From Overwhelm to Confidence: Your Software Decision Framework

You’re listening to Elevated, the snackable, weekly podcast helping Kitchen & Bath Designers build a better business. I’m your host, Brandy Lawson and in this episode I’m shining some light on a problem every business owner has, but few actively understand - choosing software.

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Transcript

0:05

This is Elevated, the snackable weekly podcast helping kitchen and bath designers build a better business. And I'm your host, Brandy Lawson. In this episode, we are stepping into the work of choosing the right software for your business. Right now, most of you are either using software someone else chose, or you might be paralyzed by the endless options out there. You're not alone. I heard from a design business owner that they spent six months trying to choose a project management system. And still hadn't made a decision. Growth requires change. Change requires action. And six months of research with no decision certainly is not action. That's why I created a framework that turns this overwhelming process into five clear steps. Think of it as your personal connect the dots for software decisions. And the best part? It takes less than an hour to work through. This framework isn't just about picking software. It's about making confident decisions that actually move your business forward. Remember that client I mentioned previously? Once we worked through this framework and implemented their project management software, They went from 16 active projects to over 60 with just one additional hire. That's the power of choosing the right software with intention. Now here's how it works. You'll score five key areas and I'm going to break down exactly what we're looking for in each one. First up, problem definition. This isn't just about saying our project management software sucks, it's about getting specific. Are you losing track of client approvals? Struggling to coordinate installers. Missing deadlines because information is scattered. The clearer you are about the problem, the easier it becomes to spot the right solution. Then we'll look at solution fit. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a design business buy software because it worked great for their friend's accounting firm. That's like buying a refrigerator because it looked good in your neighbor's craftsman when you live in a modern high rise. This step is about matching the solution to your specific needs. Next is cost versus benefit, and I'm not just talking about the monthly subscription fee. We need to look at training time, setup costs, and most importantly, what it will cost you if you don't make a change. Remember what we talked about previously with those hidden costs? This is where that comes into play. And then on to future impact, and this is an aspect often overlooked. Businesses will choose software that solves today's problems, but fail to consider how well it will work for them in the future. This can happen if the software is too specialized, has limitations on team size, or doesn't support additional integration. And then finally, we'll look at Implementation Plan. Because, let's be real, the best software in the world is useless if your team hates it or doesn't use it properly. This is where we get practical about training, rollout, and making sure the change actually sticks. Each area will get a score of 0 to 5, and you're aiming for a total of at least 15 points. You're not looking for perfect, but you want to make sure it's in the ballpark. Let me share what this looks like in action. A kitchen design firm was struggling with their CRM. Customer Relationship Manager. Their team hated using it, and the leads were falling through the cracks. Using this framework, they realized their current CRM only scored 8 points total. No wonder it wasn't working. They evaluated alternatives, focusing specifically on their actual problems and the team needs. The new solution they chose scored 21 points. And within 3 months, their team was actually using, and loving, the system. But here's what really made the difference. Because they had used the framework, they could clearly explain to their team why they were making the change and exactly how it would make their lives easier. It wasn't just another random software change, it was a strategic decision everyone could get behind. This isn't just about avoiding bad software choices, it's about making decisions that directly impact your bottom line. When you choose the right software, you can handle more projects, serve more clients, and grow your business without burning out your team. Ready to try this yourself? Head to FieryEffects. com slash choose to download the framework worksheet. Pick one software decision you're facing right now, whether that's a new CRM, project management tool, or even AI software, and work through each step. In the next episode, we'll spend some additional time on that first crucial step. Really understanding what problem you're trying to solve. Trust me, once you start using this framework, you'll never feel overwhelmed by software decisions again. You might even start looking forward to them. Okay, that's pushing it, but at least you won't feel the need to avoid them.