There is sometimes a funny thing happens when we have a business. As we go through our day managing the group of people we've decided to employ, we often default this unspoken rule that "we know best" because we are in charge. Is it OUR business, right? But what about when we select the best business software for our team? Should we really care what they think?
Here's an example. Let's say you hold a weekly meeting every Monday at 8 am. To make the meetings something you think your employees want to come to, you make a habit of providing coffee and doughnuts for everyone. And because you're a caring boss, you may ask your employees if they want a particular type of donut. You might even take coffee orders from the local coffee shop, so everyone gets just what they like.
So, you kick off the meeting off by handing each employee his or her coffee order. Then when you kick off the meeting, you share only your views. Maybe you do invite others to speak, but their opinions are not taken to heart and you as their fearless leader, continue down your path.
When you are doing this, you are giving your employees freedom to make choices when it comes to the coffee they drink and donuts they eat, but when it comes to the things they do every day for you, they have no say. In other words, you're providing a mixed message and only willing to give them an illusion of control in the workplace, but when it comes to the things that matter, you're restricting them.
In the operations of a business, there are times when executive leadership must make choices, and they will need to do this without the input of employees. There are also plenty of times when companies leaders need to include the needs and ideas of other people. This consists of the needs of the many; your employees' needs, the customers' needs, and your own needs.
What You Should Consider When Choosing the Best Business Software
How can you evaluate everyone's needs without compromising when you look for software for your organization? Here are a few things you can consider:
Employees
When it comes to your team, you should ask yourself the following
- What employees will be using the software at the company? The software can be maximized based on the size of your organization.
- Is your team virtual?
- Where do they meet customers?
- Where do they work
- What other software does your team currently use, and will they continue to use it?
- How important is the level of IT support? Is on-site support, or will vendor support be needed?
These are just a few of the questions need to ask, but they are essential for the base of your decision. You'll also need to ask your employees directly for the information. Since they will be using the software, they need to have the chance why it is or is not the best for the team.
Customers
Next, you'll need to consider what your customers and clients will value most. While they may not ever directly interact with the software you choose, their needs will directly impact the direction you want. Consider the following:
- Do your clients require a lot of personalization and individual attention?
- Does the service you offer require you to give them access to a dashboard or profile that they update or monitor? How will the software you choose impact this user experience from start to finish?
- How quickly are you expecting to scale things in your business? Will the software work when you have 500 customers or 1000?
3. Leadership (That's you and your managers). Now we need to look at how your leadership team can use this software to manage the team and drive the business.
- Do you need business software that is quick and easy for employees to learn, or can you afford to deal with a more extended transition and learning curve?
- What can you afford to pay for new software without wrecking your budget?
- Do you need an interface that is visually pleasing and intuitive, or are you focusing on a highly functional and feature-rich platform for the team?
By no means should you discount this aspect when looking for the best business software. While customer and employee needs are essential, so are your needs. Give equal weight to these elements.
The moral of the story is you need to become more familiar with your business and your team before making a change. The goal is to choose a software solution that truly benefits everyone on the team and makes operations flow from start to finish. This means partnering with your whole team to find out what everyone believes they need to operate at the top of their game and be the most effective daily.
At Cirrus we are pursuing our vision of a Transparent, Collaborative, and Secure lending experience. We help banks close more loans faster, and with improved credit quality. Our software reduces the bank’s fulfillment and servicing costs while improving the experience for borrowers and the bankers who serve them.