For some time now, experts have indicated that spending on enterprise software will explode in 2015. Keys to survival for businesses will include employing prudence amidst all that spending and investing in business systems that will help them maintain a competitive edge.

Here are five suggestions proven to help avoid some common hazards associated with enterprise software purchases.

 

Employ a single, integrated solution

With an integrated solution, real-time visibility is guaranteed; accurate representations of data across departments and for key decision-makers will enhance effectiveness as well as the ability to plan ahead. This is not possible with incompatible systems, which invariably give rise to increased costs and diminished efficiency.

Look to the future

There’s a lot at stake here, yet this no-brainer is still routinely ignored in many businesses. Since one of the things at stake is money, it should be standard operating procedure to give IT vendors the third degree regarding upgradeability.

This truly is a case of caveat emptor, the onus is actually on the buyer to anticipate the future and ask the right questions. There are some vendors who take a “Well, they didn’t ask about upgradeability!” attitude when problems arise.

Continue education

Too often, companies do not investigate offerings thoroughly enough. There is a tendency to succumb to brand recognition and commit to a solution that is well-known, but substandard in that it will not address the challenges at hand. Some settle for the “good,” which is the enemy of the “best,” due to pressure from management or time constraints.

With all of the competition in the business systems market, the ideal solution is out there. It might not show up in the next five minutes, but rest assured that the short-term effort will be worth avoiding the long-term pain.

Innovate

Familiarity can prevent a company from decommissioning that outdated legacy business management system in favor of a modernized IT infrastructure. Increasing data demands are apparent, as is that gnawing certainty that the old system will indeed implode sooner or later.

The stakes are high–too high for that kind of loyalty to digital media.

Customize with care and caution

Most cloud-based vendors offer solutions for business systems that can be widely customized, but they don’t know what’s too much or too little for your company. Too much can result in a new system so radically customized that internal IT will be hesitant to make any modifications or upgrade for fear of irrevocably corrupting vital components.

The right application should automatically upgrade to new versions. Due diligence is key; companies must do their homework before investing.

Given the speed of business and high-tech development in general, markets are increasingly unforgiving to companies unable to adapt to the streamlined, cloud-based paradigm. In order to wisely invest in new systems, companies must be meticulous with vendors, ask the right questions, and do sufficient product research.