Choosing the right software for your business can be challenging. Although there are best practice guidelines for effective software selection, sometimes it helps to be aware of the pitfalls – the things that can and do go wrong most often.
So, to help compile a useful list of mistakes to avoid, we recently reached out to our LinkedIn community with the question: “What are the top 10 mistakes people make when choosing business software?”. Thanks to everyone who contributed their practical insights and experience.
Here is our editor’s view on the top 10 mistakes people make:
- Not defining your objectives and requirements clearly
- Confusing systems with behaviour
- Buying into the hype
- Failing to invest adequately in internal change management efforts
- Underestimating the setup and customisation efforts needed
- Not enough consideration of support & maintenance issues
- Ignoring the hidden end-of-life costs of software
- Excessive dependence on a single vendor
- Letting vendors drive the selection process
- Ruling out some software options too early without good cause
If this list piques your interest, go to LinkedIn to check out the full discussion. Many people who contributed gave valuable detail that will help you explore the issues further. You might even like to join in the discussion.
What do you think? Are there others that should be here? Disagree with any of the above? Have your say by commenting below…
