What to Ask When Choosing Collaboration Software

As a modern and forward thinking business, no doubt that if you don’t already use cloud based collaboration software, you’re embedded in the process of discovering what options are out there for you and what they could offer.

While taking advantage of free trials of various software is a great way to identify what really works for your business, by ensure you choose exceptional products in the first place you can find a quicker path to enjoying the productivity gains these platforms can deliver.[wcm_restrict]

Using Review Websites

Review websites exist for almost every industry, and that is no different in the case of collaboration software.

The key when finding a review site is to ensure it’s an independent one. Many review sites are basically cheerleading sites that are actually owned by the company that is ‘ranked’ at number one. They’re fairly easy to spot. CrowdReviews.com is an excellent independent website that effectively acts as an online buying guide for whatever you need. You can find their overview of collaboration software here.

Review websites are a fantastic resource, but what questions do you need to ask beyond the information you’ll find there?

What Has Been Said, But More Importantly Who Has Said It?

Influencer marketing is a great initiative that has helped many companies become successful in recent years. While you’re not looking for a sponsored opinion, when looking at reviews do any of the reviewer’s names stand out?

Has a thought leader in your industry been waxing lyrical about a specific app? Has an executive at a company you follow closely had a bad experience with a specific platform? Have any of your existing contacts from your phonebook or LinkedIn network used any of the software solutions you’re looking at, and if so what did they make of it?

Look out for quality, in-depth reviews from credible, authoritative individuals, and you’ll find the right software for you, quicker.

What is the Company Like?

One of the quirks of the modern business world is that it is entirely possible to have a brilliant product or service but an exceedingly poor service offering. Is dealing with bad service something you have time for? We’d wager not, so as soon as you get a sniff of a company who will treat you like a million dollars when you’re in their sales funnel but less so once you’ve signed up and paid up, avoid dealing with them.

You’ll discover instances of this scenario when reading their reviews, but often it’s worth just giving them a call yourself and having a discussion. It’s usually easy to find out if a company has a different customer service number than to their sales team, and most will openly advertise both on their website. Try that service number and see how long you’re on hold.

Is the Product Right for You?

This will usually be a dealmaker or deal-breaker depending on the flexibility of the product you’re looking at. Often there will be an incredible platform, but it’s just not something you’ll be able to use effectively in your business.

If you have doubts as to whether a product will work for your business, this is where the use of a free trial can come in useful. Your trial should help you to answer any final questions you have as to the suitability of the product and how it will work in real terms in your business.

Ask the right questions when choosing collaboration software for your business, and you’ll find the platforms that are most effective for your company, quicker.

CrowdReviews.com rates Azeus Convene as the world’s number one collaboration software.[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember]

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About the Author

Gemma Walford is head of Sales and Account Management for Convene for the EU region. She has extensive experience of the Public sector and is interested in improving productivity and business change.