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Make Sure “Comprehensive” Is Comprehensive

Make Sure “Comprehensive” Is Comprehensive

 

“Comprehensive” is a word that is frequently thrown around in software marketing. But not all “comprehensive” software lives up to that description.

 

While we have argued that it is a mistake to focus only on features and price when purchasing HR software, it is certainly vital to ensure the software you choose contains all of the features you need.

 

For example, if you are looking for comprehensive online benefits software, you need features beyond those related to enrollment, including:

 

1.      Benefits eligibility

2.      Dependent administration

3.      COBRA administration

4.      Document administration

5.      People maintenance

6.      Compensation statements

 

But how do you figure out whether the software you’re buying is comprehensive—particularly when it comes to larger software purchases such as HR management systems? One solution is to apply the following procedure, shortened from IndustryWeek’s article “How Do YOU Choose Software?” (http://www.industryweek.com/information-technology/how-do-you-choose-software):

1.      Survey the landscape to identify a range of potential suppliers.

2.      Break those vendors’ offerings down into every individual feature.

3.      Develop a giant library of all possible features, irrespective of which supplier delivers which feature.

4.      Work your way through the entire library, categorizing every feature into a few buckets, such as: absolute requirements, highly desirable, nice to have, irrelevant, definitely do not want.

5.      Construct the “ideal” solution, based on the prioritization of features.

6.      Score each vendor’s actual solution versus the ideal.

 

We removed the final step from the IndustryWeek piece, which said to purchase the software with the highest score. While features are certainly crucial, they are only one factor to consider. The following factors might make software with a slightly lower “score” actually be your best choice:

1.      Software should work with your existing processes (http://www.benefitwerks.com/blog/2013/11/01/TheFirstRuleOfHRSoftwarePurchasing.aspx

2.      Software should offer a straightforward and intuitive user experience (http://www.benefitwerks.com/blog/2013/11/08/TheSecondRuleOfHRSoftwarePurchasing.aspx)

3.      Software should come with outstanding service (http://www.benefitwerks.com/blog/2013/11/15/TheThirdRuleOfHRSoftwarePurchasing.aspx).

4.      Software should allow you to generate accurate, meaningful reports (http://www.benefitwerks.com/blog/2013/11/22/TheFourthRuleOfHRSoftwarePurchasing.aspx)

 

For more about HR software purchasing, download our white paper, “The Five Rules of Buying Benefits Software,” at http://www.benefitwerks.com/wp/