An Action Plan for CIOs to Control Software Development Costs
By Meridith Levinson
- Refuse to pay in full for a license up front. Instead, negotiate a contract with your vendor that allows you to pay a percent of the total cost up front and then the remainder six months to a year later if the product and service is acceptable.
- Adopt open-source technologies. Open source provides CIOs with the flexibility to custom-build applications under their own quality control.
- Seek out vendors that offer renewable and subscription licenses.
- If you’re having continual problems with an application, go directly to the developer rather than to the tech support staff or salesperson. The person who has worked on the application may have some pride of ownership.
- Network with your vendor’s other customers to find out if they too are experiencing problems with the software. If so, band together and plan a tag-team meeting with the vendor. There really is strength in numbers.
- If all else fails, take your vendor to court.
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