Is Software the Correct Solution to Your Issues?
The key element here is problem-solving. Software can find a solution to most of today’s problems. Even silly ones, like building a website that can wash your car. It’s doable! Imagine a computer-controlled washing device that handles user interaction on the website. What about helping someone like the taste of broccoli? Yes! With a little creativity and a little programming chip implanted in the brain, it’s possible.
But, if software and code are high and mighty, can we then ditch our staff and rely solely on computers? Of course not. That sounds insane. But why? When is software not the solution? The simplest and fastest way of knowing is by asking yourself if you are solving the right problem. Here are some scenarios to help you analyze if you need a software to solve your operational problems:
In Staff Training
A multi-level-marketing client asked us to build an auto log-out feature to their website. Giving them a code to embed would be much simpler. But we wanted to understand the problem they are trying to solve. They further explained that some reps who have people signed under them forget to log out all the time. So, kicking them out after inactivity seems to be the right solution.
We first thought we can introduce private windows to the users so logins won’t be shared. But the client said it wouldn’t work because the users would not understand it. After some further digging, we figured the best solution is not a technical one. Instead, they can train those few reps and not try to kick everyone out, including potential sales.
Had we agreed to create the feature without probing, we could have caused more problems for them. Users may find it annoying to enter their credentials all the time. They may also forget what their passwords are. Or forget the email they used to create their account. It may spike Support requests and they do not have the capacity to answer all issues promptly. All these can result in frustrated users leaving the site and them losing customers.
In Analyzing Data
An e-commerce client requested to have a Guest Checkout option added to their site. While it’s easy to set up, we don’t recommend it at all for a whole lot of reasons including confusing consumers by providing an additional choice upon checkout that they don’t need otherwise. In fact, it can also result to reduced conversion rate.
So we asked why they needed it and they said they were not seeing a lot of conversions from their site. They thought it was because visitors are not committed to creating an account to buy their items. It’s a valid hypothesis so we looked into their site’s stats and found that their conversion rate is actually on the higher spectrum. Most importantly, we identified that their problem was due to low website traffic. So we recommended focusing their efforts on marketing instead.
In Procedural Changes
We are often asked if we can develop a ticketing system where multiple staff can be assigned to. It’s possible, not to mention simple, but it creates more problems than it solves. It can cause confusion over who handles the new actions, who is responsible for its outcome, and customers may complain about conflicting information from different reps.
While software can aid users to follow certain processes, identifying those procedures first must be the top priority.
Conclusion
It is uncanny to hear from a Consulting company offering Saas that software is not a panacea to all operational problems. Even though they can be uniquely designed according to your specific needs, resorting to much simpler solutions can sometimes be the better option. It can be achieved by understanding what it is you are trying to solve, removing yourself from the situation and looking at the issue objectively.
If you have any questions, or like to schedule a private demo with Claire of VP of Sales, click here