If you live, work or frequent a major city you most likely walk a great deal and cross intersections on a regular basis. I am continually amazed, no matter which city I’m in, at how many individuals pay greater attention to the crosswalk indicator light than they do the cars speeding to the intersection. The light is just an indicator that it’s potentially safe to cross, it’s not a mechanism for stopping a car. Yet, for many, this is their personal best practice, often based on the group dynamic. It is a traditionally accepted option, but not the one that best guards their safety. It’s important to watch the lights, but it’s usually more important to watch the cars.
In litigation support, practice technology or law firm IT, we employ a wide range of solutions and products. However, many of these products end up largely untested, unchallenged and unimproved upon after their deployment with an organization. Unfortunately, and all too often, many firms select a solution only to realize that it might not fully meet their needs today or tomorrow. Abstractly, the eyes are on the light but could fail to observe any of the cars. Fortunately, there are multiple levels of organization-wide evaluation that can assist us in understanding which solutions to keep, how to plan for the future, and how best to maximize the safety of our existing resources.
1. Understand the product before you purchase it.
All too often, products and services are selected well before their full scope and nature have been absorbed. It’s important to read more than just the marketing literature a vendor or provider offers – they’re selling you something so naturally they will try to sell you the very best impression of what they offer. How will the product integrate within your firm? Does it currently fill an existing void or is it in place to carve a new niche of support? Ultimately, attempt to understand the purpose of the product before you write a check, swipe your credit card or sign a contract.
2. Test & demo for more than 30 days.
Almost all providers offer a 30 day demo of their product or a trial/test area of their service (i.e. an e-discovery vendor allowing you access to their online review tool via a sample case). Ask for more than 30 days, no matter what. The goal is to evaluate the tool’s ability to perform under the stresses and stressors of your daily routine, not how it would perform in the vendor’s perfect universe sample case. Ask for a 60 day trial or option to use one of your own cases as a sample on a limited basis. If they’re unable to offer this and you are comfortable spacing the purchase over the course of the year, inquire about (2) 30 day reviews in the first and second half of the year. This can be a smart option because after the first trial you’ll already be familiar with the product. Between that test and the next 30 day evaluation later in the year, you’ll be able to formulate opinions, challenges, pitfalls and potential benefits that would have otherwise gone unnoticed had you leaped before you looked.
3. Research and ask the vendor what they know about their competitor’s product.
Ask questions! It’s amazing what insight about the competing product can be gleaned from another competitor. Most sales professionals, while aspiring to earn your business, will be willing to discuss the positive and negative attributes of their product or a competitor’s. I have personally witnessed many sales professionals openly discuss both sides of a product selection. This not only helps further the understanding of the entire atmosphere of the situation, but also creates a better working relationship.
4. Discuss the product with Partners in advance – will this add value to their practice?
I continually reiterate the dogmatic phrase: the Partners own the business. Before a major solution is implemented, send them an email and ask their opinion. They are the business owners and those employed in their stead are there to assist them in their goals. Will the solution or service add value to their existing practice? Could it have solved a problem recently? Are they familiar with the offering? Each of these questions can be drafted in a short email that can yield long term results. They are usually very busy people, but are often willing to help others understand how best to assist them. Keeping them in the loop on the big decisions (i.e. “we’re rolling out a new xyz document management system – thoughts?”) retains their engagement in IT initiatives, demonstrates that you value their opinion and is simply a best practice.
5. Purchasing the product doesn’t mean you should stop researching alternatives.
All too often, a solution is selected and the search is ended. Just because one platform or application has been chosen does not mean that the evaluation of competitors and other options should cease. Maintaining an active search and knowledge of the products that directly compete with existing solutions advances progress and keeps one informed of alternatives.
6. Evaluate how the product or solution will fit within a 3 year life cycle.
Products, services or solutions that are consistently relied upon should fit within a plan that extends beyond the fiscal year or series of cases. All too often, a solution is chosen without giving credence to how it will integrate in subsequent years. For example, suppose you are selecting a new document review tool, and plan within the next few years to integrate a knowledge management solution. Are the two capable of interacting with each other? Are the companies developing products that are complementary or adverse? Knowing the products that could be integrated over a multi-year plan, and establishing how well these eventual solutions will integrate with each other, is the smartest approach in long term planning.
Overall, organization-wide evaluation assists in understanding which solutions to keep, how to plan for the future, and how best to maximize the safety of our existing resources. Observing thoughtful planning and measured evaluation allows us to keep our eye on the light and watching for the cars.
Related posts:
