june2022 - 27

FEATURE
2
DETERMINE
WHAT YOU
NEED
Now that you know
where you're at, you can start thinking
about what you need. Here are
a few important things to consider.
WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST
CHALLENGES AND PAIN
POINTS?
What is your firm really struggling
with? Is your workflow a mess?
Do you want a more streamlined
way to communicate with clients
and share files? Identify the time
sinks in your workflow so that you
can find a software solution that
addresses these issues.
If you're having trouble with
this step, refer back to the list you
created in the previous step - specifically,
your " don't like " list. The
things you don't like about your
current setup may be solved by a
different software solution.
SEPARATE NEEDS FROM WANTS
Many firms think they need certain
features, but in reality, they're just
bells and whistles. With your challenges
and pain points in mind,
create a list of features that are
truly important for your firm.
What features can help
your firm be:
* More productive?
* Save time?
* Provide value?
Double-check your list and
firm? What's saving you time and
improving your accuracy? What
solutions do your staff and clients
enjoy using?
* What you don't like. Which solutions
are making your job harder or really
aren't solving problems like you'd
hoped they would?
When you know what's working
and isn't working for your firm now,
it's much easier to find a software
solution that will meet your needs.
remove anything that's just " nice
to have " but not really necessary.
For example, white-label software is
nice. Everything is branded to look
like it was custom designed for your
firm. But does it really add value? It
may help with brand building, but
when it comes to solving problems
for your clients and team members,
it might not do that.
When you have a list of features
that are absolutely necessary and
important for your firm, it's much
easier to narrow down your options
and find the one that provides
the best value.
3
COMPARE
SOLUTIONS
Armed with a list of
your firm's needs and
must-have features, you're finally
ready to start comparing solutions.
But where do you start?
ASK FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
One great place to start is with the
people you know and trust. Ask your
peers for input and recommendations,
but remember that these are
just their recommendations. They
likely don't have the same needs
as you, so don't buy a product just
because a colleague bought it. Take
the time to research each recommended
product to see whether it's
a good fit for your firm.
CHECK REVIEWS
Search for software reviews online.
Reputable review sites like G2, Capterra,
and apps.com can help you:
* Find new solutions you may not
have known about
* Learn more about products you're
already interested in
Professional reviews are a great
resource because you can learn more
about how things work, whether the
software is easy to use and set up, or
if there are issues that could make
your life harder.
Along with these reviews, you
also want to look at feedback from
users. Check user reviews on Google
or testimonials on the product's
website. You can even check social
media to see if anyone is talking
about the product and what they
have to say.
If possible, see if you can get in
touch with people who wrote reviews
or gave testimonials to ask them
about their experiences. Be prepared
with a list of questions or points you
want to cover in your discussion.
EXPLORE THE PRODUCT'S
WEBSITE
When comparing your options, don't
forget to review the websites of each
product you're considering. Check
every nook and cranny of the site for
information that may help inform
your decision.
* Visit every page on the main menu
* Check the footer for additional pages
that may have more information
* Read through their help or FAQ sections
* Watch videos or use on-site demos to
see how the program works
You can learn a lot about a product
by simply reading through the official
website. In many cases, you can find
answers to your questions. If not,
take advantage of chatbots or contact
forms to reach out to the provider
and ask away.
At this point, you should have a
handful of software solutions you're
really interested in. All that's left to
do is learn how the product works and
test it out.
4
LEARN AND
TEST
Carve out time in your
schedule to sit down
and learn about how the product
works. The simplest way to do this
is to sign up for:
* Free trials
* Demo accounts
Free trials are great, especially
if all of the software's features
are unlocked. But remember that
trials are only available for a short
window of time. Make sure that you
sign up when you really have the
time to thoroughly test the software
and explore all of its features.
If you really want to make the
most of trials and demos, get in
touch with representatives who
can help you learn more about the
product's features, benefits and
inner workings. You don't want to
miss out on a great software solution
simply because you didn't know
it had features X, Y or Z.
JUNE 2022 ■ www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com
27
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june2022

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