Top 54 Product management Software (Mar 2023)

2023's Best 55 Product management Systems

Shlomi LaviShlomi Lavi / Mar 01, 2023

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1. Lightspeed Restaurant

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $39 per month
  • Mar 11, 2022
Compare Lightspeed Restaurant Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Lightspeed Restaurant is a cloud-based, comprehensive point of sales (POS) system helping the users in managing the staff, serving the customers and monitoring performance, so they can ensure that the guests receive the best.


2. k-eCommerce

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price: starts at $640 per month
  • Mar 01, 2023
Compare k-eCommerce Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

k-eCommerce is a fast growing cloud-based eCommerce software, it is designed to support small and medium size business. k-eCommerce received a rating of 3.9 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered average (2.8/5) when compared to other solutions in their category.


3. Brandifyer

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: Has a free version
  • Dec 14, 2022
Compare Brandifyer Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Brandifyer (now controlled by Lytho) is a brand management software designed to help businesses protect their brand guidelines and make sure that everyone sticks to its logo, image, and font format.


4. Taiga

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $5 per user/month
  • May 29, 2022
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Taiga software is an agile project management solution that is accessible on-premise and as cloud-based. Taiga is designed for small, agile developers, project managers, designers, as well as many other methodology practitioners.


5. Cumulus Retail

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $125 per month
  • Jun 22, 2022
Compare Cumulus Retail Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Cumulus Retail is a retail commerce software that provides retailers with a point of sale system, manages products and customers, track real-time sales, and manages store and website inventory.


6. Quotewerks

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price: starts at $15 per user/month
  • Jun 24, 2022
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Quotewerks is a sales quoting and proposal solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers the management of quotes and prices along with analytical and integration capabilities. The software was designed and launched by Aspire Technologies Inc headquartered in Florida, United States.


7. Atlassian Confluence

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $5.50 per user/month
  • Aug 23, 2022
Compare Atlassian Confluence Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Atlassian Confluence software is a cloud-based and on-premise project management solution. It offers a number of features that include an open workspace tool that helps the team create, review, revise and finalize plans so that work keeps moving.


8. Apparound CPQ

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $40 per user/month
  • Jul 18, 2022
Compare Apparound CPQ Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Apparound CPQ is a web based product configuration solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers such capabilities as custom pricing options, inventory management, analysis and constraints, and others. The software was designed and launched by Apparound headquartered in Italy.


9. Concept Enterprise Product Configurator Software

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price:
  • Jul 24, 2022
Compare Concept Enterprise Product Configurator Software Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Concept Enterprise Product Configurator is a manufacturing software built to help manufacturing companies configure complex products while providing guidelines for the configuration process.


10. Cincom CPQ Software

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price:
  • Jul 30, 2022
Compare Cincom CPQ Software Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Cincom CPQ is a configuration, pricing, and quoting software designed to help businesses quicken the quoting processes and manage product data for accuracy by updating product configurations.


Pricing Guide - Product management Software:

Operations Management Sotware Price Range

The typical starting price range for Operations management software is between $0 to more than $1000 a month. Most vendors offer tiered subscription plans which might also include extra services and features. The price analysis of Operations Management software products based on the size of the business is as follows:

  • Small companies can expect to pay between $0 and $200 for an Operations software unit. For example, FreightPOP begins at $199 a month, Determine Contract Lifecycle Management at $3 a month, and Agiliron charges $99 monthly. ContraxAware also pricing starts at $59 a month for each user, ShipperEdge pricing goes for $199 monthly and Rose Rocket charges $69 monthly for its base subscription. CoreIMS at $50 a month and Symfact plans costs up to $59 a month.
  • Operations Management software for Medium-sized Businesses have base subscriptions which cost up to $625 a month. For example, GoFrugal POS pricing starts at $375 a month, with a standard plan which costs $625 per month. Infoplus pricing goes for $379 per month.
  • Large Organisations can expect to start to pay up to $1000 for an Operations Chain software. For instance, Oracle Netsuite charges $999 for its base license, Logistically costs $300 monthly for its base plan, and NorthStar WMS pricing starts at $600.

