4 Signs It's Time to Move On and Check Out New Software

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By Stephanie Sandoval

Published | Updated on
5 min read
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Learn how to evaluate your software and see if it's time to upgrade.

If you purchase software for your business, you may be wondering how to tell if your current system needs to be refreshed. Whether your tool isn't a good value, is missing key features, or doesn't scale with your business, deciding to purchase a new product can come with challenges.

According to Capterra’s 2024 Tech Trends Survey, the top challenges when planning investments in new software are identifying the right technology (44%), compatibility with existing systems (43%), and security concerns (36%).*  

To avoid these hurdles and the dreaded software buyer’s regret, it’s important you assess your current software. Not sure where to start? Using data from Capterra’s 2024 Tech Trends Survey, we’ll lay out four signs that will tell you it might be time to ditch your current system.

4 signs that it’s time to re-evaluate your software

1. The growing pains are becoming too real

As your business grows, you want your software to grow with you. Don’t settle for a product that isn't equipped to handle your projects or has limited features. In fact, of U.S. survey respondents who felt software buyer’s regret, 32% reported that the technology is not advanced or has fewer features than is necessary for what they need.

The time you spend manipulating your software to fit your needs is time being taken away from your business, leading to inefficiencies that can delay your business operations. Sound familiar? Then it might be time to go software shopping.

Be wary of the following warning signs: 

  • Your employees are sharing software logins and can't work simultaneously

  • You can't find your work easily

  • Your software can't do everything you need it to

2. Your business requires a Frankenstein-esque mix of software

Think about the different departments in your business. Your marketing team, for instance, may use email marketing software, a social media marketing platform, or marketing analytics tool for their daily tasks. But what if your team could use one product? A new software suite could allow easier tracking, save money on licenses, and reduce time spent toggling between products.

Not convinced? Consider this: One of the top five product-related factors that lead to an organization’s software buyer’s regret is that the technology is not compatible with their existing systems (31%). Don’t let your team’s current software be an afterthought.

Here are some warning signs to look out for: 

  • Your employees have trouble working on projects because they don't know which tool to track things in.

  • The tools you use don't integrate well, resulting in isolated information or lagging updates.

  • To keep things working, you constantly have to patch your older software.

3. You're experiencing productivity or inefficiency problems

Your employees may not openly tell you about the technical issues they're facing because of your current software, which can spill over into your projects and result in delays or reduced productivity. In fact, among software buyers that reported regret, 32% indicate that difficult or slow technical implementation was a factor. 

To combat this? Check in with your team to identify any software issues they're facing and ask whether your current tools are missing any necessary features for their work. If you're worried your employees won't be forthcoming, use survey software to gather anonymous feedback.

Keep these warning signs in mind:   

  • Project timelines are getting delayed

  • Your employees are doing manual business processes

  • There is growing frustration with team members about the software

4. Your employees would rather not use it

Thirty-four percent of software buyers reported that difficulty with training and onboarding users led to their software buyer’s regret. It's a fact of biology: Humans hate being uncomfortable. If software is too difficult to use, employees will avoid using it.

Sure, you can force your team to use software they hate, but ideally you want to use a tool that can be easily integrated into the team and get the maximum value out of the platform.

Look out for these early warning signs:

  • Your employees complain about how difficult the software is to use

  • Users start creating their own process to get around the software

  • Users don't take advantage of all the features the software provides

No regrets: Meet with your team and devise a strategy 

Deciding it’s time for new software can solve challenges your employees are facing and improve productivity. Let these four signs help you determine if it’s time for a new system so that you can avoid software buyer’s regret and get ahead of potential issues in the future.  

Haven’t noticed any red flags? It's still worth checking in with your team and creating a forward-looking strategy for software refreshes. After all, the main changes buyers would make to avoid regretting future software purchases are ensuring stakeholder alignment about the evaluation/selection criteria (38%) and clarifying goals and desired outcomes (37%).


Methodology

*Capterra’s 2024 Tech Trends Survey was designed to understand the timeline, organizational challenges, adoption & budget, vendor research behaviors, ROI expectations, satisfaction levels for software buyers, and how they relate to buyer’s remorse.

The survey was conducted online in July 2023 among 3,484 respondents from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, France, India, Germany, Brazil, and Japan, with businesses across multiple industries and company sizes (5 or more employees). Respondents were screened to ensure their involvement in software purchasing decisions.

This article displays results based on 700 respondents in the U.S.


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About the Author

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Stephanie Sandoval is a GDM Content Editor specializing in editing research reports and blog articles covering the latest tech trends. Stephanie is based in Austin, Texas, where she graduated from The University of Texas at Austin (BA, 2014 and MA, 2016). She enjoys long-distance running and painting.

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