5 questions to help navigate your search for building certification software!

Are you sitting in your office surrounded by files and struggling to find the time to improve manual procedures?  Do you often think it is time to take your business into the 21^st century by embracing the digital world, but not sure how?  Selecting a software system to manage your building certification business, is not a decision not to be taken lightly.   How prepared are you to navigate the various software offerings available to building certifiers today?  Need some help? Well, we are happy to share the 5 questions considered most important during the software analysis phase.

Knowing the needs of your organisation and performing your due diligence is imperative before choosing the right building certification software for your business.  If you select the wrong product, it could end up being a very time consuming and costly mistake!   Record your answers to these 5 questions, it may well end up being time well spent.

1. Features 

Will this software do what I need it to do in my business?

You want a solution that meets your immediate needs whilst being able to grow your business.  As you produce more work, employ more staff or open new branches will the software scale accordingly?

This question raises a number of others to consider:

• Is the software interface user-friendly and intuitive?
• Are self-help tools available to master the software?
• Does the software consist of workflows that improve your current processes?
• Can you implement true electronic checklists that interact with information requests to reduce repetitive data processing?
• Will significant customisation be required for your business to use it effectively?
• Will the software provide a comprehensive solution for your business or will you be required to purchase “additional modules” separately to meet your needs?
• Will you be able to track all job activities and documents?
• Will you be able to report on required activities with standard reports or create your own as required?
• Is it possible to search the database for similar jobs, identifying crucial pieces of information that may be relevant to your current work?
• Is it easy to create and maintain quote/fee proposal templates without programming skills or support?
• Are legislated documents and templates easy to maintain without programming skills or support?
• Does the search functionality lend itself to any number of criteria to locate information?
• Is it possible to set the security levels to allow staff access only to the modules that are relevant to their work?
• What mobile platforms are available and supported?
• Has the implementation and ongoing training activities been fully explained?
• What is their Support methodology?

2. Benefits 

Will this software increase productivity and reduce my outgoing expenses?

The only real reason to purchase new software is to improve your current situation. Certification and the complexity of the requests for information are steadily increasing within the industry. Your ability to manage this workload typically doesn’t include increasing staffing levels.

You need to be assured that productivity will improve immediately and continue to do so long term, otherwise making the change would not have been a worthwhile investment.

A few points to consider:

• Is there a demonstrable return on investment?
• Will there be noticeable time savings and measurable productivity gains?
• What is the level of involvement expected from my IT resources?
• Have these requirements been clearly defined?
• Is it possible to deploy the software and reach full production within 30 days?
• What advantages will this software bring to my clients?

3. Price 

What is the true expenditure?

Are all of the outlays now and into the future transparent to you?  Ask for a quote that includes everything such as licence fees, cloud hosting, implementation, support and any ongoing subscription fees, so there are no unexpected surprises.

Remember to identify:

• If the software is to be an “on-premise” or cloud-hosted deployment?
• Is everything you need to successfully implement the software included? Data conversion, setup, installation and training?
• Do the support and maintenance options suit your business?

4. Due Diligence

Who else uses the software?  Are they happy with it?

There are many instances of people purchasing new software only to be disappointed with the outcomes. You need to do the appropriate due diligence by speaking with users of the software who have businesses with similar characteristics as yours. Ask about the relationship that those clients enjoy, or not in some cases. Ask them about their experiences from initial implementation through to ongoing support resolution.

If your prospective supplier insists on being in the discussion then you are not connecting with a true reference. Ask the vendor if you could speak directly to clients with businesses just like yours in terms of industry, size and workload volume.

5. Guarantees

What guarantee do I have that we will be successful with this software?

All software providers can make a software demonstration look like a walk in the park. Do you know the level of involvement required by your team to reach the same level of expertise? Be sure to fully understand the scope of responsibility, time and resources required to benefit from a software implementation project.

Remember, implementing software is a two-way street. If the process looks too easy then it may not be a true reflection of the commitment required to achieve a successful implementation of your building certification software.

For more information on this topic or to learn more about Visual Approvals, please call our Client Relationship Manager on 03 9038 8040 or Contact Us