Navigating software problems

Software offers great benefits, but often comes fraught with problems, such as cost, quality, maintenance and usability. Price can be a major issue and one reason is that many types of software are procured through seat licensing. Instead, insist on pricing portal capabilities based on functionality. Another way to reign in costs is by turning to open-source, software services and tougher negotiations as a way to stem rising software maintenance fees. Thirdly, avoid customizing software unless it's absolutely necessary. Heavy customization costs money and can result in time-consuming bugs. Sometimes, off-the-shelf is good enough. To make sure that your vendors continue to provide a high level of support and service, make sure that your contract includes opt-out clauses based on certain service and support requirements. Finally, consider on-demand software, an effective pay-what-you-eat approach.

Learn more about maximizing your software's value:
- read the article at Optimize