There are some of the best breeds regarding Operations Management software, and they have their price ranges for users who might be considering a specific Operations software product.

The price ranges are as follows:

  • Warehousing Management Software Users can expect to pay up to $49 monthly for Warehousing Management Software. For example, EZOfficeInventory pricing starts at $35 a month, Zoho Inventory cost price begins at $49 per month and Handifox Online for $39 per month. Other vendors charge a one-time licensing fee as well; RetailOps, for example, goes for $2500, and FishBowl Inventory has a starting price of $4395.
  • Transportation Management Software Users can expect to pay up to $1500 a month for transportation Management software products. Some other vendors would offer one-time licensing, which could cost up to $20,000. For example, Trucker Helper pricing plan starts at $30 a month, Husky Intelligence costs up to $29 per month, and Viewpoint Logistics pricing goes for $1500 monthly. Furthermore, TMWSuite charges $20,000 one-time licensing, EnVision costs $3500 and Nova Transportation Solutions goes for $200 a month.
  • Contract Lifecycle Management Software This software subcategory pricing ranges is $19 - $1050 monthly. PandaDoc, for example, starts at $19 a month, Gatekeeper pricing starts at $450 per month, and MochaDocs pricing goes up to $44 monthly for each manager. Agiloft begins at $45 per month for its hosted services and $1050 per user for the software.
  • Demand Planning Software Software in this subcategory can cost up to $750 a month. For context, SkuBrain starts at $150 monthly, Skulocity pricing begins at $495 a month and PlanetTogether costs about $250. However, Some vendors charge a one-time licensing fee; an example is Demand Works Smoothie, which charges $5000.Also, StockIQ has its subscription plan at $750 a month.
  • Dropshipping Software Dropshipping Software has a price range of $19-$525 per month. For instance, EcomDash pricing starts at $60 a month, with other plans running up to $350 a month. Solid Commerce begins at $450 monthly, the Pro plan for SellerCloud goes for $525 a month, and Spocket pricing starts at $19 per month.
  • Freight Broker Software Freight Broker Software Users can expect to pay $69-$4000 a month for this product. For illustration, Descartes Aljex costs $290 per month, AscendTMS pricing goes for $69 per month, and 3G-TM pricing plan starts at $4000 monthly. Lastly, DAT Broker TMS pricing begins at $100 per month, and Dr Dispatch cost price goes for $99 a month.
  • Order Entry Software This subcategory has products that cost between $85 and $850 a month. For example, TotalETO pricing starts at $85 a month, SYSPRO at $199 per month and Epicor E10 ERP at $175. Also, Bizowie Cloud ERP costs $850 per month. Other vendors charge a perpetual licensing fee as well. Active ERP costs a one-time charge of $6000 per user.

11. Plytix PIM

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $300 per month
  • Aug 25, 2022
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Plytix PIM is a product information management software that helps brands to manage their multichannel product listing from one site. It is designed to manage product data at scale and then take it directly to e-commerce stores, thereby saving time and increasing sales.


12. BlueCherry

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price:
  • Jul 30, 2022
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BlueCherry is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that provides planning, designing and product development for users for their business.


13. Expedite Commerce

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $30 per license
  • Jul 30, 2022
Compare Expedite Commerce Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Expedite commerce is an inventory management software that capitalizes on focusing on your customers. The software system revolves around how you can convert your existing customers to recurring revenue.


14. Sciforma

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $20 per user/month
  • Jul 30, 2022
Compare Sciforma Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Sciforma is a project portfolio management software designed to help businesses lead in digital transformation. The software does this by enabling teams to plan and track projects, analyze & optimize workflow, and execute top decision-making strategy.


15. Blendzi

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $39 per month
  • Sep 13, 2022
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Blendzi is a cloud-enabled order management software solution that aids companies in selling their products via multiple e-commerce platforms. It syncs inventories in real-time with accounting systems such as QuickBooks and provides real-time inventory data for selling products on different online m...


