Signing up for a product trial can seem like effort. Especially when the product has the potential to change your organisation’s processes, you may think it’s only worth spending time on something you are sure will work.
However, this isn’t necessarily what’s best for your business in the long term. There are numerous advantages to trials that no other experience can replicate. This is especially the case when they’re free!
To help you make the choice, we’ve put together some of the most significant lessons you can learn from trialling a product:
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Assess The Quality:
The first and most important reason to get a trial is so you can assess the quality of what you are paying for. Before the digital age, you could hold a product in your hands before buying so it was easy to tell if it was real.
Nowadays, a free trial is a similarly helpful step in successful product procurement. Although the list of features may be impressive, you need to know how they work in practice! Even if each tool works separately, they need to create a cohesive and efficient whole.
For example, the product may have a whole list of flashy features that are overwhelming for your team and make the software less intuitive. You need to ensure any software you invest in is accessible and easy-to-use. A trial is the best way to assess this!
- Check The Software Is The Right Fit:
Every organisation has different needs and expectations. Software which works perfectly for one company might prove more difficult for another. Throughout product development, product designers account for as many situations as they can, but they must adapt to your unique situation.
A trial can help you understand how the software will fit into your current processes. Is the service flexible to your company? Will the product implementation be scalable? These are questions you have to ask before buying, so it’s always best to experience the reality first-hand.
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Compare With The Competition:
In our day and age, there are numerous options for any choice you make. When it comes to software, you want to ensure you are getting the best, most reliable service available.
With a free trial, you have the opportunity to double check what you are getting for your money. This means you can balance cost with functionality and assess the long-term benefits of any product.
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Prepare For Implementation:
Once you’ve assessed the product’s advantages, a free trial can help you prepare for the implementation. You can see whether there are any modifications you want to make to the service before a full roll-out. If the company is flexible, they will allow you to make these changes and ensure the service fits your needs.
The implementation process is not always as simple as you want it to be. Sometimes, Board members are used to working with legacy software and are unprepared for change.
A free trial can help you assess potential problem areas (or even individuals) that will need more support during the process. It can also be a good opportunity to check if your team members have any good ideas about the form the roll-out should take.
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Ensure Professionalism
Even if you are convince it's a great product, it’s also important to make sure the software provider is on the same level. A trial can give you the opportunity to see how the organisation operates and whether they prioritise their customers.
At Convene, we have over 30 years’ experience in supporting clients around the world. But don’t just take that from us! Sign up for a free trial today to enhance your governance today.
How Can Convene Improve Your Governance?
Convene is an award-winning Board Portal designed to digitise and streamline your meeting processes from start-to-finish. Our comprehensive features include:
- A Document Library with role-based access to ensure your sensitive documents are protected.
- A built-in Audit Trail, so you can be sure you are compliant with all regulations.
- Integrated Video Conferencing, so you can make the switch from remote to hybrid working seamlessly, whilst still viewing your Board Pack all on one screen.
- Surveys, with the option for anonymity, so you can be sure you are aware of your employees' opinions.
- Accessibility Features, including text-to-voice, which makes us the leading accessible Board Portal.
The software now also comes as an integration with Microsoft Teams, which provides the benefits of both Teams collaboration and a Board Portal.
If you’d like to learn more about how Convene can help your organisation achieve better governance, contact us to book a free trial today!
