You’ve probably been contemplating how to tell your superior that you need to upgrade your company software. It may be to solve a business need where a solution was not in place before. Maybe that your existing software is simply outdated. You’re probably a bit apprehensive to bring up the topic in fear of how your recommendation will be received. However, if you have a valid reason why this upgrade is needed, you should inform your superior. Especially if you know this change will benefit the company in the short and long term. Here are some tips on how to convince your boss you need a software upgrade.
Show them the numbers
Do the research to present your boss with hard facts. The numbers should speak volumes for your case. Show them how the industry is benefiting from using this current software. List the advantages and projections on what making the switch will mean for your company’s finances, productivity, quality, efficiency and how it fits with the bottom line. Prove why not doing this software upgrade is costing the company time, money and other disadvantages. Document the issues within the business place and compare how these issues can be rectified with the software upgrade.You must have the facts to back up your recommendation will give you a greater chance for your proposal to be accepted.
Get others involved
Convince your co-workers and management to buy-in to your recommendations. Chances are they are experiencing hardships too from lack of needed software or from using an older, outdated system. In other words, the more of them you have backing you, the stronger your case will be and the more credible your proposal to your boss will be. It will be harder to ignore the request for software upgrades if many staff members can advocate for the trials they are facing due to the lack of current technology.
Hold a meeting to pitch your idea
Your boss’s time is valuable. Before you request a meeting to make your proposal, make sure you plan it out properly. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation if you need to. Focus on the important points such as why this software upgrade is needed, how you plan to achieve it, what setbacks you may face and how those will be handled. You should also have a cost analysis prepared with possible solutions to pick from with your recommendation on which selection would be the best fit and why. Eliminate any fluff you may be tempted to add in and go straight to the core points. Keep your presentation short. Once your boss has taken the time to hear you out, you’ll probably need to give them time to think it over. However, be sure that once enough time has passed you have a plan to follow-up on their decision.
Many times, budget constraints are the biggest factors why companies hesitate whenever technology enhancements are needed. That is why if they can see that putting off these upgrades are actually hurting them in the end, they will be more likely to reconsider.
For additional info on this topic, visit these external links:
- How to Convince Your Boss You Need a Software Upgrade
- Convincing your boss to update your software systems
- Convince Your Boss: 11 Tips to Make Them Say “Yes!” (Updated 2019)
- How to convince your boss you need new technology
- How to convince management to upgrade
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