16. E-Z-MRP Manufacturing Software

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $4,700 per license
  • Aug 04, 2022
Compare E-Z-MRP Manufacturing Software Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

E-Z-MRP is a manufacturing and production planning solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers such capabilities as capacity planning, material planning, “what-if scenarios”, and others. The software was designed and launched by Weeks Software Solutions LLC headquartered in Idaho, United States....


17. CIS Configurator

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $6,000 per license
  • Jan 30, 2023
Compare CIS Configurator Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

CIS Configurator is a leading cloud-based Manufacturing software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. CIS Configurator received a rating of 4.7 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (2/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


18. eRep

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $49 per user/month
  • Oct 03, 2022
Compare eRep Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

eRep is a trending cloud-based Configure Price Quote software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. eRep received a rating of 4.4 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (1.9/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


19. actiTIME

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $6 per user/month
  • Oct 06, 2022
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actiTIME is time tracking software for businesses of all sizes and types. It helps over 9000 companies all over the world effectively track employees time. actiTIME allows users to register worked hours as well as times off and sick leaves, generate detailed reports, make project assignments and es...


20. Confluence

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $5.50 per user/month
  • Feb 12, 2022
Compare Confluence Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Confluence is a cloud-based project management software that its users can use to create, collaborate, organize, and view project documents. The system offers on-site synchronization and development. Its software editing feature allows employees to create materials like meeting notes, product requir...


21. BizAutomation

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $80 per user/month
  • Feb 15, 2022
Compare BizAutomation Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

BizAutomation is a web based enterprise resource planning solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers such capabilities as accounting, business intelligence, HR management, and others. The software was designed and launched by BizAutomation.com Inc headquartered in California, United States.


22. Vend POS

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $99 per month
  • Feb 21, 2022
Compare Vend POS Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Vend POS is a cloud-based Inventory Management Software that gives the user the liberty to seamlessly manage sales. It enables the customer to perform operations such as adding discounts and notes to a particular set of items for sale, as well as managing refunds for past orders through the existing...


23. Sellbrite

  • Best for: Small businesses and start ups
  • Price: starts at $24 per month
  • Feb 21, 2022
Compare Sellbrite Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Sellbrite helps users in easily listing their inventory on multiple channels in order to reach more customers.


24. Qualtrics Research Core

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $1,500 per year
  • Feb 21, 2022
Compare Qualtrics Research Core Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Qualtrics Research Core is a manufacturing and a cloud-based solution that helps businesses with customer engagement tracking and survey designing. The software features project management, multi-channel survey distribution, reporting, and real-time analysis.


25. Sellsy

  • Best for: Small businesses and start ups
  • Price: starts at $28.24 per user/month
  • Feb 22, 2022
Compare Sellsy Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Sellsy software is a cloud-hosted sales management solution that integrates CRM, accounting and invoicing software tools all in one solution. The software is designed in a way that allows it to solve the needs of small-market and mid-level businesses.


26. 24Seven Channel

  • Best for: Small businesses and start ups
  • Price: starts at $99 per month
  • Feb 26, 2022
Compare 24Seven Channel Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

24Seven Channel is a growing cloud-based CRM software, it is designed to support small and medium size business. 24Seven Channel received a rating of 4.8 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (1.4/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


27. Socket

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $99 per month
  • Oct 23, 2022
Compare Socket Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Socket is an automated and web based quoting system for businesses of all sizes. It offers building of quote forms and selling of products and services over the web, other than tracking and management services. The software was designed and launched by Deversus Software headquartered in ...


28. VisionFlow

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $19 per user/month
  • Feb 22, 2022
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VisionFlow is a growing cloud-based Help Desk software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. VisionFlow received a rating of 4.3 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (2/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


29. PowerSteering

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $50 per user/month
  • Feb 28, 2022
Compare PowerSteering Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Powersteering is a cloud-based business software that is developed to assist global organizations in portfolio management. The software is designed to work well in large-sized organizations that aim at reducing costs and increasing benefits.


