Pay peanuts and get monkeys.
We recently moved house, we got quotes from two different moving companies, they quoted to do the same level of work, but one was practically half the price.
Moving house is such an expensive thing to do so we thought we would save a bit of money where we could and go with the cheaper company. Was this the right decision? Even now, a week after the move, I am unsure.
Yes, the company got the job done, and yes they worked really hard and got us packed and moved all in the same day (which was astounding considering the amount of stuff we have just in our shed!). However, we are still finding things in unusual places, a welly, hairbrush, battery pack and a throw blanket in one box, sofa cushions in the garage and golf clubs in the lounge along with the odd broken picture frame.
There were no significant breakages or lost items, but the move recovery time is prolonged due to the chaotic nature of the packing and stacking. To get the job done the movers brought in extra manpower halfway through the day, this meant there were 12 guys lugging boxes and furniture into our new house at one point. This was amazing as it got the job done, but it resulted in the loss of logic, care and consideration as to where things went or to the fact that these were our treasured possession.
Why am I going on about moving house when this blog is about choosing software?
Well, it struck me that there are lots of parallels. When choosing a new piece of software, you need to look at what you actually want from it, what are your primary objectives. Do you want the job done quickly or well, is it possible to get both? It is essential to find a company that will take the time to get to know you and your business, what is important to you, how you work as a team and what you need from the software. You need a dedicated team that will work with you from the outset, changes in point of contact with your tech provider are bound to result in lost information. It also shouldn’t be a case of one size fits all and you having to mould to fit the software it should be a case of the software adapting to suit your needs.
Although the price isn’t the only indicator of the quality of job you will receive, and you should never go with the most expensive just because you think it will be the best, as this is not always the case.
However, if the second quote is half the price of its competitor, there is probably a good reason! As they say, you live and learn! At the end of the day, the job got done, and we live to tell the tale, but, we could have had a much more positive and less stressful experience.
If we continue with our analogy when changing the system your business runs on, the last thing you want is stress and chaos, so take your time and choose the company and software that will give you the care and attention you deserve and the end result you want.
