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Don't Install Wrong Software Programs

Much Cash Wasted By Installing Wrong Software Programs

By Eugene Peterson

A few years ago, my company was in dire need of help scheduling projects. We had a lot of jobs going on at one time, and if and when we wrote a job schedule, it was done by hand.  Looking for scheduling help, but also looking for a good deal, we found an inexpensive, “powerful” software program that had been used in the construction of several New York skyscrapers.  The cost of the program was reasonable – so we purchased it. To my surprise, the purchase was not a bargain. Hidden costs killed us. Installation, training and support ran approximately 10 times more than the actual cost of the software. I was shocked at the real cost of the software. The question comes to mind: Was the added training expenses caused because of the intelligence of those being trained, the poor quality of training or the complexity of the software?  True, a computer novice will need more training than those with years of experience – but the “student” is not the controlling factor. In my opinion, the biggest issue is how complicated the software is to run. Today, this is particularly noticeable in construction accounting software.  When a company looks at business software, a key issue should not just be the cost of the program, but the total cost, including setup and training. If a program cost is expensive to learn to run, what will it cost when a new employee is hired?  Profit is the reason we are in business. Don’t squander it by choosing and using software that has high hidden costs.

 

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