30. A2000 Software

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $1,000 per month
  • Mar 03, 2022
Compare A2000 Software Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

A2000 Software provides an integrated solution for the Fashion Industry. The software provides a suite of tools based on an Oracle platform that include Financials, Supply Chain Management, ERP and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) designed to meet the requirements of this industry. GCS Software...


31. AIMS360 Fashion ERP

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $99 per user/month
  • Mar 23, 2022
Compare AIMS360 Fashion ERP Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

AIMS360 Fashion ERP is an award-winning cloud-based Manufacturing software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. AIMS360 Fashion ERP received a rating of 4 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (2.4/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


32. Timereaction

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price: starts at $100 per month
  • Mar 26, 2022
Compare Timereaction Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Timereaction software is a cloud-based project management and collaboration solution created for small and medium-sized companies. The solution is suitable for industries like manufacturing, marketing, advertising, IT, retail, software and engineering and more.


33. CallidusCloud

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $50 per user/month
  • Oct 31, 2022
Compare CallidusCloud Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

CallidusCloud is a web-based marketing automation program that uses an innovative software platform that was designed specifically for assisting in sales and marketing. The software was made to supply insight and intelligence into lead performance to sales teams while also providing marketing teams ...


34. ProductPlan

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $39 per editor/month
  • Apr 11, 2022
Compare ProductPlan Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

ProductPlan is a cloud-based project management software that is developed to help organizations and companies to foster team collaboration. Users can create roadmaps with the option of customizing these roadmaps with milestones, tags, and legends.


35. Booking Automation

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $11.95 per month
  • Apr 13, 2022
Compare Booking Automation Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Automate Your Operations With Instant Rates & Availability Sync, Automated Communications, Payment Collection, Booking Website, Price Optimization and More+


36. Uplisting

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price: starts at $100 per month
  • Apr 13, 2022
Compare Uplisting Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Import all your listings, bookings, rates, guests and messages from Airbnb in seconds. Starting or switching over to Uplisting is straightforward.


37. SellerActive

  • Best for: Small businesses and start ups
  • Price: starts at $79 per month
  • Apr 13, 2022
Compare SellerActive Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

SellerActive is a cloud-based inventory and e-commerce channel management solution. The basic features of this platform include order and inventory management. SellerActive can create new listings, regulate quantities and prices, and carry out orders. SellerActive features Amazon photo import tools ...


38. Access Hoovers

  • Best for: Start up, Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price:
  • Apr 16, 2022
Compare Access Hoovers Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Access Hoovers is an award-winning cloud-based Sales software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Access Hoovers received a rating of 3.7 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (2.2/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


39. Craft

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $39 per user/month
  • Apr 19, 2022
Compare Craft Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Craft is a project management and cloud-based solution built for project teams in businesses that cut across various industries. The features of this software include product road mapping, release and idea management, feedback collection, version control, messaging and chat functionality, and lots m...


40. Productsup

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $999 per month
  • Apr 26, 2022
Compare Productsup Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Productsup is a cloud-based and inventory management system that offers a wide range of solutions such as marketplace integration, feed management, product content syndication and vendor/seller onboarding.


41. ProdPad

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $20 per editor/month
  • Nov 10, 2022
Compare ProdPad Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

ProdPad is a cloud-based project management software designed to solve all possible problems related to branding, roadmap, and promotion of a new product in the market. The software is primarily a collaborative system where all team members can share their ideas about a particular product.


42. BarCloud Asset

  • Best for: Start up, Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price: starts at $15 per month
  • May 16, 2022
Compare BarCloud Asset Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

We provide an award-winning barcode-based Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solutions and all-in-one suite in the cloud and on-premise. We serve customers in all industries from government, education, IT, warehousing and many more... The users can choose from suited modules and have the ability to...


43. Octopus24

  • Best for: Small businesses and start ups
  • Price: starts at $30 per month
  • May 18, 2022
Compare Octopus24 Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Octopus24 is the software used for the Administration of Hotels and the Rent of Rooms or Vacation Apartments. Thanks to its integration with Booking, Expedia, BestDay, Despegar, Agoda, Airbnb and others, Octopus24 allows the efficient management of hotel availability and maximum profitability in the...


