Purchase Values Not Features

I have learned to make my business purchases based on values rather than features or price.  Sometimes because of this philosophy I can’t find a vendor with a system that has everything I need or sometimes I have to wait until I can afford the right solution, however in the long run I am rarely disappointed.  Purchasing based on values provides a constant in a world of change, because I know how vendors will continue to develop their solutions so that future versions will be able to keep up with my changing business needs.
Your Business Systems are your Standard Operating Procedures. When you purchase a system, you don’t want to purchase a system based on features, but on the way the company does business. Since the system will provide your employees with standard operating procedures you want to purchase your system based on the manifesto of the company instead of the features of the product. If you purchase by manifesto instead of features, the system will reflect your Standard Operating Procedures and the updates to the system won’t be surprising. You might not get everything you want out of the system, but in the long run the system will be a better fit for your organization.
When developing CAN’s website and marketing materials, we made sure to include our manifesto on the front of our website.  This is because we are not finished building, and we want our customers to know where our products are headed.
This is because I know how they will choose to build their company to meet my needs.  The world is constantly changing and if I don’t react to new technology and purchase based on a companies values/manifesto instead of features, I will be disappointed.  The capabilities of technology and the needs of my business are constantly expanding.  If I purchase a system based on its features, it will quickly become obsolete because the system no longer parallels the way that I have chosen to run my company.  However, if I purchase a system based on values or manifesto, it will change when my company does.
This is especially true when purchasing B2B technology solutions.  Your business and technology are in constant change, so I would recommend purchasing a business system that is capable of changing along with your business. This will help you minimize the risk and cost of building and maintaining your own systems. Also, if you end up not likely a system that you purchased you can always purchase another solution.