Executive Advisors and Software Selection
In our last post we covered the things that go wrong when companies choose new software and the far-reaching negative effects of those decisions. Despite the fact that a high percentage of new software rollouts fail, companies continue to go it on their own and throw good money after bad.
There is a better way: an Executive Advisor can help to prevent these very costly mistakes. Here’s why you should consider bringing in outside help:
A bottom-up view: Chances are pretty high that your front-line employees don’t spend their days doing what you think they do. An Executive Advisor interviews the whole team to get a holistic understanding of the work your business does and to uncover employee concerns you may not be aware of. Employee input here translates to employee buy-in at deployment time, and is often the difference between an engaged workforce and a demotivated one. An engaged workforce using the right software equals happy customers.
An eye on the horizon: Too many businesses base their software decisions on what they’re doing today, and not where they want to be tomorrow. A proper software change is an opportunity to get your business to a better place. An Executive Advisor will help you understand how.
A bigger worldview: You probably are familiar with the major software solutions in your own vertical. But often the perfect software fit comes from a different industry completely. The specialized skill set of an Executive Advisor makes them more familiar with the entire software universe, and able to offer unbiased, industry-agnostic advice and counsel on your big decision.
Control of the sales cycle: Or more simply, saving you money. The software-buying process has changed significantly in the transition to cloud-based products, with very different pricing and economies of scale. Your Executive Advisor understands this world and can often negotiate a much better deal than the sticker price.
Saving money, avoiding unhappy employees and customers, future-proofing your company … your very first software decision is clear. Talk to an Executive Advisor.