Re: Software Vendors -- MIDRANGE-L

From my experience it isn't usually the IT director that makes the buying
decisions. It's the CEO or CFO who decides based on the carefully crafted demo 
in
a software house presentation room. These are individuals whose very job 
requires
them NOT to get caught up in small details (like whether the A/R and A/P detail
balances to the G/L totals). Sadly, they rarely listen to the people whose job 
it
IS to sweat the details and who catch hell when things aren't working the way
they did in the demo. In my former life as an IT manager I was included on the
company's Operating Committee. The CEO told me he would NEVER make an IT 
decision
without consulting me. What actually happened was that he INFORMED me of what I
would be installing and supporting AFTER the decision was made. I'm sure this
situation is not unique!

Randy Mangham
Pacific Crest Consulting
San Diego, CA

Colin Williams wrote:

> But how much time did your company spend analysing the software to
> ensure that it met their requirements? Did they visit any reference
> sites.
>
> It often surprises me(not saying that this is true in your case) that
> some IT Directors sign on the dotted line without even seeing a working
> version of the package they are purchasing. A controlled demo in a
> software houses presentation room should not be enough to justify the
> purchase of software.
>
> How many of us that have worked at software houses have heard the story
> of the clients that bought software that hadn't even been developed yet,
> because they fell for the salesman's blurb.
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: SIMS, KEN [mailto:KSIMS@SOUTHERNWINE.com]
> >Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 1999 11:05 PM
> >To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> >Subject: Re: Software Vendors
> >
> >
> >Hi Dean -
> >
> >>Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 01:14:48 EST
> >>From: DAsmussen@aol.com
> >>Subject: Re: Software Vendors
> > ...
> >>I often gripe about AS/400 application software being twenty years
> >>behind the times, but it is at least _solid_ for the most part.
> >>When it isn't, those vendors ought to be ostracized -- report it
> >>here, report it to "the trades", create an "I Hate JunkSoft(tm)"
> >>web site, create an informational web site, but do _SOMETHING_.
> >
> >We are using the Beverage Management Information System from
> >Distribution
> >Information Systems Corporation out of Charlotte NC and it sux
> >big time.  It
> >was purchased before I started working here because it is
> >supposedly Y2K
> >compliant.  The files generally are, but a lot of the programs
> >aren't.  Not
> >to mention that they are FILLED with bugs.
> >
> >Since I'm not involved with the money end of it, I don't know
> >how much, if
> >any, was already paid to them, but I do know that we did not pay the
> >entirety and that they aren't getting any more from us.
> >
> >Ken
> >Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada, Inc.
> >Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of my employer or
> >anyone else.
> >
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