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Services | Business software selection

Choosing the right software for your business.

Choose the right path for your business

Choosing the right software for your business doesn't need to be daunting

Having good software systems will save you time and money. Good business software will allow you to grow your business, and take on more work, but where do you start?

So you know you need new business software

Is your business software up-to-scratch?

Does everything just seem so "manual"?

Do the simplest of tasks seem to take an inordinate amount of time?

Do you have that feeling that there must be a better way?

But where to start?

The secret to choosing the right business software

Choosing the right software for your business, starts with getting the requirements right. That is: "What do you need the system to do?".

With a clear, written list of requirements, you won't get distracted by the bells and whistles, and all those shiny new features that the software developer's website will tell you about.

Once you have your list of requirements, it's as simple as comparing each available system to your list.

It's simple, but not always easy.

The pitfalls of software selection

In reality, you can spend an awful lot of time comparing each available system to your list of business requirements, there are hundreds of systems and apps available to businesses today.

You'll also find that it is often unclear whether a certain system would really work for you in practice.

And this is where having specialist guidance can really help you make the best decision.

How can specialist advice help you choose the right business software?

Taking advice from an experience business analyst will save you time, money and stress.

You benefit

You don't need to worry

You can relax, it's not all on you.

You can be confident that you're getting it right

You can be confident, knowing that your software is being selected the right way, supported by specialists, using a proven methodology.

You can ask us anything, we're on your side

You get to ask questions, run things past us and use us as a sounding board.

No question is a stupid question, and we're happy to share what we know.

You save time, by letting us do the hard work

Gathering requirements and then trawling through dozens of systems is not a quick task.

Can you really spare the time to do it?

Your business benefits

Guidance

Your business will benefit from having a guide on hand to help you make the right decision, to point out any potential problems, and support you to really get the most out of your new system.

Fresh perspective

Your business will benefit from the fresh perspective that an independent business analyst will bring.

Being on the outside looking in, we can sometimes get a clearer view of what you need.

We may find a solution that you hadn't considered.

Independent advice

Your business will benefit from impartial, unbiased advice.

We're not trying to sell you any one system. We're on your side. If we think something is in your best interests, we'll tell you about it.

Would you like to know more?

Talk to us to find out how we could help you.

Contact us  ➝

How we work

We take a logical, common-sense approach. We know that every business is different. We'll make sure we really get to know your business first, before we start looking for software.

process step 1conversation
process step 2search the market
process step 3signpost
process step 4project delivery
process step 5training
process step 6ongoing support
conversation
1

We start by finding out what you need

This stage is about gathering your requirements—also called requirements elicitation.

We'll talk to you and your team to really get to know what they go through. We don't presume to know everything about your business.

After we've spoken to your team—the actual people who will be using the system—we'll prepare a system requirements document—a list of all the things you need your system to do, and agree this with you.

search the market
2

We'll search the market for the right solution

We research solutions specifically for your unique situation.

Possible solutions include buying new software, integrating existing systems and building a new solution from scratch.

Upgrading your existing systems
Buying new software
Building low-code apps
Building bespoke software

We'll anonymously contact suppliers and assess their solutions to see how they compare against your business requirements.

signpost
3

We'll present you with options

We present you with realistic options based on your specific circumstances.

We'll show you the benefits (and drawbacks) of each system. We'll estimate what impact each system will have on your business operations. We'll use this to calculate the return on investment (ROI) of each option.

You can then choose the best system for you.

project delivery
4

We help you implement your chosen solution

We provide practical help. We can either manage the  implementation for you, or advise your in-house teams.

Practical help could include working with your chosen supplier, migrating data from your existing systems or testing the system to ensure it really will do what you need it to.

training
5

We'll make sure you get training

Training is vital to make sure you get the best out of any new system.

We'll make sure your team know how to use the new system to get the maximum return for your investment.

ongoing support
6

We make sure you have support

We'll make sure you have all the ongoing support you need to succeed.

Ready to get started?

Talk to us to find out how we could help your business.

Contact us  ➝

Download related resources

 

Examples of our clients' successes

 

We love it when businesses do well. Here are some of the projects where we've helped our clients to solve problems that were holding them back:

Connect with Middlestone today

We work exclusively with leaders from small and midsized businesses who want to create blissfully efficient businesses.

We can help you achieve just that, put us to the test!

Contact us  ➝

Are you looking for something else?

If you wanted a thorough review of your business processes before investing in business technology, then see our Business Process Improvement service.