44. KBMax Product Configurator

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $100 per user/month
  • Nov 30, 2022
Compare KBMax Product Configurator Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

KBMax Product Configurator is a cloud based product configuration solution for businesses of all sizes. Its capabilities include e-commerce integration, conflict management, CAD integration, and others. The software was designed and launched by Citius Software Corporation headquartered i...


45. Logiciel Repgroup32

  • Best for: Start up, Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price:
  • Nov 26, 2022
Compare Logiciel Repgroup32 Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Logiciel RepGroup is a mobile sales order management solution for businesses of all sizes. It improves business sales, minimizes order delays, and offers other mobile sales services. The software was designed and launched by Logiciel Inc headquartered in California, United States.


46. Reksoft Software Product Engineering

  • Best for: Start up, Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price:
  • Jun 23, 2022
Compare Reksoft Software Product Engineering Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Reksoft Software Product Engineering is a product development and management solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers end-to-end business solutions along with customer support services. The software was designed and launched by Reksoft headquartered in St. Petersburg, Russia.


47. PlanPlus

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price: starts at $144 per year
  • Apr 07, 2021
Compare PlanPlus Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

PlanPlus Online software is a cloud-based, online customer relationship management and personal planner engineered to serve companies of all sizes.


48. FastSpring

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price:
  • Jun 06, 2022
Compare FastSpring Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

FastSpring is a growing cloud-based eCommerce software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. FastSpring received a rating of 4.5 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (2.2/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


49. Agilefant

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $5 per user/month
  • Sep 12, 2019
Compare Agilefant Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Agilefant is a fast growing cloud-based Field Service software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Agilefant received a rating of 4.8 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (2.2/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


50. Cmstat

  • Best for: Start up, Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price: starts at $60,000 per license
  • Jun 22, 2022
Compare Cmstat Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Cmstat is a growing cloud-based Enterprise Integration software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Cmstat received a rating of 3.7 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (1.5/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


51. SmartBuilder1 Mobile

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $49 per month
  • Mar 12, 2020
Compare SmartBuilder1 Mobile Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

SmartBuilder1 Mobile is a growing cloud-based Construction software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size construction business. SmartBuilder1 Mobile received a rating of 5 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered average (3.2/5) when compared to other solutions in their...


52. Grammarly

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $10 per user/month
  • Aug 29, 2019
Compare Grammarly Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Grammarly is a growing cloud-based Office Production-Tools software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Grammarly received a rating of 4.5 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (2.2/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


53. 2Imagine Web2Print

  • Best for: Start up, Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price:
  • Nov 25, 2022
Compare 2Imagine Web2Print Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

2Imagine Web2Print is a document management and marketing automation solution for small and medium businesses. The software also offers various brand management and professional services automation (PSA) solutions. It was designed and launched by 2Imagine headquartered in Hasselt, Belgium.


54. Columbus

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $5 per user/month
  • Sep 26, 2019
Compare Columbus Vs. Lightspeed Restaurant

Columbus is a growing cloud-based Inventory Management software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Columbus received a rating of 4.1 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (4/5) when compared to alternative solutions.



A Buyer's Guide to Business Software Solutions

How to Evaluate and Buy Business Software
 
If you’re somehow puzzled if this article is only for a specific size of business, no, it’s not. This is for you SMEs, MNEs and start-ups software buyers. Also, we’re not talking about a specific software solution here. Whether the software solution that you’re planning to buy is for Accounting, Business Intelligence, ERP, CRM, Help Desk, Maintenance Management or other types of application, one thing is for sure; with the help of this article, you will be able to know the right process in evaluating and buying a business software solution.
 
We’ve been into the software business for years and we’re seeing a lot of nitty-gritty things that often bring confusions and hesitations to many companies looking for better software solutions. Some companies can’t afford to let go their legacy systems while a few is encountering technological snags once the new system is in place. While this is the underlying truth behind software acquisition and implementation, what’s exciting about buying a business software solution is that there is a clear and obvious proof that thousands of companies and corporations today are happy with the benefits this technology is bringing into their respective businesses.  There is a significant increase in their revenue and the growth is on-going. And it’s easy to say; many from the Fortune 500 companies are making a lot of money because of their smartly-acquired business software.
 
