Platform Pick 9: Choose Your Top Favorites

Introduction

You’ve done the legwork – built your Feature Table, evaluated demos, and gathered pricing. Now it’s time to tie everything together and start narrowing down your options. Think of this as the moment where logic meets intuition. How well do the platforms align with your needs? Did the demo presenters leave you with confidence or concern? And, most importantly, which platforms will support your business not just today, but as it grows? This is part of a series on how to pick the right platform for your needs.

Platform Pick 1: Win Stakeholder Support
Platform Pick 2: Create a Checklist
Platform Pick 3: Create a Feature Comparison Table
Platform Pick 4: Define Your Needs Clearly
Platform Pick 5: Hunt for the Right Platform
Platform Pick 6: Send Out Requests for Proposals
Platform Pick 7: Demos with Vendors
Platform Pick 8: Check Pricing and Value
Platform Pick 9: Choose Your Top Favorites
Platform Pick 10: Business, Legal, and IT Prep
Platform Pick 11: Integrate and Test it
Platform Pick 12: Rollout

Ready? Let’s dive in.

Review Your Feature Table

Now it’s time to put everything together – features, pricing, and your overall impressions – to start narrowing your options. Your Feature Table is your starting point, but it’s about more than just ticking boxes. Here’s how to approach it:

Connect Features to Pricing

Look at how well each platform’s features align with its pricing. Does the platform offer good value for the cost? Are you paying extra for features you don’t really need, or are must-haves missing despite a higher price tag? A platform with fewer features but great pricing might still beat one with all the bells and whistles that costs a fortune.

Consider the People Behind the Platform

Think about the experience you’ve had with the vendors. Did the demo presenters seem knowledgeable and genuinely interested in your needs? Were they responsive to questions and transparent about their limitations? A great platform can be overshadowed by poor support or communication, so factor in your gut feelings here.

Evaluate How They Meet Must-Haves

Revisit your list of must-have features and KO factors. How well does each platform meet your absolute requirements? Platforms that can’t deliver on these should be eliminated, no matter how great other aspects may seem.

Factor in Scalability

Consider how well each platform will handle your growth. A tool that works now but struggles as your volumes increase isn’t a long-term solution. Platforms that can scale smoothly, even if they cost a little more, should get extra points.

Assign Scores and Identify Your Top Picks

Give each platform a score based on how well it meets your must-haves, scalability, pricing, and overall experience. Use a simple scoring system – like a 1-10 scale – and include a notes column for any standout strengths or weaknesses. Identify the platforms with the highest scores as your top picks. Ideally, this will leave you with 2-3 contenders to move forward with.

Identify Deal Breakers

With your top picks emerging, it’s time to dig into what could disqualify a platform. This step is about spotting the red flags and making sure you’re not setting yourself up for surprises later.

Check KO Factors

Revisit your list of KO factors. These are the non-negotiables – if a platform doesn’t meet them, it’s out. No matter how great the pricing or features might seem, platforms that can’t deliver on your critical needs shouldn’t move forward.

Look for Red Flags

Evaluate your interactions and demo experiences for potential warning signs:

• Overpromising: Did the vendor claim to have everything you needed but couldn’t demonstrate it in the demo?
• Pricing Gaps: Were there hidden costs or vague pricing terms that could lead to surprises later?
• Poor Support: Did the vendor seem unresponsive, disorganized, or uninterested in understanding your needs?

Choose the Winner

Now it’s decision time. With your top contenders narrowed down, it’s time to weigh everything – features, pricing, scalability, and overall impressions – and make the final call. Here’s how to confidently choose the platform that’s right for you:

Lay out your top picks and compare them across all critical categories:

• Features: Which platform meets your must-haves most comprehensively?
• Pricing: Which one offers the best value, factoring in current costs and scalability?
• Usability: Which platform feels more intuitive and aligned with your workflows?

Choose the platform that ticks the most boxes and feels like the best fit for your business.

Trust, but verify

You’ve chosen your winner based on the vendor’s provided information. In the next article, we’ll dive into how your specialists can take a closer look and confirm that everything checks out before moving forward. Occasionally, a blocker may arise – like a compliance issue where the vendor claims GDPR compliance but stores data outside the EU – potentially disqualifying the winner.

This is perfectly normal. It’s better to catch these issues now rather than waste time with multiple reviews earlier in the process. By focusing on your top pick first, you save your team from reviewing all the top 3 or 5 contenders unnecessarily. If a blocker does appear, you can quickly shift to your second-choice platform with minimal delay.