Aspects of Usability
When it comes to IT support in Southern California, there are several features of usability which are very wise to take into account before you buy. These include:
- Ultimate Scalability
- How Easy Software Use Is
- Swiss Army Knife Integration (all in one)
- Ownership Costs
- Necessary Security
- Industry Compliance
- Requisite Requirements
As you make your decision, be sure to get your mind around these angles to ensure greatest utility.
Ultimate Scalability
Do you plan on seeing your business grow or are you banking on it, remaining ultimately stagnant over time? If you don’t expect significant growth, or software needs that will have no pertinence to any kind of growth, then whatever solution meets your immediate needs will be appropriate. If you do have plans for expansion and profit, you want your software to grow with you rather than require a complete upgrade every several growth cycles.
Ease of Software Use
Many software options are designed by engineers who don’t have cognizance of their target market. They don’t know how the software they design will ultimately be used, and so design it such that other engineers may find it excellent, but non-engineers have no idea where to begin. Play with the software you plan on implementing, see if it is usable or unnecessarily complicated. You don’t want to have a need for training across the board with transition to a new software— this is costly.
Swiss Army Knife Integration
A Swiss Army Knife has multiple implements that make it more useful than a simple blade. Microsoft Office often has more than one use. It has spreadsheets, word processing, etc. Do you only have one requirement for the new software or will it be used in many different ways? Depending on your usage, more utility may be better.
Ownership Costs
It could be better for your business to buy the software outright, but then again, this may end up costing you. What’s trending now, because it’s more trustworthy, scalable, and cost-effective, is SaaS or Software as a Service. With this innovation, your software exists on the cloud, is automatically upgraded there in many cases, and only costs a small monthly fee to run.
Necessary Security
IT support in Southern California should provide the right level of security for your operations. Some small to medium-sized businesses will need more security than others. Generally, more is better; but sometimes requisite costs make unilateral security “too much.” Talk with your prospective provider to find your balance.
Industry Compliance
A medical or financial business will have compliance standards that differ. Meanwhile a warehouse or mercantile operation may not have such requirements. Know what you need, and be sure your software matches those needs.
Requisite Requirements
Swiss Army Knife software is good, but you don’t want to pay for that which you’ll never use. Additionally, too many features limit utility. Depending on your company’s needs, you may require more or less features. But for any software, there’s a point where too many features can choke operations. Ensure proper balance in the software you choose.
A Harmonious Balance
IT support in Southern California should be able to equally balance these seven factors. We at ecasys work with each client to help their operation choose software which matches operational needs in each of these seven categories. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you with your business.
