Questions To ask before getting business intelligence software

1. Can I get customer references ??

Collect References
It's a good idea to get references with BI needs similar to yours, a similar user base, in the same
vertical industry, etc. If you can find an organization that has achieved the kind of deployment
you have in mind using certain product(s), it 'proves it's actually feasible,' says Barney Finucane,
an analyst at The BI Verdict, a vendor-independent BI product selection service.
2. CAN I READ THROUGH YOUR TECHNICAL AND SUPPORT WEB SITES ??
read through technical sites and support look for red flags
3. HOW long will it take to implement your solution ???
Get a Realistic ETA

Answers will vary, says John Kitchen, chief marketing officer for Datawatch Corporation, a
provider of enterprise information management solutions. If you are implementing a full stack of
software, you should expect it to take a fair amount of time and resources. Be suspicious of
vendors who tell you it won't. A simple workgroup application for an individual department to
produce its own reports should be far quicker and easier. You want solutions for which the
amount of time and effort required is commensurate with your expected results.
4. How many licenses will we need ?? Most ppl buy too many !!
5. Which companies are your primary competitors ??
What is in the next several releases of your product ?? Look in the Future
(Ask this under a non-disclosure agreement, of course.) Wayne Eckerson, director of education
and research for The Data Warehousing Institute (TDWI), says this will help you understand
what current customers do not like in the product and want to see changed.
6. Can I see you financial statements - Dig into the Financials

You want to know a vendor's financial viability, especially startups. Even if it's a private
company with no public filings, try to get some kind of financial statements and/or speak to the
company's CFO (under non-disclosure, of course). Ask how much cash the vendor has on hand.
A possible red flag with established companies is one that now sells something very different
from its original products. 'They're basically a startup,' says Wayne Eckerson, director of
education and research for The Data Warehousing Institute (TDWI).

7. How can you support your clients not just in implementing soft ware but help
in overall business strategy ??
Look for Sophisticated Service Levels

This is important, says Forrester Research analyst Boris Evelson, because any problems will
likely involve integration, support, organizational structure and/or underlying business processes
rather than technology. 'Only experienced consultants can help with those kinds of problems,' he
says.
8. Where do you see your technology and business mdel in five years ??
Ask to See a Roadmap

Much as when you hit a potential employee with this job interview question, you're looking for a
vendor whose future direction matches up well with your own. 'You want to know that the
vendor will be there for you as your business needs and computing environment evolve,' says
Seth Grimes, owner and principal consultant for business analytics strategy consulting company
Alta Plana.
9. Within the top layer of the BI do you provide all components necessary for
querying, reporting and analysis ??
Get Verification of All Needed Tools

This may include report writer, query builder, OLAP engine, dashboard/data visualization tool,
real time reporting/analysis, text analytics, BI workspace/sandbox, and the ability to analyze data
without a data model. If not, you may need to purchase supplementary tools from other vendors
and integrate them, says Forrester Research analyst Boris Evelson.
10.