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    • Action plan

    Step 4 – Buying with confidence

    High effort

    High impact

    Your efforts in creating an informed shopping list based on thinking about key considerations such as functionality, integration, ongoing support and future needs means you’re now ready to take the next step and engage with potential suppliers directly.

    However, rather than rushing in and undoing a load of hard work by making an impulsive decision, we have three key steps it is important to undertake at this stage. You need to get past supplier sales spin with questions about pricing, support and free trials.

    • We’ve designed our action plans to be completed in the order of steps laid out and explained why each step is important
    • Customising your action plan lets you set your own completion dates, assign tasks to others and get notifications
    • Helpful tools are provided for certain steps while a tracking metric at the end will help you determine the long-term success of your effort
    • A downloadable PDF version of each action plan is available if you’d like to compete it offline
    What's involved? Ways to use this action plan Measuring impact
    1

    Speak to your shortlisted suppliers. You’ll want to confirm which product can meet your needs, confirm the details you found in your research and get a feel for the kind of supplier you want to work with.

    Impact: high

    Why will this help?

    There’s only so much information you can glean from a website. Speaking with someone directly will allow you to get proper answers to questions relating specifically to your business. How well they listen or absorb your specific needs is a good indicator of the kind of relationship you can expect post-purchase. Our step-by-step buyers guide will help you through this action plan.

    An easier way
    2

    Get quotes and zoom in on pricing models. Once you’ve found suppliers you think you can work with, get a detailed proposal from each of them, even if you’re buying off the shelf.

    Impact: medium

    Why will this help?

    Upfront payments, subscription costs, maintenance services and legacy integrations all make for a confusing set of numbers if you’re relying on what appears on a supplier website. Ask specific questions and you’ll get the answers you need to be properly informed.

    3

    Trial the product. Once you’ve identified a preferred product and supplier, you should trial the product or at least see a demo. It’s very difficult to get a real impression of what a system will be like within your organisation before you use it.

    Impact: high

    Why will this help?

    Some services will come with a requirement to be locked in for a certain period of time. A trial period can help overcome the issue of buying a product or service that isn’t actually the right fit. You can also get valuable feedback from your team that can help with final negotiations such as the number of registered users.

    What can I do with this Action Plan?

    Start this Action Plan

    Add some extra information to this plan and we’ll help you get it done.

    • We’ve designed our action plans to be completed in the order of steps laid out and explained why each step is important
    • Customising your action plan lets you set your own completion dates, assign tasks to others and get notifications
    • Helpful tools are provided for certain steps while a tracking metric at the end will help you determine the long-term success of your effort
    • A downloadable PDF version of each action plan is available if you’d like to compete it offline

    Download and print

    Get a printable template for this Action Plan, fill it in with some target dates, and share it with your team. Pin it on the wall where everyone can see it.

    Get the printable Action Plan

    Learning Groups

    We also run Learning Groups on these topics where you can join other leaders tackling the same challenges.

    Find a Learning Group

    How will I know if my action plan is working?

    Preferred supplier identified

    Your chosen supplier will have answered your requirements and priced in a way you understand

    Why this metric?

    It's simple really, all of your hard work conducting research internally and looking at potential suppliers will lead you towards the best fit for your business.

    How do I use this going forward?

    This well-backed up decision should give you the confidence that you've made the right call. It's now all about making it work for your team and maximising the investment.