Friends Don't Let Friends Use Bad Software

Software can feel like a new car -- outdated the day you drive off the lot -- especially when you implement bad software. Whenever we talk with a new client, we hear the horror stories of how their company’s software has turned into a nightmare that slows down the business, loses data, and breaks down just when you need it the most. Software is supposed to enable, empower and optimize helping you achieve your business goals. That’s why friends don’t let friends use bad software.

Time To Uninstall

How do you know when it’s time to click “Uninstall” on your software? First of all, don’t do that. Keep your software until the new solution is ready, as there may be data that needs to be downloaded and processes that need to be integrated. That said, you may have to disconnect parts of it to protect your data.

Here are some signs that it’s time to upgrade your software:

1. You’ve turned back to spreadsheets to crunch some data manually. You export data from your software, so that you can create the reports you need in Excel.
2. You lost data from a crash or a software glitch. Or, even worse, you lost data due to a security breach.
3. You have data problems, such as duplicate data, outdated data, or data errors due to human or system errors.
4. Your data is siloed, meaning there are big chunks of data that are only available to one piece of software or one department of your business.
5. Your team is loudly complaining that your software is slowing them down.

How Does Bad Software Happen?

There are two primary killers of software: bad design and time. A bad design can happen to software that is purchased right off the shelf or a solution that is custom designed. Bad software off the shelf is typically due to a vendor trying to be all things to all businesses. What they end up with is a piece of software that does everything but nothing well.

Bad custom software typically results from poor communications, sloppy project management, and using outdated platforms. A custom software project requires more than skills in writing good code. It involves taking time to really understand how a business operates, what processes they can automate, and how different departments and third-party software share key data.

The Perils Of Running On Bad Software

Running a business on bad software can hurt every key area of your business, from sales and marketing to operations, human resources and everything in between. In fact, it can even result in the total loss of business. When Miller and Coors merged into one company, they hired an IT company to combine their enterprise software packages into one. It went so badly that MillerCoors ended up suing that IT company for $100 million.

Here are some other bad outcomes that can result from bad software:

• Security Breaches: The wrong security breach can put your business out of business.
• Cost Overruns: Bad software may cause inefficiencies that increase costs. It may also cause you to miss opportunities to buy supplies at lower cost or miss key dates in your process, resulting in reduced profits.
• Lost Revenue: More sales should increase cash revenue, but when your software extends your sales cycle the opposite happens -- lost revenue.
• Damaged Reputation: If your customers, vendors, and suppliers interact with or depend on your software, your company’s reputation can go down with your software’s performance.