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Your accounting software demo: what to watch out for

The demo provides the perfect opportunity for you to see the software in action, envision how it might work for your construction company, and of course, meet the Integrity team for the first time. If you’re on the hunt for new accounting software, you may see demonstrations from several different providers over the course of a few weeks. So, what should you be on the lookout for during the demos? Hint: it’s not just the software that needs to impress.

#1 Generic or tailored?

First of all, you almost certainly arranged the accounting software demo after having a chat to a member of the provider’s sales team on the phone or by email. Does the demonstration reflect the conversation you had? Have they tailored the demo to your requirements, or is the presenter sticking to their usual script? If the sales team have shown that they’re already listening to you and have personalised their presentation to match your needs, it’s a good sign they’ll continue to be responsive to your needs in the future.

#2 Your problem tasks

Pay special attention to how the software handles those problem tasks that your current system really struggles with. Does the software carry out the tasks quickly? Is it straightforward? Most importantly, are these features an improvement over the tools you currently use to deal with tedious tasks?

#3 Use of examples

A poor presentation will merely run through the features of the software without adding context or showing examples. Ideally, the accounting software demo should show software with mock data in use, so you gain a better understanding of how the system manages data – and how long it takes to process large chunks of it. How the presenter uses example data will also reveal how familiar they are with your industry. Do they understand the day-to-day processes that businesses like yours need to manage, or do they only demonstrate basic functions?

#4 Next steps

When the presentation draws to a close and the presenter discusses next steps, their words will tell you a great deal about the confidence they have in their product. If they pressure you to go ahead and switch to their software as soon as possible, perhaps they expect that you’ll be less likely to opt for their product after you’ve checked out the competition.

#5 Questions

Prior to the demo, ensure you have prepared a list of questions to ask the presenter. Don’t just cover obvious topics such as pricing – instead, drill them on their knowledge of your industry. Ask them if they work with many construction companies and discuss the level of support you’ll receive if you choose their software.

Overall, use the demonstration not only as an opportunity to see the software for the first time, but also to get a sense of the company that will be providing it. Following the demo, if you don’t have confidence in the ability of the company to provide your software and support for it, look elsewhere.

Here at Integrity Software we’re confident that our team will make a winning impression at your software demonstration. We provide accounting software specifically for companies in the construction industry. Take a look at some of the features of our accounting software and give us a call if you’d like to see it in action.