The search for the right software system for your business should begin with a look at the software vendor.

Where is so much new and supposedly improved software available today that it is difficult to choose the right package for your business. Where do you begin? Becoming a software "junkie" - constantly looking for the latest package to improve the efficiency of your business - is a common hazard for many in the service business. Unfortunately, some of the software doesn't live up to the vendors' promises, or the software is difficult to use or implement into your business. Other programs are isolated to only a few functions of running your business. It's easy to find programs limited to scheduling or accounts payable and receivable - but it's another matter to find fully integrated systems that are tailored to your company's needs.

Service business owners have also found out the hard way that software support is important. When the company has inadequate support services, or issues updated versions, making yours obsolete, you could be left without help or face spending far more than you intended for upgrades. Choosing the right system with the right amount of support can be a formidable challenge. I will review some of the criteria that I have used in selecting software vendors and the requirements for a good system. Today, there are no easy choices that meet all the desired attributes, but I think I can give you some guidelines to avoid some of the headaches I have seen in the business.