The cornerstone of every company’s operation is being able to meet its customers’ needs. So why risk your company’s reputation – and compromise your capacity to satisfy customer expectations – by teaming up with questionable, unproven software vendors? It’s one thing to choose a motivational speaker who lives in a van down by the river, but a programmer who does, or works out of a basement? No way!

We understand the allure of supporting the underdog. Everyone has to start somewhere! But why expose yourself to unnecessary risk during their initial – or ongoing – start-up phase, which is bound to be full of trial and error and less-than-professional misteps? The joy of watching someone’s first time riding a bike without training wheels shouldn’t come at the expense of your company’s operations.

You may be asking yourself, “Why not go with the little guy? They do what we ask, and the price is right!” However, as they say, there is “no such thing as a free lunch.” Even with a low price, inexperience and unreliability can have a high cost in the long run, especially when it comes to software. It’s an area where the best value is to invest in quality.

Before engaging a vendor, especially a smaller one without established credibility, we recommend asking yourself these four questions:

1. Can they react quickly to your business needs?

The right software partner should be agile, appropriately staffed, and aligned with your priorities.

2. Can they incorporate expertise from wide industry experience?

If they haven’t worked with similar companies nor demonstrated a familiarity with your unique challenges, opportunities, and industry dynamics, that is a red flag.

3. Can they scale up to support your system?

Smaller vendors just don’t have the resources to support the requirements of your business systems, and they often fail to deliver at the most critical times. You are accountable to your own customers, and giving them a seamless, well-executed experience is built on your software’s foundation. That includes planning ahead to support the demands that come along with future growth.

4. Can they prove that they won’t just pack up and quit, or simply disappear?

Small providers are notorious for suddenly going MIA, leaving you vulnerable to their personal situations. Abrupt personnel or organizational changes are difficult to anticipate and even harder to adjust to. The ideal partner offers a reliable structure that can smoothly adjust if there are internal changes.

The Alternative: A Company Founded in 1972

For over 40 years, the sales, technical, and support staff of our family-owned company have been helping organizations of all sizes solve their biggest business process headaches. DPS is a responsive one-stop shop for all of our clients’ business system needs. Whether we’re designing a new application or providing support for an existing program, our goal is to become your proven partner.

Choosing a partner is a long-term decision. While that programmer in a van down by the river might drive off, DPS is in it for the long haul. Feel free to contact us at 1-800-654-4689 or contact us via our web form to discuss how we can work together to solve your unique business needs.

 

Why Bargain Basement Programmers aren’t such a Bargain