There is a well-known phrase of “A Jack of all trades is a master of none,” but do you need to be a master at all? The full phrase, which is rarely used, is ‘A Jack of all trades is master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.’ This insinuates that being broad-skilled can be more valuable than being an expert in a single area. This analogy could be used in the case of FM software providers.
There are many different software providers. We live in a digital world where there is an app for everything! However, when it comes to choosing the right software for your business, it’s important to consider not just what you need now but also what you may need in the future. Bear in mind, the bigger the company, doesn’t mean the better the product.
Bigger isn’t always better
Some providers could be classed as ‘Jack of all trades’ in the sense that they offer a digital application for anything and everything. Others specialise in a specific area, for example, field management software for contractors.
The question is, do you need an application with all the bells and whistles, and risk paying for something you won’t use fully? The alternative: choose an application that can grow with your business and only pay for what you need now. That way, you can pay for the extras as and when you need them, or when budgets allow. You may need all the bells and whistles at some point, but the cost needs to be weighed against the return on investment from the start of the project to the end.
A bigger company doesn’t always mean a better product or better service. The bigger the company, the more investment they have in their product, which allows them to accommodate for absolutely everything, but do you need it all? On the opposite side, small companies don’t have as much investment, and so portfolios can be limited; however, that is often what can make them better to work with, as they are more likely to provide you with the tailored aftercare that you require. The size of the company shouldn’t matter, but it’s amazing how much this is considered. This is why, when reviewing responses to your job adverts, you focus on the functionality rather than the size of the company, as this can instigate an unconscious bias. A small company can’t possibly have the infrastructure in place to support a large contract, when in fact, size doesn’t matter when it comes to software.
Another thought for consideration is the importance of the provider having experience in your sector. However, sector experience should be a desirable, not a must-have. If you restrict yourself to those who only work in your sector, you could be limiting yourself to some better options. And what do you class as experience – knowledge of the sector, having clients in the sector, or working with clients with similar requirements? Each one is different and will appeal to different companies.
Experience must start somewhere
As an SME, it can be difficult to expand into new markets. Every contract you apply for is effectively applying for a job. You see an advert and review the job specification, believe you could do the job, but unfortunately, you don’t have the exact experience they are looking for. However, when writing your application, you focus on the experience you do have and the transferable skills that you hope the employer will see as a good fit. You may not have the experience in the sector they’re after, but you can demonstrate experience in meeting the specific skills required to do the job.
Applying for a contract as a business is no different; however, more weight is given to the experience section. When it comes to software development, applications are usually built for a specific purpose or to solve a specific problem. This is why it’s important to focus on the functionality of the software, just as much as, or even more than, whether it has been used by others in your sector. It’s worth remembering that experience only comes if given the opportunity, and someone has to be the ‘first’.
Asckey’s position
Asckey is a small company, but we are efficient and pack a punch. We are aware that our applications may not have all the bells and whistles, but they are functional, they are easy to use, and they do exactly what they’re supposed to do. Most of our clients have been with us for over seven years, which we believe speaks volumes for our applications and our aftercare service.
We have been supporting and building applications for the NHS for 30 years. Being involved in the testing/development of the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness has made us an expert in meeting compliance requirements in healthcare settings. We have recently begun exploring new sectors, most recently the education sector. Thanks to an ex-client’s recommendation, our task management application is now supporting a Cambridge college, our first client in the education sector.
Our experience of working with the NHS in healthcare settings has encouraged us to expand our portfolio of clients into the care sector. Will you be our first care home?
Our applications were a master of one sector, but as they’ve developed, they have started to become a ‘Jack of all trades’. Each application can be tailored to the client’s needs, making clients feel like they are investing in a bespoke application. With the help of client feedback, we continuously develop new features within the applications. The partnership we build with clients is important to us. This is why we make sure we don’t take on clients and make promises we can’t keep. New clients are great, but loyal and long-term clients are priceless.
Contact us today to discover more about what our applications can offer.
