Updating your software isn’t a decision you should take lightly. It comes with a huge investment of both money and time.
Not to mention, determining what software to choose can be a huge decision. It requires even more of your time to make sure you’ve chosen the right one for your operation.
It’s easy to keep putting it off and keep putting it off. After all, more of the same is always easier than learning something new, and learning new software could end up being a waste of your time if the software you were using before was just fine.
So, how do you know if it’s time for an upgrade? Here are a few signs that will help you decide if it’s time to take the leap or not.
The Old Version Is Expiring
Sometimes, a software upgrade decision is fairly easy. That’s the case if the software you’re using is expiring or will no longer be supported.
Sometimes, the technology will technically still be usable, but you will no longer receive professional support from that particular community.
That’s the case with Python 2, “The official end-of-life date for the Python 2 series is 2020 which means you have three years of support from the community. After that, you’ll have to find ways to get support for this series,” says an expert at ActiveState. The hassle of upgrading might be more manageable than figuring out a new way to get the support you need.
You Waste a Lot of time
You can’t expect you and your employees to be productive every second of every day, but if you’re noticing that productivity is dropping, your software could be to blame.
By all means, try to speed up your existing technology first. That means trying things like:
- Backing up information on computers and restoring the programs.
- Downloading the latest updates.
- Uninstalling unnecessary or obsolete software.
- Considering open source options.
- Upgrading other aspects of your technology, like hard drives.
- Upgrading your internet connections.
If you do all that stuff to try and speed up your systems, but you’re still sitting there, waiting for the software to respond when the rest of your computers and systems seem to be working fine, it’s probably time for an upgrade.
It’s Time to Scale Your Growing Company
It’s exciting to discover that your company is growing. Increased success and revenue are just around the corner, but you’ll face many challenges too. One of which is scaling your company to meet the demands of a bigger business.
There are many things you have to do to scale a business, but one of the most important things you can do when investing in your future is to choose new software that can handle the load.
You’re Tired of Dealing with Security Issues
Cyber security always seems to be in the news. It’s something you should be thinking about regularly because keeping company, client, and employee information safe is of the utmost importance. However, if you’re regularly dealing with hackers, data breach scares, and other security concerns, your current software could be to blame.
New software includes the latest security features that go above and beyond the updates you would download with your existing systems. If it has been a few years since you’ve had an update, and you’re tired of lying awake at night worrying about your information being stolen, purchase a new system that provides your business with greater security.
There’s Growing Frustration with Customers and Clients
Your customers are the reason why you’re in business. One of your primary concerns should be to provide them with the best customer service possible. That can be difficult to do if you’re using old software.
Listen to your customers. If they are tired of being left on hold, if they complain that speaking with customer service is frustrating, or if you notice that sales have dropped or stagnated, it might be a good idea to look into software that makes their experience with your business more pleasant.
Listen to your customer-facing employees too! They know more about your customers than anyone else. They can make software update suggestions that would make their job, and the customer experience, much better.
Updating your software isn’t always the solution. You have to make sure that a new program really will save you more money, more time, and make life easier for you and your employees. These tips will help ensure you make the right decision.
