SPECIAL REPORT: Ask and You’ll Receive

When choosing a software package or implementation consultant, Bethesda, MD-based Information Systems Marketing recommends asking the following questions of the vendor. The answers will offer an insight into how the vendor handles changes in the CRM arena, as well as the long-term viability of the vendor itself. This is important because getting customer service from a company that no longer exists can be problematic.

  1. How long has the vendor been in business, and what is the history of its business?
  2. Does it have experience and customers in your particular industry?
  3. What is its technological direction (e.g., Web strategy, CRM module intentions)?
  4. Who are the members of its management team, and what are their backgrounds?
  5. How is it financed?
  6. Is the source code included with the product?
  7. What training does it offer (e.g., end user, train-the-trainer, systems administrator training)?
  8. How does it support the software (e.g., does it have a guaranteed callback time)?
  9. What is included in its maintenance agreement (e.g., fixed number of upgrades per year)?
  10. What is its warrantee period, and what is its bug-fix policy during this period?
  11. How does it implement the software (e.g., by itself, via a third-party implementor)?
  12. How important is your piece of business to the vendor?

Source: Information Systems Marketing,