How to Choose Better Software Tools for Your Business

How to Choose Better Software Tools for Your Business

better software tools

If you want your business to succeed in the modern world, you need to make sure it’s equipped with all the best software tools. Software boosts your performance in a multitude of ways, enabling innovation, improving productivity, and helping you meet obligations like regulatory compliance.

But most businesses need many different types of software to keep things running, and there are countless software tools on the market, making your software selection complicated and intimidating. How can you be sure you’re choosing the right software tools for your business? And how can you choose better tools in the future?

Only Buy What You Truly Need

For starters, you should only buy software that your business truly needs. Too many business owners adopt the mindset that every software platform solves a problem or improves an aspect of business operations, so incorporating more software is always a good move. In reality, this mentality leads to bloated software stacks and excessive spending, while providing few benefits for the overall organization.

It’s much better to start with a list of company needs. So, what types of software are truly going to benefit you? Which problems are you actively trying to solve? From there, it will be much easier to determine the software platforms you genuinely need.

Always Look at Reviews

Always look at reviews before making a purchase. If you’re trying to buy business intelligence software, look at detailed reviews of business intelligence software from multiple different providers. Also, if you’re narrowing down your list of enterprise software to consider, compare and contrast the reviews and testimonials you find for your top options.

Certainly, on the surface, you can make a quick judgment about a software product based on the number and quality of reviews it has. If people have nothing but good things to say about this platform, you can take it as a good sign. 

But it’s also important to look at specific points brought up in various reviews and testimonials; are there any aspects that people typically complain about? Are there any strengths that frequently come up?

Work With Reliable Providers

Always try to work with reliable providers.

Consider:

  • Experience. How long has this tool been around? How long has this team been working on this tool? And how much experience does the director of this company have? What about the leaders on the development team?
  • Knowledge. When you talk to a salesperson, do they seem knowledgeable and familiar with your industry? Are they able to answer your questions confidently and completely?
  • Integrity. Does this company seem transparent and honest? Do they take security and privacy seriously?
  • Support. If you run into issues, are you confident you’ll get the support you need to resolve those issues?

Differentiate Between Comprehensive and Individual Software Tools

You might choose an enterprise software platform that offers all your needs in one package. You also might piece together all your needs from an assortment of different individual software tools. Neither of these approaches is incorrect, but each of them offers unique strengths and weaknesses. Choose your approach carefully.

Look at Specific Options For Your Users

Who will be using this software? Is it a specific target audience. For example, if your user base are veterans then don’t just sign up for the general software that is most well-known in the space. Go to a site like Veteran.com and see what information is on the site that could help you understand the best technology for veterans to use. Most of these specific sites will have advertisers, lists, or general recommendations on the best software to use for specific audiences.

Consider Building Custom Software

If you can’t find what you’re looking for on the market, or if you have very specific needs, consider building custom software. This approach tends to be more expensive, and it might be months before you have a finished product, we will end up with a solution that perfectly suits your business and its operational needs.

Evaluate Usability Carefully

Most software development companies have entire departments dedicated to improving usability, but many software tools still fall short of the mark. Usability is one of the most important factors to consider, since it’s going to dictate the efficiency of your software use, the morale and attitude of your team members, and even whether you can use the platform to its fullest potential.

Make It a Group Decision

It’s a good idea to include many different people in this decision. Don’t allow employees to install and use new software regularly, and don’t purely dictate software standards from the top down. Instead, make it a discussion, gather opinions from everyone who will be using or benefiting from this software, and consider all perspectives before moving forward.

Be Ready to Switch

Data migration can be messy and complicated. If you decide to switch software tools in the future, or if this software stops serving your needs, you need to be prepared for a potential switch. Is there a straightforward way to pull your data from this platform and integrate it elsewhere in the future?

Choosing software tools isn’t exactly fun, and the best decision isn’t always obvious. But if you can follow these standards, and research your decisions carefully, you’ll end up with a much better suite of software tools at your disposal.

DevX Editor

DevX Editor

Share the Post:
Razer Discount

Unbelievable Razer Blade 17 Discount

On September 24, 2023, it was reported that Razer, a popular brand in the premium gaming laptop industry, is offering an exceptional deal on their

Innovation Ignition

New Fintech Innovation Ignites Change

The fintech sector continues to attract substantial interest, as demonstrated by a dedicated fintech stage at a recent event featuring panel discussions and informal conversations

Import Easing

Easing Import Rules for Big Tech

India has chosen to ease its proposed restrictions on imports of laptops, tablets, and other IT hardware, allowing manufacturers like Apple Inc., HP Inc., and

Anthropic Investment

Amazon’s Bold Anthropic Investment

On Monday, Amazon announced its plan to invest up to $4 billion in the AI firm Anthropic, acquiring a minority stake in the process. This

AI Experts Get Hired

Tech Industry Rehiring Wave: AI Experts Wanted

A few months ago, Big Tech companies were downsizing their workforce, but currently, many are considering rehiring some of these employees, especially in popular fields

Razer Discount

Unbelievable Razer Blade 17 Discount

On September 24, 2023, it was reported that Razer, a popular brand in the premium gaming laptop industry, is offering an exceptional deal on their Razer Blade 17 model. Typically

