Diving headfirst into a platform that has the flashy marketing campaign or spending millions on advertising… won’t necessarily get you the functionality that your organization is looking for.  Owners need more than anything to have a checklist.

When you’re in the market for a new construction management (CM) or Capital Improvement Program (CIP) software tool, it’s important that you do your due diligence.  Diving headfirst into a platform that has the flashy marketing campaign or spending millions on advertising want get you the functionality that your organization is looking for.  Owners need more than anything to have a checklist. Owners need to spend time reviewing internally, what is important to the organization and what areas can be upgraded or enhanced for the benefit of the agency.  Most importantly, you need to take your time.

We are constantly compared with all the current market tools available, but once an owner starts to compare features versus functionality, CIPO begins to really stand out.  And the reason is that we offer both! Features are the tools built into a platform that is intended to complete a task or action. Functionality is how those tools actually work to provide a benefit to the user.  

Shopping for CM software can be a lot like shopping for a new wardrobe online.  Sure you have a list of items you need, like a new shirt, pants, shoes, socks, etc.and you find a place that sells it all together for cheap (at least at first).  But how does it fit? Are the pants too short? Will the shirt shrink after one wash? Are you sure that you actually received a “left” and “right” shoe? It’s imperative that you try it on!  The same principle must be applied to CM software. All owners must understand that software like ours are not created equally. You need to assess what you plan to work with. Does the software take care of the list you’ve used to prioritize issues in productivity?  Will it be simple to modify and highlight those priorities you’ve identified? Some platforms only offer basic customization options at a cost. Are all the charges visible while you develop the new software to your specific liking? Similar to how CIPO performs, do you get a chance to get your hands on the product; use it, play around with the program, build a model project and see how it reacts?  Can you test usability and how long it will take your staff to learn how to use the program? 

Start thinking about opportunities and what that means to your organization.  By looking at functionality over flashy, you’ll have a better understanding of what a system can and can’t do for you.

Can CIPO help your organization? Connect with us for a personalized discussion.