Software Evaluation and Selection

Evaluating and selecting the “right” software solution for your business and logistics network can be an overwhelming and difficult endeavor. A successful software implementation follows a proven system and selection methodology, ensuring consistency and fairness throughout the evaluation process. 4SIGHT will assist you in evaluating software based on the RFP responses from vendors to conduct an unbiased and thorough evaluation, ensuring the recommended solutions are able to meet your requirements and support the long-term goals of your business. 

Our team employs a detailed, step-by-step approach throughout the evaluation and selection process making sure no stone is left unturned.

Step One: Requirements Development

These requirements are the drivers for the operations and technology capabilities SCE solutions are expected to deliver and include functional, technical and commercial specifications.

Step Two: Request for Proposal (RFP)

The RFP is an invitation to vendors to bid their software solutions among a competitive field of providers.  It is designed to provide information to the project team to assess each software solution’s ability to meet your critical business needs.

Step Three: Review Proposals from Vendors

Our Software Score Card tool helps evaluate RFP responses quickly using side-by-side comparisons and weighted scoring to rank the solutions based on predefined criteria.  This process also helps to identify where weaknesses and inconsistencies, or gaps, exist in the software’s ability to perform to your expectations.  This “gap” list of potential modifications is used as the basis for developing demo scripts for each software provider.

Step Four: Scripted Demonstrations

This step involves vendors conducting scripted demonstrations of their solutions to evaluate the applications in a conditioned environment, honing in on the “gap” list of potential modifications to determine if the business requirement can be satisfied through a work-around in the system or if it’s a manual process.  Particular attention should be given to identifying issues and the overall strengths and weaknesses of the application to meet your business requirements. 4SIGHT can help your business prepare, document and create vendor demonstration scoring criteria, leveraging our own templates and customizing them to meet your needs.   

Step Five: Reference Checks

Once you’ve seen each system demonstrated from the vendor’s perspective, it is essential to conduct reference interviews with their clients to gain insight into their level of satisfaction with the solution, as well as the vendor.  Reference checks are extremely important in this process and should always be conducted by the client.

Step Six: Site Visits – Vendors and References

Vendor site visits provide an opportunity to delve further into the commercial requirements – contractual terms and conditions, software upgrades, on-going maintenance, etc. – and meet with key personnel who will be your strategic technology partners.  Reference site visits provide the opportunity to observe the functionality of the potential software solution in a comparable business environment, allowing you the chance to ask specific questions regarding the execution of processes and tasks as they relate to your operation.

Step Seven: Vendor Selection & Negotiation

4SIGHT resources can maximize the use of your time by facilitating final evaluation and software selection, as well as the negotiation of pricing and contract terms, leveraging past experiences and best practices to deliver the best proposal to our clients.