It has been seen that
Corporate IT spends a lot of time in order to justify the return on investment
(ROI) which is taken from hardware and data center investments, but it is also
seen that it ignores the software investments altogether.
By some accounts, 80% of
most commercial software features go untapped, with only about 20% being
actively used. What should you expect from your software investments and how do
you make sure you're getting it? Here are 10 ways to maximize your software
ROI.
1: Evaluate usage
It has been done by a
few of the IT departments, but we proceed further to survey the usage of
commercial software- by evaluating its entire set of functions and
features and then determining which are regularly being used - this could be
determined what amount of the whole solution your company is using. This could
happen that there may be a fault within your own organization. There is a
tendency to install the initial phase of the solution and then lag behind in
implementing follow-on features and functions.
2: Secure an input
channel to the software vendor for new feature development
Those companies who are
seen making ongoing collaborative relationships with software vendors are seen
getting their requests for enhancement heard. If your software vendor has
a user council or committee, it is worth your while to be on it.
3: Check your software
for business scalability
Scalability is
considered in IT circles to be the ability of hardware and software in order to
grow in processing and capacity. If we talk about the software scalability,
this scalability should be considered in terms of capability expansion in the
software that maps to the business.
Let’s take an example in
terms of capability expansion in the software that maps to the business. For
instance, if your business goal is to move the entire sales force to mobile
communications and order taking, your order system software must be able to
accommodate the needs for mobile computing and mobile security.
4: Ensure strong service
and product support
It is needed that there
should be having strong service and support ethics in order to get assured that
the provider will be there always you need. This is the reason that there is a
need to include service and support SLAs that are in your contracts with
commercial software vendors.
5: Invest in software
that is easy to integrate
Before proceeding
further for the development of the new software, always remember to take into
consideration the earlier pieces and methods of the software and then make a
decision what are the other new things that would be needed in the development
of the new software. Once the analysis is done, it's a straightforward process
to ask the vendor what APIs and other means of integration it provides.
6: Estimate time to
deploy
How long will it take
you to deploy the new software — and what effect (if any) will this have on the
enablement of critical business strategies?
7: Evaluate all contract
options
Always remember that
Standard software contracts run on either three- or five-year terms. So do not
take a risk for going longer than three years on a software contract, because
many changes do come with the passage of time in your business. If the vendor
tells you that it only has a five-year contract, modify the contract by
injecting an opt-out option for your company at the three-year point.
8: Look for great user
(and IT) training
It is usually seen that
most of the Most software
solutions providers focus on their product development but skimp on
product documentation, user manuals, and training. Your end business users (and
IT) will be able to take advantage of a solution only to the extent that they
are well trained and comfortable with it. Do not take those vendors serious who
lack strong training for their software. If you are only relying on online FAQ
sheets, this is not enough.
9: Measure end-user and
IT satisfaction
Are your end users and
IT staff satisfied with the overall solution, the expertise behind it, and the
vendor's support and service staff? If you are not satisfied, you are free and
allowed to meet with the vendor in order to eliminate points of concentration
which are mandatory in order to guarantee that you are getting the maximum
benefits of your software and the investment that is spent on it.
10: Take a reading on
business value
If you are suffering
from the situation when your software isn't building revenue opportunities,
lowering costs, creating operational efficiencies, reducing risks, or making
other tangible contributions to your end business, you are required to step
back and determine properly what actually the software is doing for you.
For more information you
can consult with our expert.
Call us : 1888-606-1808
Company: Graymen Technologies
Address: Atlanta, GA, USA
Pin Code: 30303
