Where PRODFIT differs is our focus. We’re experts in enterprise point solutions – those products designed to solve a specific need. Years of experience and close customer relationships has taught us that this type of software is often overlooked in the organization-wide strategy. They receive less diligence and tend to be pushed through the process by external factors.
However, with the rapid increase in available software, options are becoming even more complex and challenges numerous. The many unknowns and quickly evolving requirements can only be addressed through information that is difficult to gather in an effective, timely manner. We recognize this and know what it takes to perform the level of diligence necessary for success.
Many variables go into making a decision to purchase and implement enterprise point solutions. The wrong choice is costly in terms of dollars, work hours, and constituent confidence.
Financially and professionally, this is perhaps the most costly result of choosing a solution that doesn't fit your organization's needs. Enterprise solutions are expensive - typically priced as annual user-based subscriptions or licensed and hosted models with multi-year commitments. Either way, the first-year costs can be as much as 3x subsequent years. Even at the low end of the spectrum this can total 10s to 100s of thousands of dollars depending on the size of your organization.
Introducing a new software is always a challenge. It's expected that a certain amount of effort will be required to align stakeholders to new processes and capabilities. This is greatly impacted if the solution does not meet users' expectations or their vision of what a solution should look like. If a software misses the mark by too much, you'll encounter a confused user base and struggle to create alignment to the overall objectives behind the purchase.
When users feel their needs were not heard, understood, or met they become frustrated. This leads to disillusionment and a lack of confidence in the ability of the organization to improve processes. At that point it's increasingly difficult to create excitement around the launch of the new software. And, it has a tangible impact on any future solutions, which only complicates the process next time around.
Purchasing and implementing new software is disruptive. It can take months to implement and a year or more to launch and reach full adoption. That equates to significant indirect costs which increase dramatically if the implementation is delayed or the launch falters. They're downright astronomical if an organization has to move to a different solution - which is why so many stick with less than effective products.
When a software misses the mark by too much, an organization can find their users reverting to old processes or creating "shadow" processes outside of the new solution. This not only wreaks havoc on organizational strategy, but creates a scenario that makes any effort to adopt a new solution that much more difficult. Silos are created, communication suffers, and people are less willing to trust or change.
If an organization's struggles with a product are severe enough to warrant starting the search over again, extraordinary challenges with change management are created. What is already a challenging process becomes truly daunting. Everything from simple participation to honest feedback to any sort of real buy-in becomes a herculean task.
Time and again, we’ve seen organizations purchase software based on factors other than the requirements necessary to solve the problem. Some of the most common include:
Yes, it's possible to buy a solution that does so many different things in so many ways that your users are paralyzed by the complexity. We all want as many features as possible, but that needs to be weighed against the overall impact on the organization.
Your leadership has grown tired of certain inefficiencies and wants the problem solved. It's on your shoulders now, so you begin your search. You find some potential solutions and bring some colleagues in to help evaluate it. You like what you see and move forward. But your users don't even know you're looking...
You need a new software to solve long-standing problems, but nothing is really hitting the mark. One vendor, however, has a key feature on their roadmap so you go with their offering. It's a year later and you're still waiting for the feature. Meanwhile, the company's objectives have changed and other features have taken priority....
You've been tasked with finding a software to address an ongoing challenge. It's unrelated to your direct expertise so you send out a mass email asking for feedback from users on what they would like to see in a solution. You get a flood of responses (many of them quite good!), build a long list of requirements, and issue an RFP. No one responds....
Whether it's the lowest price or because a company is the market leader. You can't assume you always get what you pay for. Today's market leaders have likely been around for quite a while, as has their software. Is it built for today's need? Is it full feature bloat - most of which you'll never use but allows them to command top-tier price? What about the lowest priced solution, will it really meet the needs your users expect, or does it do just enough (to frustrate your stakeholders)
Your boss is tired of seeing processes break down. He wants you to find a solution and find it now. So, you do some searching, find a promising solution and share it with your boss. After the demo, you get the order to purchase. It will address enough of the problem short term and you can worry about finding a real solution later.
Your department is struggling with a time-intensive process. You know that the company has talked about making some changes, but nothing's come of it. So, you go ahead and purchase a solution for use by your group. Meanwhile, the organization is negotiating for an enterprise-wide solution that will meet your needs...
Relationships are important in any software partnership. However, they can also create barriers to fully researching the options available in the market. It's easier to buy if you already work with a vendor. It's easier to trust because you have a relationship. It's also pretty easy to leave a lot of value at the door by not searching.
hello@prodfit.io
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