be a huge marketing splash of a web application? That later turns out to be visually attractive but the functionality is not reliable or does not offer all the functionality your company needs. The level of support you receive from customer service is going to be telling of how quickly you will get issues resolved when they arise. Same for updates.  If you’re not seeing updated versions of your system, this could mean there is no active development happening behind the scenes to make the necessary changes and fixes your system needs to maintain its relevancy in this competitive market.

Effort and Time

It will be expected from you and your team to spend the time in addition to their daily job function to prepare for a software change. Their main concern is to not lose productivity while completing the necessary tasks in order to minimize any negative effects of onboarding to a new system. The data for onboarding must be transferred and each field of information must be understood and validated by both your team and the software team you work with. Because of this, it’s that much more of an important decision to understand what it will take to get your team organized to make a software change.

Sometimes the perceived cost and effort to purchase and use a new grower system seems to high. But you must weight that against what your current system is costing you both now and in the future.

How We Can Help

Advanced Grower Solutions can help you work through the process of assessing your current situation, and help you document these areas, thus preparing you for engaging with the sales process. We can also help in the selection and implementation of systems as an independent resource working for you to get the best outcome. Contact us to learn more.