Demo or Trial a SaaS App? Do Both!

When you look for a new SaaS application for your small business or nonprofit, you should not sign a contract until you have been given a Demo of the program or a Trial version of it.

Better yet, ask for both.

First, the differences:

• The Demo -- a 30- to 60-minute guided tour of the SaaS application, typically run by the provider's Sales and Tech Support staff.
• The Trial -- the full version of the software, sometimes with limits, for 7 to 30 days. It allows key personnel to test it in your environment and note any problems fitting it into your company.

Obviously, the Demo will only show what the Sales team wants you to see. You may get a good feel of how it will work for your organization but you will usually leave somewhat bewildered too. The "tour guides" will whiz-bang you to get you to the close.

With the Demo, the Q&A will have to fit the allotted time before the Sales and Tech Support staff have to move on to their next Demo.

A Trial, on the other hand, allows you to use the software at your own pace. Every level of your organization can test the software's suitability to their specific roles and work flows. They can also check for possible glitches, the responsiveness of tech support, and how it will help achieve your organization's goals.

So, why ask for both a Demo and a Trial?

The Demo won't be sufficient for most cases but could suffice for software you already know about or that won't be critical to your organization's operations. A Demo will also save time by giving you an idea of whether you want to conduct a more time-consuming Trial or not.

The main drawbacks to Trial versions are the time it takes IT staff to set the app up with user accounts, etc., and the time it takes out of users' workdays with learning the software, testing it and reporting their findings.

It is, however, an absolute necessity for software you don't know about or that will be critical to your business. Without a Trial, you could lock your company into a long-term contract with no easy way out and no easy way to switch to a different provider if it turns out the app doesn't meet your needs.

The bottom line -- during your SaaS app selection process, push any providers that don't provide Trial versions down your list and focus on those that do.

A Demo is simply not enough due diligence for such a critical selection for your organization.