So, let’s get straight to the point. What should you do in order to acquire that business software that could make your organization achieve its goals? The answer to this is pretty straightforward: evaluate and buy that right business software. Yes, that’s what you need to do and here’s the best manual from ITQlick.com that could certainly help you in doing that strategically.
 
Consider the Needs of Your Organization
Let’s assume that at this point, the entire management team agreed that you are ready to invest on a certain software application. The budget has been compromised and the key persons who will be involved in the acquisition process were already identified. Therefore, it’s time to approach things the project management way.
 
Define the Project
Every business software solution is categorized base on application type, features, deployment model, market size and pricing model. Remember that our objective here is to evaluate and buy a business software product that will fit into the size and present needs of your business. So what the project management team should try to deal with first is to define the real requirements of your business exactly base on the categories set by the software industry. Moreover, by doing this activity, you are already narrowing down your search for the right solution. Now, consider bringing this list of FAQs to the project management and aim to come up with clear-cut answers.
 
  1. What type of software is needed? Is it Integrated-Suite, Best-of-Breed or Industry-Specific? Ask your CEO’s main agenda and find the perfect match from these available options.
  2. What are the core and secondary features? Are you looking for basic, advanced or hi-end features? List down the specific features per category and allow the department managers and supervisors to give their insights on this list.
  3. How are you going to deploy the system? Would it be on-premise, cloud-based, hosted, or mobile-based? Weigh these options with the help of your CIO.
  4. Are you going for Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 vendors? Their offered solutions are base on the size of their target market - SMEs, MNEs or start-ups. Seek your CFO’s advice as it is important to match your financial capacity against the cost of the solution that the providers have for you.
  5. Are you willing to pay for the perpetuity software license or a subscription-based solution is way better? How many users are there and what would be their roles in using the system? Solicit feedbacks from future end users for they know better what challenges and risks might possibly come along their way when they’re using the system.
 
Finalize the BOM or List of Requirements
After providing definite answers on the above questions, we can say that the project has already been defined. Your procurement team is now ready to do their role in the acquisition process of this solution. However, in order for them to execute their job properly, they must have the complete list of requirements - features, specifications, hardware, and the software product. In other words, the Bill-of-Materials (BOM) that is final, complete and well-prepared must be handed over to the procurement director. Needless to say, it is very important that everybody is following the company purchasing and procurement protocols at all times.  
 
Request for Proposal (RFP)
The RFP process will bring everything into formality. Since you’re more likely in a line of business that doesn’t regularly buy software products, it is of critical importance that your RFP is well-structured before you send it to your prospect solution providers.
 
Draft the RFP
An RFP that contains all the relevant information as discussed during the project management meetings will enable the providers to return back to you their proposal that is complete and substantial. Therefore, your RFP should basically contain the following:
 
Brief Introduction
  • Company Name
  • Mission and Goals
  • Purpose of the RFP (or the need for software solution)
Business Background
  • Organizational Structure
  • Current Situation (IT infrastructure, system currently in-use, system issues and desired solutions, etc.)
  • Major Objectives of the Software Purchase
Request for Specific Requirements
  • Solution Functionality
  • System Specifications
  • Vendor Company Information
  • Price Model, Service Plans, Package Options
Other Important Inquiries (if necessary)
 
Send the RFP
Well-structured RFP will bring a lot of advantages especially when the proposals from various providers are received and then subjected for review and analysis. Send your RFP to at least three to five providers (or prospects which you have already shortlisted during the project definition phase). Depending on the complexity of the solution, most vendors will send their proposal in a matter of time, which could be around 4 to 6 weeks for Integrated-Suite solution.
 
Why still send RFP?
Is there really a need for RFP if your preferred solution (like cloud-based) and the service plans or packages are already displayed on the vendor’s website? Well, yes, you still need to undergo the RFP process. For most sales people, they certainly know that those figures appearing in the vendor’s website are usually the “list price” and not the “actual price”. More importantly, the vendor’s proposal (response to RFP) will serve as your main basis for the negotiation. Therefore, sending an RFP is a strict requirement.
 
