Business cannot do without software solutions. Whether you are a small, medium-sized company or a large enterprise, the use of special software is a must if you want not only to survive in the market, but also to develop.
The right set of tools optimizes business processes and increases efficiency. However, it is important not just to assemble a stack of software and implement it, but also to think through a plan, build a strategy.
It is necessary to find out:
What type of software tools does the business need?
Which processes will benefit from automation?
Will you also be able to use these tools effectively in the future, in 3-5 years?
Will all the selected tools work well together?
What should be the software for business
Ideally, it’s a system of software tools that work together to achieve a common business goal. These programs can simply be well-compatible or integrated with each other.
Depending on the tasks to be done, businesses use different software. For example, specific programs for marketing automation or a technology stack for application development.
Now let’s take a step-by-step look at how to select software solutions.
Step 1: Find out what processes you need to automate
To do this, take your core business processes and break them down into individual sub-processes. It may be more convenient to write each one on stickers and place them linearly on the board.
Pay attention to how they relate to each other within the process and to other sub-processes. Then try to identify areas of inefficiency. To do this, find out:
Where does the process slow down?
How many approvals, approvals, handoffs to another performer for each step?
Are there processes that have 10 or more steps? Can they be simplified?
Are there extra steps that don’t add value to the process?
Where are the bottlenecks of each step?
The answers to these questions will help identify areas where processes are losing effectiveness. These are the ones that require automation.
Pro Tip
When looking for places to automate, don’t forget about operational factors. For example, there may be manual processes with a high probability of error or steps whose success depends on up-to-date documentation and information system. You need to consider such details to get a complete picture of the risks.
Step 2: Choose between industry-specific tools and process-specific software
Industry-specific tools are designed for the specifics of a particular business, but process-specific programs are easier to get up and running. At the same time, the former are expensive, and the latter are usually ready-made solutions and have limited opportunities for adjustment.
Industry-specific tools include software for e-commerce, banking or construction. Process-specific programs are understood to include, for example, billing software, business analytics, CRM.
To make the right choice, focus on your main business task and consider whether it is specific to your industry. For example, if you’re in banking and are having problems with loans, it’s better to choose an industry-specific lending tool. If, on the other hand, you’re having trouble generating leads, for example, opt for a one-size-fits-all solution designed for this task.
Pro Tip
When choosing an application, also know that there are universal platforms and specialized tools, off-the-shelf software and custom software development. When choosing between these options, think not only about the main business task, but also about the project timeline, capabilities, resources, and allocated budget.
Step 3: Study user feedback
According to a Capterra study, SMBs that study professional reviews and user reviews before choosing spend 5 months less searching than those who neglect to do so.
Step 4: Think about the future
Your business will grow and its needs will change, and it’s a good idea to think ahead.
Consider the example of Stacy Caprio, founder of Growth Marketing. The company chose a popular email marketing automation app, and at first it seemed like a perfect fit for the business’ challenges. However, when the number of subscribers exceeded 2,000, the cost of the tool became too high. As a result, the company had to abandon this software and look for another.