Before You Buy Technology, Ask These Questions

The Third Bank

As nonprofit organizations thrive, they are increasingly certain that Excel spreadsheets and their associated software are no longer effective. Instead of focusing on strategy and fundraising, employees waste their time solving the problems caused by chaos. In this context, technologies specifically designed for nonprofits offer a successful solution to enhance productivity. These technologies also help organize team work through a wide range of features specifically designed for nonprofit tasks. Therefore, when purchasing new technologies, make sure to ask these essential questions:

1. What type of technologies does the organization need?

2. What options are available within your budget?

3. How can you integrate the new technologies with existing systems, data, and devices?

4. What training and support are available?

5. What do current and former clients think?

1. What type of technologies does the organization need?

Identifying the type of technologies needed by the nonprofit organization is essential. There are multiple categories of software, including those related to donor relationship management, fundraising, and accounting. Thus, the organization should only purchase the technologies it truly needs. Conversely, if you know that your nonprofit needs a wide range of technologies with different functionalities, you can opt for more than one technology from these categories.

2. What options are available within your budget?

While it’s important to invest in technologies, it is not necessary to waste money on technologies that will not be used. Factors contributing to increased technology prices include capacity, adaptability to the organization's needs, and the presence of additional features. Based on this, the best way to balance the budget and choose technologies is through prior planning. You should also have a good idea of the areas experiencing rapid growth within the organization.

3. How can you integrate the new technologies with existing systems, data, and devices?

The new technologies should fit with your processes, especially if you are adding them to existing systems rather than replacing them. Therefore, integrating technologies acquired from the same provider or developed on the same platform is easier than integrating two entirely different technologies. Additionally, it is crucial to consider the organization's data, as donor profiles, financial records, and other data are among your most important assets, so they must be successfully transferred to the new technologies.

4. What training and support are available?

Using new technologies can be challenging, so the organization's team needs assistance when it comes to complex operations. In this regard, the organization should always ask service providers to offer training sessions to help employees master working with the new technologies. This can be done by providing expert support, manuals, and customer support forums. In fact, the quality of training and support significantly affects the long-term success of the new technology, so the organization should take these factors into account when choosing service providers.

5. What do current and former clients think?

It is natural for every company to highlight the unique features of its products on its website to attract potential customers. However, the organization cannot make a purchasing decision solely by looking at the positive side of the product.

When it comes to investing in the future of your organization, it's essential to verify the effectiveness of these technologies. This is done by leveraging feedback from various parties, such as case studies, forums, websites, and the experiences of other nonprofits. Therefore, the organization should not rely solely on the service provider to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the software.

Although changing technologies at the core of a nonprofit organization is not easy, asking these questions will help you find the most suitable technology for your organization in no time.

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