By David Crary 
Business owners make hundreds of decisions in a single week or sometimes even a day. Purchases are just one of those decisions and they usually take a lot of thought, especially for those in a smaller business. When I ran my irrigation business, decisions about purchases always caused me more stress I felt. I didn’t want to buy the wrong piece of equipment, because frankly, I didn’t have the luxury of a flexible budget. What I bought, I was stuck with.
When it comes time for your business to look in to irrigation software, there are some questions you absolutely should ask. Here are a few to get you started and get you in the right frame of mind to buy:
- How much does it cost?
Price is always an important consideration when weighing your software options. As with all things, price only tells part of the story. Be sure you understand the value of the software. For instance, if one solution costs more, but has functionality that will save you twice as much, the more expensive software actually offers more value. - How long does it take to setup and use?
We’ve seen companies that advertise an average of 60 days to implement their software solution. Do you really want to spend the next two months implementing a solution? Anything that takes that long to setup should set off warning bells. If a solution is that difficult to setup, how hard is it to use?
Also keep in mind that the longer it takes to implement a software solution, the more momentum you’ll lose and the less likely you’ll be a long-term user of that software. - What kinds of support and training are offered?
You’ll want a mix of self-directed learning (like training videos, a knowledgebase, etc.) and live in-person training so that you’re not relying on the availability of a trainer to get the software up and running.
Be sure to ask about support hours. Are they there during your business hours? And what type of support is available – phone, chat and email support should be offered at a minimum. - What hardware do I need?
For an on-premise solution, it’s important to know if your current computer hardware will support your software. If you’re looking at web-based solutions, it’s important to ask what browsers are supported and if mobile browsers are supported.
Because it’s imperative that your irrigation software solution includes that ability to send data to and from the field, be sure to ask if there is an Android or iOS app that your guys in the field can use. - Can I import my existing data into the software?
If you’ve already got data in your system – say in QuickBooks or even customer data in a database somewhere – you want to make sure your solution can import that data in their system so you’re not losing valuable
Making a large purchase for a company, big or small, should be a thoughtful process. Know what you, your employees, and your company need to succeed and then start your search. Settling for something less or something you cannot grow with doesn’t help anyone.
Interested to see what your peers are saying about field service software? Check out the Green Industry Benchmark Report for a variety of information about the Green industry and it’s future