Follow up questions relevant to RFP
More often than not, questions and concerns will be raised by the vendors to whom you send the RFP. You have to entertain them with utmost professionalism. Solution providers who are seeking further clarifications relevant to the RFP are consisting of professional software experts who wants to help your organization as much as they can. Entertain them but at the same time, always be cautious when providing additional information which you know is confidential or proprietary.
 
Evaluate the Proposals
Always refer to your finalized BOM when tabulating the contents of each proposal. Part of this process is to check the features that are available from this certain vendor and to cross out those that are not. While using spreadsheet aids the tabulation process, laying down the document proposals on the table and allowing your project management team to review them one by one should always be conducted. Evaluating the proposals in full force can help strengthen your decision-making process. Have another round of brain-storming session and come with the name of your preferred solution provider.
 
When selecting the final vendor, always promote the best interest of your organization. Consider answering these questions with full sincerity.
 
  1. Which vendor can provide the long-term benefits to your organization?
  2. Which vendor can provide the best and honest service from acquisition to full implementation?
  3. Which vendor is willing to devote most of its time in better serving its client?
 
Contact this solution provider and in your own strategic approach, try to get the answers to those three important questions above. In most cases, vendor who really wants to prove its craft will offer product demos on a higher level. Others will even invite you to check their already deployed and working systems. Feel free to connect with this type of vendor. Conduct simulation and testing, be it a cloud-based or on-premise solution. Examine all aspects and angles especially those that your project management team want to really know in-depth. For as long as it could help you arrive at a better decision, consider doing all the options available – for the interest of the organization.
 
Enter the Negotiation Process
Most solutions providers can be flexible in terms of pricing. Although the final say is oftentimes on the mouth of the sales person from the vendor’s side, a good negotiation process can always deliver a win-win situation to both parties involve. While negotiation sometimes cannot be settled in one sitting session, always be honest with your intentions whenever negotiating with your provider. If it’s about your budget, justify it with clarity. If it’s about their service plans, tell them what’s lacking or missing on their solution. At the end of the day, the most important event that should happen is that both of you are shaking hands because of a well done negotiation process.
 
Seal the Contract
So what are you going to do on a contract that involves a significant amount of investment? There are three project management approaches for this.
 
  1. Pass the ball to you legal team. They know what to do and more or less they will tell you if there is something wrong with the contract. Give them enough time to review before they affix their signature and then finally seal the contract.
  2. Hire a consultant base on the technical aspect that you want to clarify in the contract. If it’s the Scope of Work (SOW), a software implementation expert is the right person. If it is related to complex legal terms and conditions, a lawyer can help. If it has something to do with money, invite an accountant to conduct a thorough review and computation if necessary.
  3. Always consider consulting your project management team. Remember that the CIO, CFO and CEO are all team members. They will be the signatories and they know what’s best for the interest of the company when signing a contract agreement.
 
From evaluation to buying stage, it is important that the project manager must take full responsibility of monitoring all the works identified and distributed among team members. This is why delegating the right project manager is also an important consideration when buying a business software solution. And again, ITQlick.com wants to emphasize that whatever the size of your company is, using the project management approach will always lead you into a better outcome – that is getting what you paid for the right business software solution. 

Finding the right business software for your business
Proper business software selections are the precursor to successful deployment and business growth. Finding the right solutions doesnít have to be complicated, and it doesnít have to take days or weeks of your time.

After researching over 5,000 systems, we can identify the best solution for companies of all shapes and sizes. ITQlick.com is 100% free for software buyers.



Auditor - Shlomi Lavi

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Shlomi Lavi is an entrepreneur and founder of ITQlick.com. He holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Information Systems Engineering from Ben Gurion University in Israel. Shlomi brings 17 years of global IT and IS management experience as a consultant and implementation expert for small, medium and large-sized (global) companies. Shlomi’s goal is to share the best knowledge and news about information systems so you can make smarter buying decisions for your business.