Vendor Selection - When it's time to get into the weeds

So you’ve put various technology vendors through the RFP process and have narrowed down your list of potential winners.  Don’t be afraid to get into the weeds at this point.  More and more sourcing professionals are having cloud technology vendors actually demonstrate that their solution can do what it says.  You should be doing this as well.  I’ve seen RFP’s get completed only to find out that the answers were juuuust vague enough to call question into how they actually apply to a specific customers use case (the original intent of RFP).  

Unfortunately, by the time most customers realize that a certain function isn’t going to do what it was intended, the contract has already been signed and the sales rep is off to the next deal.  In some cases the level of discount offered on the subscription is used to justify the perceived unknowns at the time of sale.  I've always found this perspective both interesting and deeply concerning.

The best way to combat this, is to be thorough before you put pen to paper.  Further, don’t just go with the canned demo, rather request one that shows how the solution will hit the mark for your needs specifically.  Now, this may not be possible for EVERY function, so rank them in terms of priority and/or ability to deliver the desired outcome you are seeking with the purchase of the solution.  Don’t be nervous or cautious about asking other important questions regarding inbound and outbound integration methods, reporting, customizations etc. This work up front will show you mean business and you have an expectation that the solution will do what it’s meant to.

Understanding that you are entering into a long term relationship with the vendor/partner, and that their application is meant to provide a tangible return on investment (ROI), gives you the right to ask the difficult questions and seek out proof.  Going this route alleviates the frustration and headache of dealing with unexpected product gaps that could have been uncovered prior to entering into a legally binding relationship with the vendor.