When you select your new software, make sure it has the desired features you need and will be effective in helping you run your business operations.
By Rod Woods

Upgrading or purchasing new software can be a pleasant or horrible experience. Which one will be yours? The purpose of this article is to help you with your software purchasing and implementation decisions for software that will be used to help run your business operations.

What Are You Trying to Accomplish?
First, why do you want to purchase new software? There are many reasons for this. For example, you could be losing sales due to lost paperwork, poor follow up with customers or you are just too busy to answer the phone when the customer calls. Your current software may be too difficult to use, so you have implemented a non-integrated system to fill in the gaps. Or perhaps it does not have the required features necessary such as a container management overview letting you know where your container is and how long since it has been serviced. Perhaps you want to optimize truck routes for the day to reduce the expenses on your trucks both in fuel costs and mileage. There can be many reasons where new software can help streamline your operations. The key is to clearly understand what you are trying to accomplish with the any new software product.

What Software Do You Want to Implement?
Next comes the chore of picking the software you want to implement. There are several things you need to consider. First, does it have the functions to satisfy the needs of your business? If not, are there acceptable work arounds? Is it going to change your current work process in an acceptable way? How does the company selling the software support their product? Is it easy to use? Is it affordable? How long are you committed to using the software? Probably the most important item is seeing a good demo of the product. This can be done with films or live demos (in-person or via webinar meetings/webinars). When possible make the time to do a live demo. While it can be hard to make the time to do one, the benefits can be great. Live demos allow you to ask questions and have the individual demonstrate them on the demo. Be sure and allow time for this most important step. You do not want surprises when you purchase the software.

Troubleshooting
Once you have chosen your new software you need to implement it into your business. You are excited and want to start using it immediately. This is the key mistake most new users make. Some of the most common problems that new users face are:

Today, most systems run on the internet. It is important to verify upfront that your internet has the necessary speeds to support your software. Failure to do so can create many problems using the software. This often occurs in remote areas where fiber cables are not available.

• Configuring the software for your desired process. Your business is unique and there is no software available that maps to every internal process. For example, some businesses will want the office to assign all containers to their drivers. Other businesses will want to have the office schedule the jobs and let the drivers pick their own containers. The way most software companies handle this is by having setup options for the user to configure how the software operates. You need to know the how the software will map to your current operations.

• Preloading the necessary information to run your new program. For example, you will be entering your containers into the system. Do you have an easy-to-use identification system for the containers? How are you going to transfer your current database into the new software? How do you identify special assets you want displayed on the maps such as storage yards for your containers, or dump sites for emptying the container trash?

• Develop a champion in your business that fully understands the software and can help others learn how to use it correctly.

• When you are ready to turn on the software, start small and work upward in adding new functionality. For example, your software can be an integrated package having scheduling, dispatching jobs, remote drivers and invoicing transferred into a financial package such as QuickBooks. It is difficult to turn this all on and expect it to work perfectly. Start with a small area first such as the office, then add the field and third-party software integration.

• Expect some problems. Work with your supplier to help resolve any startup questions you have.

The good news is that most software suppliers can assist you. The software you purchase should have online help with most of its features. In addition, application notes on using the product are also available. Lastly, they should also have remote assistance allowing your software provider to connect to your computer and troubleshoot the system when necessary.

Make a Plan
A good software supplier will know how to troubleshoot your system when you give him additional information describing the problem. The purpose of this article is to make you aware of how to install the new software and support it. Plan your way into installing new software. When you select your new software, make sure it has the desired features you need and most importantly, make sure to select your supplier than can support the software. | WA

Rod Woods is the President of Cave Creek Software (Scottsdale, AZ), which focuses on supplying software for the Waste Management and Field Services business. He has received his bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, attended Harvard and is past President of the Engineering Advisory Council for Arizona State University. Previously, he was Vice President of Engineering for a major company and owned a Field Service Business. Rod can be reached at [email protected].

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