10 THINGS TO CONSIDER

WHEN INVESTING IN A NEW SOFTWARE PACKAGE

FOR YOUR MUSEUM

• If you sell a membership at the admissions desk, is it immediately viewable in the Membership module? Can that member immediately make a discounted gift shop purchase or attend at member prices?
• Does any part of the software require duplicate data-entry?
• Does your gift shop software automatically ‘know’ which customers are members, apply the appropriate discount to their purchases, and allow you to track their purchases without looking them up in another program?
• Is all of your data in ONE database?
• Would you have to perform uploads or downloads from one system to another in order to achieve ‘integration?
• How easy would it be to mail an invitation to this year’s gala event to all people who meet one or more of the following criteria: they are current members, they have donated more than $500 in the past year, they are current board members, they attended the gala event in any of the prior 5 years?
• How easy would it be to solicit memberships from people who attended at least 3 times in the past 3 years but are not members and have never donated?

DATA: A museum purchases software to enhance staff productivity, streamline operations, and capture data for future use. Some things to consider when choosing a database:

• Exporting data: Can you export your data? If so, what type of file format is created and what programs can read it? For example, can you export EASILY to an Excel spreadsheet? Do you have any choices as to what kind of data to export, (for example, donor data, gift data, attendance data, patron data)? Can you filter out certain people and ONLY export those that meet certain criteria? How many steps are involved in exporting data? Can you save exports for future use, or do you have to redefine them each time?
• Database: In what type of database will your data reside? Is it a true relational database?
• Ownership: Does the database reside on the museum’s server? Does the museum have control over the database?
• Lists: Does the software provide an easy way to define and store a specific list of people? Examples include: patrons who have been members for more than one year, but have not yet attended this year; or all donors who attended a specific event, are not members, and who reside in a particular zip code. Can you save the lists for future use? Can you easily do things such as mail a letter to all people in a list or flag them all? Can you combine lists?

MUSEUM’S BEST INTEREST : Time and again, one person at a museum drives the decision to purchase software and fails to take into consideration the needs of the entire facility. Just because there are one or two staff members who happen to know another system does not mean that is the best system or that it will meet all of the museum’s needs. Make sure that the needs of the entire museum are taken into consideration when purchasing new software.

SUPPORT: After the museum has invested in the software, it is important that it is able to get quality support to ensure the best return possible. Providing the Vendor has a Support Agreement, some topics to consider include:

• When is support available?
• Do you get a live person when you call?
• Are support calls returned in a timely manner?
• What else is provided in the support agreement? For example, is there access to web support, email support, help files, manuals and other documentation?
• Will the vendor do custom programming? If so what are the fees?
• Does the vendor encourage and facilitate clients communicating with each other?
• Will the Vendor make minor modifications to their software to accommodate your needs? If so what is the turn around time? Is there a fee?

UPGRADES/ UPDATES: In the ever-changing software and business environment, software upgrades, updates, and enhancements are critical to a museum’s ability to stay competitive. A few items to consider:

• Does the software Vendor provide upgrades/updates/enhancements of the software?
• If so, how often? Are they included in the software support agreement?
• Does the support agreement provide assistance with installing these upgrades if needed?
• What major enhancements does the Vendor plan to program into their software in the upcoming year?

RELIABILITY: It makes no sense to invest in a software package that isn’t reliable. Having the software “crash” on your busiest day of the year and being forced to use carnival tickets isn’t a happy prospect. The best way to ensure this is to check references. The museum industry is small enough that a simple phone call can do the trick. Request a complete client list; call the ones closest to your site, and not just the client referrals provided by the vendor. Too many times a museum has purchased software that another museum in the same town wouldn’t recommend. If you are comparing several Vendors, make sure to ask existing users if they can do the key things you will need to do with that software.

REPORTS: The software and its data are virtually worthless to a museum unless it can generate reports and information easily. Some topics to consider include:

• How easy are the reports to run? How many choices of criteria do you have?
• Are you able to modify reports or even create your own reports for your specific needs?
• Does the vendor charge to build a custom report for the museum? If so, how much does it charge and how long does it take to get the report?
• Are the reports designed specifically for the museum industry, or is the museum attempting to use software designed for a different environment, like a ballpark, university, or amusement park?
• Is the museum required to purchase additional software to run reports or are the reports built into the system?
• Can the museum get support regarding reports or is there another vendor support agreement required?
• How many steps does it take to print a membership card? What about a membership card with a barcode?

SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENT: In what environment does the software run or operate? There are packages that run in Windows, and others that operate in a “Windows-Like” environment. Most large applications run in a “Windows-like” environment such as UNIX, which require special servers, software, and IT staff to operate. These systems can be cost-prohibitive. Once the environment has been determined, does the staff of the museum have the desire and the ability to operate in the chosen environment?

FEES : What are ALL of the fees associated with the software? Some software packages will low-ball the license fees to be able to charge a ‘per admission’ fee, charge higher upgrade fees later on, or make up the difference in add-on fees. Make sure that the museum fully understands what all the expenses will be.

TRAINING: Purchasing a new software package is only part of the solution required by a museum. Getting staff properly trained enables the proper software solution to be effectively used. When making a decision to purchase:

• Ensure that the staff member(s) being trained are capable of being trained and have the attitude and aptitude required to learn a new system.
• Determine whether the software vendor provides adequate training for the staff.
• Find out what types of follow-up training are available, when and at what price.

THE NEXT GENERATION IN MUSEUM MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE