Changing to a new software provider is a notoriously difficult process. Especially at enterprise scale, changing providers is thought to be expensive, time-consuming, filled with headaches, and perhaps worst of all, not always worth the effort.
Sometimes that perception is valid. Most times, it’s not.
When done for the right reasons, switching software providers can be overwhelmingly beneficial. In fact, a recent study found that 80 percent of organizations are more satisfied after switching software vendors, with over half of respondents being at least 60 percent satisfied after the change. In other words, not only was it worth it, it was really worth it.
This is particularly true because most companies that plan to remain with their current vendor aren’t satisfied. The same study revealed that 95.6 percent of organizations plan to renew their IT service management platform, yet only 42.5 percent would recommend their incumbent vendor. Why? The perceived cost in time and dollars is simply too high.
How can you tell if the benefits outweigh the risks?
- You’re not getting what you signed up for. This sounds simple, but can come in many flavors. Perhaps your existing vendor was bought out, such as Ivanti’s acquisition of Cherwell, and your expectations for the support/maintenance/vision/future of your product have diminished or are uncertain. You don’t even know if you will have a product to renew next year, let alone whether the feature that you asked for will finally be released.
(Speaking of Cherwell, its new owner published a blog after the acquisition advocating that organizations move off their current ITSM solution and look to better solutions. If that’s not a clear message that the original Cherwell platform is no longer a priority, I’m not sure what is.)
Dissatisfaction doesn’t only result from an acquisition, of course. Maybe nothing organizationally has changed, but the vendor didn’t deliver on their promises. Maybe customer support is subpar, issues take weeks to get resolved, or you are experiencing more software bugs and outages than you expected (or is acceptable).
No matter the nuance, if your experience doesn’t match what you were sold, it’s time to reconsider.
- The software doesn’t meet your needs. You’re paying for software to do specific things that meet particular business requirements. If it isn’t doing those things or meeting those requirements, you’re ready to switch.
Maybe your requirements may have changed since you signed up with your current vendor. You may be evolving your goals and processes to keep up with the modern pace of business, and you need your software provider to keep up as well. If they aren’t willing to help you grow and innovate and/or the changes required aren’t technically possible, it’s not a good fit.
- It’s clunky. Okay, this may be a subset of the previous bullet, but it’s worth calling out. Business today simply moves too fast for clunky software. Whether it’s inadequate reporting, a hard-to-use (or hard-to-learn) interface, limited or challenging integrations, or processes that require duplicate effort and wasted time, clunky software brings significant opportunity cost. All the time that your team spends creating workarounds and building connectors and navigating workflows can and should be spent on more high-value activities.
With the BMC Helix solution, not only can you replace your existing solution, you can improve on core functionality and add new capabilities. It combines cutting-edge features that support automation, DevOps, Agile, and more with a UX and flexibility that help you deliver business outcomes, reduce risk, and drive innovation.
Switching can be intimidating. Trust BMC Helix to make it streamlined, successful, and always 100% worth it. Let us help you with your customized migration path.
These postings are my own and do not necessarily represent BMC's position, strategies, or opinion.
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