Innovation Ignition

New Fintech Innovation Ignites Change

The fintech sector continues to attract substantial interest, as demonstrated by a dedicated fintech stage at a recent event featuring panel discussions and informal conversations with industry professionals. The gathering,

Import Easing

Easing Import Rules for Big Tech

India has chosen to ease its proposed restrictions on imports of laptops, tablets, and other IT hardware, allowing manufacturers like Apple Inc., HP Inc., and Dell Technologies Inc. more time

Semiconductor Stock Plummet

Dramatic Downturn in Semiconductor Stocks Looms

Recent events show that the S&P Semiconductors Select Industry Index seems to be experiencing a downturn, which could result in a decline in semiconductor stocks. Known as a key indicator

Anthropic Investment

Amazon’s Bold Anthropic Investment

On Monday, Amazon announced its plan to invest up to $4 billion in the AI firm Anthropic, acquiring a minority stake in the process. This decision demonstrates Amazon’s commitment to

AI Experts Get Hired

Tech Industry Rehiring Wave: AI Experts Wanted

A few months ago, Big Tech companies were downsizing their workforce, but currently, many are considering rehiring some of these employees, especially in popular fields such as artificial intelligence. The

Lagos Migration

Middle-Class Migration: Undermining Democracy?

As the middle class in Lagos, Nigeria, increasingly migrates to private communities, a PhD scholar from a leading technology institute has been investigating the impact of this development on democratic

AI Software Development

ChatGPT is Now Making Video Games

Pietro Schirano’s foray into using ChatGPT, an AI tool for programming, has opened up new vistas in game and software development. As design lead at business finance firm Brex, Schirano

Llama Codebot

Developers! Here’s Your Chatbot

Meta Platforms has recently unveiled Code Llama, a free chatbot designed to aid developers in crafting coding scripts. This large language model (LLM), developed using Meta’s Llama 2 model, serves

Tech Layoffs

Unraveling the Tech Sector’s Historic Job Losses

Throughout 2023, the tech sector has experienced a record-breaking number of job losses, impacting tens of thousands of workers across various companies, including well-established corporations and emerging startups in areas

Chinese 5G Limitation

Germany Considers Limiting Chinese 5G Tech

A recent report has put forth the possibility that Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community may consider limiting the use of Chinese 5G technology by local network providers

Modern Warfare

The Barak Tank is Transforming Modern Warfare

The Barak tank is a groundbreaking addition to the Israeli Defense Forces’ arsenal, significantly enhancing their combat capabilities. This AI-powered military vehicle is expected to transform the way modern warfare

AI Cheating Growth

AI Plagiarism Challenges Shake Academic Integrity

As generative AI technologies like ChatGPT become increasingly prevalent among students and raise concerns about widespread cheating, prominent universities have halted their use of AI detection software, such as Turnitin’s

US Commitment

US Approves Sustainable Battery Research

The US Department of Energy has revealed a $325 million commitment in the research of innovative battery types, designed to enable solar and wind power as continuous, 24-hour energy sources.

Netanyahu Musk AI

Netanyahu and Musk Discuss AI Future

On September 22, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with entrepreneur Elon Musk in San Francisco prior to attending the United Nations. In a live-streamed discussion, Netanyahu lauded Musk

Urban Gardening

Creating Thriving Cities Through Urban Gardening

The rising popularity of urban gardening is receiving increased recognition for its numerous advantages, as demonstrated in a recent study featured in the Environmental Research Letters journal. Carried out by

What You Need to Know About Cloud Security Strategies

What You Need to Know About Cloud Security Strategies

Today, many businesses are adopting cloud computing services. As a result, it’s important to recognize that security measures for data in the cloud are different from those in traditional on-premises

Romanian Energy Security

Eastern Europe is Achieving Energy Security

Canada and Romania have solidified their commitment to energy security and independence from Russian energy exports by signing a $3-billion export development agreement. The deal is centered on constructing two

Seamless Integration

Unlocking Seamless Smart Home Integration

The vision of an intelligently organized and interconnected smart home that conserves time, energy, and resources has long been desired by many homeowners. However, this aspiration has often been hindered

New Algorithm

MicroAlgo’s Groundbreaking Algorithm

MicroAlgo Inc. has revealed the creation of a knowledge-augmented backtracking search algorithm, developed through extensive research in evolutionary computational techniques. The algorithm is designed to boost problem-solving effectiveness, precision, and

Poland Energy Future

Westinghouse Builds Polish Power Plant

Westinghouse Electric Company and Bechtel have come together to establish a formal partnership in order to design and construct Poland’s inaugural nuclear power plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in Pomerania.

EV Labor Market

EV Industry Hurting For Skilled Labor

The United Auto Workers strike has highlighted the anticipated change towards a future dominated by electric vehicles (EVs), a shift which numerous people think will result in job losses. However,

Soaring EV Quotas

Soaring EV Quotas Spark Battle Against Time

Automakers are still expected to meet stringent electric vehicle (EV) sales quotas, despite the delayed ban on new petrol and diesel cars. Starting January 2023, more than one-fifth of automobiles