The Software Buying Playbook

Most companies buy software in the wrong order. They see a product, like it, and then build the case for it. The budget stops at the number on the pricing page, and once the contract is signed, nobody owns the result.

This guide gives you a process of your own for one purchase, from the first complaint to the review after rollout. It follows a made up furniture retailer called Harbor & Pine through a help desk purchase, so you can see each step in use.

Who it is for

Founders, team leads, and operations managers at small and mid-size companies, especially anyone who buys software a few times a year alongside a main job.

What is inside

• How to write the problem down before you look at any product
• Who should decide, and how to stop a purchase stalling in week six
• Requirements that rule products out
• The real three year cost, including what the pricing page leaves out
• How to read reviews with a skeptical eye
• Demo scripts and trials that test your own work
• What to ask for in a negotiation, and which clauses to read yourself
• Rolling out the tool and preparing for the renewal

Templates included

The book has 11 templates you can copy or print, including a requirements sheet, a total cost calculator, a demo script, a weighted scorecard, security questions, and a contract checklist.