Why Does it Matter?

A very important part of evaluating the best construction software solution for the needs of your business is evaluating the software vendor, not just the product. Imagine this: you’ve selected your software, made the purchase, had it installed on all of your computers, and trained your staff. It is everything you wanted it to be, and more. You couldn’t be happier. And then it happens – some little glitch that renders your miracle software useless. Okay, no problem, right? You’ll call the vendor, and they’ll make it right. If you’ve done your homework and made sure that your vendor is as wonderful as the product they sold you, you’ll be back up and running in no time at all. But if you haven’t, this nightmare may only be the opening sequence of your very own software horror.

So what do you need to do to make sure that you’ve selected not only the right construction accounting software, but the best vendor, too? There are a number of things you can do to make sure you’ve got all the information you need to make a good solid decision.

How do I start?

Starting on the product website, take a look at how many versions of the product they’ve released, and what improvements they’ve made. You should also check to see what level of support they offer for previous versions. This will give you a fair idea of how you’ll be treated if you decide against the next software upgrade they want to sell you.

Next, put the names of the vendor and the software into a couple of different internet search engines and skim through the links they bring up. Keep an eye open for any articles or web pages that indicate lawsuits that the company is involved in, or for recent changes in the ownership of the company. Either of these could indicate instability in the vendor that could leave you stranded when you need future support for their product. If you find a recent change in ownership, you should check out the product support history of the new company. It is also worth it to check with various constructon software reviews.

Another source of information is other users of the construction software you are evaluating. Talk to the other construction industry professionals you know. Online forums are a good place to meet other construction executives who use the construction management software you are considering. The product website may have a forum, and many online technology communities have forums as well.

In short, spending as much time researching the vendor as you do researching the software will serve you well over the life of the product. Good support will prove to be equally as valuable as a good product.