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Don't Overlook the Details When Purchasing New Construction Software
BY FRED ODE
At one time or another, everyone has fallen
victim to overlooking important details—
the fine print of a 50-page contract, a new
hire who looked great on paper but failed
to perform, or a weather forecast for three
weeks of nonstop rain. Hindsight, as they
say, is always 20/20.
Likewise, when it comes to selecting new
construction software, contractors should
consider more than obvious short-term
needs, like a system’s look and feel, features
and cost. The following are four essential,
yet often overlooked, factors to consider.
The Company Behind The Product
Successful contractors must adapt to
change and innovation. In recent years,
many software vendors have been involved
in rollups or acquisitions, with large investment groups often purchasing competitors.
In some cases, vendors decide to stop supporting
certain software products, leaving
users in a jam.
This speaks volumes about a software
company’s viability and longevity. Just as
contractors should check out the organizational
background of potential business
partners, they also should investigate the
history and reputation of prospective software
vendors.
Aside from product-specific questions,
construction technology shoppers should
learn about a vendor’s investment in new
product development, long-term goals,
annual profitability and length of time
serving the construction industry. If a contractor
wants a product that will perform
well into the future, then it cannot ignore
the company behind the product.
The Vendor’s Commitment to Clients
Training and technical support are two
essential ingredients for successful software
implementation, yet many contractors
give little thought to this aspect of
their purchase.
Reputable software companies are not
simply motivated to sell their software and
then move on to the next sale. Rather, they
want contractors to be satisfied, long-term
customers. They want users to understand
the product and take advantage of its full
potential. To offer this requires a well-trained
staff that understands construction
and how contractors operate.
Unfortunately, not all software companies
take customer support and satisfaction
seriously. Because software
companies have a bad reputation for leaving
callers on hold or failing to answer
technical questions in a timely manner,
contractors must ask how quickly they
answer support calls, what type of training
they use, whether they offer flexible
solutions to unique problems and whether
they offer opportunities to network with
other users.
When it comes to purchasing new
software—which usually involves a learning
curve and the potential to change how
people work—contractors should feel confident
that their vendor will be available. It
makes sense to invest in a software product
backed by a customer-focused company.
The Technology Behind the Product
Most software buyers don’t bother to
consider the technology that makes their
application work. Many programs don’t
handle as many features and functions as
automatically as they claim. Other programs
claim to use current technology,
but behind their user-friendly menu lurks
outdated technology.
How efficiently and reliably software
performs is based almost entirely on a program’s
underlying technology, so contractors
should identify if a product is written
using current programming. Some contractors
claim DOS-based legacy systems
fully meet their needs. However, buyers
need to be aware that DOS-based systems
offer limited storage capacity and processing
speed when compared to newer systems.
Developers of these aging systems
have found ways to add storage capacity
and features to their programs, but at the
cost of efficiency and manageability.
Newer software products, meanwhile,
can take advantage of unlimited storage
space and fast speeds, and concentrate on
creating the features most important to
contractors.
Another important consideration for
buyers is the software’s database platform.
A system’s database not only stores information,
but it also drives data input and
output and is responsible for efficiency,
stability and security. Older systems, and
many inexpensive, off-the-shelf systems,
generally use what is called a proprietary
database. Aside from being unable to
readily share data, proprietary databases
are not as powerful and robust as newer
databases.
Many newer and midrange systems use
an open database that shares a common
language (e.g., Structured Query Language
or SQL) and allows for fast and
seamless integration of data.
As a rule of thumb, the more transactions
contractors complete, the more
powerful and robust their databases need
to be. Aside from speed and performance
issues, the database is key when it comes
to integration of data, data security, search
ability and reporting capabilities.
The Company’s Readiness to Buy
Unsuccessful software implementations
have nothing to do with the product in
use. According to one recent study, more
than 90 percent of implementation failures
occur due to human and organizational
reasons. From limited budgeting
and poor planning to user refusal and
unrealistic timetables, companies manage
to sabotage their best intentions for adopting
new technology.
Aside from starting with a realistic
budget that will allow the company to
meet specific goals now and in the future,
contactors must include software endusers
in the decision-making process. Not
only does this increase the likelihood that
employees will embrace the new system,
but these front-line people also may provide
valuable input regarding which products
best fit the company’s current business
methods.
Equally important, contractors must
consider the abilities and attitudes of all
end-users. Nothing stops software implementation
faster than an employee who is
unwilling or unable to change.
Contractors also must be realistic about
the schedule for implementing new software.
It takes time to set up and install
a new program, but it is time well spent
because creating customized, user-defined
fields inevitably will save unnecessary keystrokes
and mouse clicks down the road.
In addition, the implementation timetable
needs to allow for ongoing user
training. Expecting employees to learn a
new software program after a few hours of
training—squeezed in between their regular
duties and tasks—is unrealistic.
Armed with a list of must-have features,
a realistic budget and these four
considerations, any contractor should feel
confident that a best-fit software product
is close at hand.
Fred Ode is CEO of Foundation Software,
Brunswick, Ohio. For more information, call
(800) 246-0800, email fred@foundationsoft.
com or visit www.foundationsoft.com. |
