With the launch of the Leapfrog Awards to be sponsored by nFold in association with the Computer Society of SA, my thoughts have been revolving around how to use software with style. I have certainly met some innovative software users in the process of conducting the nFold Software Survey.
But what is the difference between someone who 'gets it' and someone who doesn't? And how can one objectively identify and compare innovative users? It occurred to me that most software vendors could easily identify their most innovative customers. And there are certainly some objective questions one could ask to determine whether someone uses software innovatively. Ultimately, software is a business tool. You can manage a business very well on a spreadsheet, or very badly using the most expensive ERP system.
I reckon there are different levels at which you can use any software system. For example, you could convince yourself that you have implemented a CRM system when all you've done is capture your mailing list into an expensive piece of software that doesn't integrate with any other systems and makes no difference to your business. But to use a CRM system with style, it needs to bring you closer to your customers. Some ways of doing this might include to keep in closer contact with them, provide them with a better service, enable them to help themselves, and manage your sales and marketing activities in the process.
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