Selecting a Job Management System

Selecting the right system for the company can be daunting. On the surface, when you first start to look, there appear to be so many options. But in fact, very few are industry-specific, compliant options. The key is to use a senior operations person to manage this process. Not an accountant or IT person, as there is unlikely to be a happy ending if you do that. To whittle the options down actually isn’t that difficult if you break the process down to a few logical stages, such as:

Preparation – The Initial List

Make a list of the functionality you think you require. Don’t be too rigid, as you often don’t know which boxes are available to tick, and different might be better.
Identify 5-10 companies similar to yours that you consider successful or efficient, call them, find out what they are using, and get feedback.
Google ‘Construction Management Software’, then create a list of anything that catches your eye. Don’t spend more than 2 minutes or so on each at this stage.
Cross-reference your Google search with recommendations from similar companies, plus add anything from your search that you really like the look of.

Stage 1 – The First Short List (get these answers from recommendations and/or websites and LiveChat)

Does the software appear to be the right type of software without detail (a surface look)?
Is the software cloud (written for a web browser), or is server-based software likely to have a short life span
Is the software compliant with local legislation, including retentions?
Is the software locally supported?
What is the turnaround time on support? Is it less than an hour?
Is Training available locally if requested?

Stage 2 – The Second Short List (you should be able to get these answers from LiveChat)

For software to reach stage two, you need to have “Yes” as an answer to all questions in stage one above. So now it is time to look a little deeper to determine whether the content and functionality appear suitable and whether the software is affordable. At this stage, you will probably need to contact the vendor unless this information is on their web page, which is unlikely; live chat will often provide the answers you seek. Find out the following:

Do the modules and functionality listed for the software meet your outline requirements?
Is the pricing module SaaS? Rather than purchase, which needs a major investment
Get ballpark pricing for SaaS and Purchase; in both cases, the software vendor will need to know the number of users, preferably by role. Is it affordable?
What is the price for support and upgrades? Is it affordable?

Stage 3 – The Final Short List

To reach stage 3, you need to have “Yes” as an answer to all questions in stage two above. Now it is time to actually look at the software. We suggest you request an overview demo for yourself first to determine whether this is a path you want to pursue before involving the wider team. After the overview demo and general chat, the software vendor should be able to provide a formal proposal for your consideration.

Typically, this overview demo will be conducted online, interactively. Beware if it is on-premises, as this will invariably reflect in the software’s price and ongoing costs. Once you have completed an overview demo, your shortlist will likely be only 1-2 software systems, so you are now in a position to present to the wider team with a full demonstration.

Stage 4 – Making a Decision

After the full demonstration, there are likely to be a few questions. These should be gathered and put back in writing after the demo. This will be a mix of functionality questions that were unanswered during the demo. Plus questions on a couple of technical things, such as:

Where is the data stored?
What is the situation with backups, when, where and can we access backups?
Security statement and what security style is in use?
What is the turnaround time from confirmation to Go Live
What is the expected / historical implementation period?

After you have gone through the above process, the selection will be straightforward.

Selecting a Job Management System