Transitioning from one social services software program to another can be a challenge for any agency. As such, many agencies postpone the switch to a new system until they feel that it is absolutely necessary. This procrastination can be detrimental to the integration of many systems and even make the switch becoming more challenging. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it (but what if it is and how might I tell?) While this nugget of grandpa’s wisdom has a time and place, it is not necessarily the ideal paradigm for evaluating your human services agency’s technological platform. There are several signs that your software may be out of date (besides having to crank up the dinosaur on a treadmill – a la Flintstones). Having problems? Is your software supported by the company’s support? The first thing that you should do is to check for updates or upgrades which have been released. Installing these updates might solve your problem. If this doesn’t work, many companies offer a support database which may be searchable to find your particular issue or you can start a support ticket. However, if you cannot find help, the support ticket comes back in hieroglyphics or the company’s website is no longer functional, it is probably time to move to another company. Agency grown but software is lacking? Many times, agencies start out and try to cut corners and take the bare minimum of what they might need for the time being. When you don’t plan for the future in selecting, purchasing, and implementing your human services software, you are setting yourself up to struggle at some point. Growth, agency change, or even changes to state regulations can each wreck havoc on even the most well-laid plans. If you find that your software no longer fits your needs, you need to examine the many options available for you from which to choose. While it is important when selecting a new product to think of where your agency might be in five or ten years, it is also important to find a software product that is not geared for organizations which are considerably larger than yours. Be wary of any product that is not able to manage what you currently have as far as a caseload without adding so many bells and whistles that you begin to feel like a one-person band ready to take on a parade.
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