After recently completing some customer research and marketing planning*, Software Shortlist is now gearing up for its next phase of growth. More on that in a future post because today I want to share some thoughts on “software conversations” and how they relate to our role at Software Shortlist.
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Talking about software selection…
Software selection is a challenging process – both for businesses looking for software, as well as for IT vendors and service providers offering their solutions. It’s widely recognized that business purchase decisions are typically more complex than consumer ones (more people involved, longer lead times, more factors to consider, etc). What’s less understood is that, despite the formal processes used, business decisions are not as “perfectly rational” as we may like to believe.
In a way, this shouldn’t be surprising. Just like consumer decisions, the human element is critical in business decisions. Buying something is risky, which is why trust, credibility, and relationships are so important. Plus, one of the key ways that people seek to reduce the risk of a purchase decision is to talk to others.
For this reason, conversations have a particularly important role to play in software decisions. Conversations are about people connecting with people and sharing information. They happen online – e.g. asking your network on LinkedIn which timesheet software they use – as well as offline, such as talking with colleagues, peers, vendors, and others whose input and perspective you value.
Relevant & informed conversations
As we listened to our customers and reflected on what we do here, we recognized that the role of Software Shortlist is enabling relevant and informed conversations on software, with the ultimate goal of an intelligent purchase decision being made.
For example, we often converse directly with you, via a post on this blog, a comment on LinkedIn, an article in our email newsletter, or by publishing our independent reviews. We aim to be a trusted voice in that conversation, one that helps you progress your thinking on software selection.
And if we do our job properly, that initial conversation should spark other conversations, for instance when you discuss software requirements in more depth with work colleagues, or connect with relevant IT vendors or service providers to understand whether their solution may fit your needs.
Sometimes talk is action
Because you don’t just need information. To make an intelligent purchase decision, you need to connect with real people for relevant and informed conversations. To gain information and share learnings. To understand the situation. To explain your needs. To gauge credibility. To build relationships.
So please get involved in the conversation. We’d love to hear from you….
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* A special thanks to COMET for helping fund our market research & strategy development, the good folks at Bite Communications for working with us on it, and of course all of our customers and fellow conversationalists who so generously shared your time and thoughts with the team.
