Operations

8 min read

Ten questions before you buy software

New software rarely fixes a broken process; it makes it faster. Ten questions to ask before you sign.

Tomas Hale

Partner, operations

Written by

Tomas Hale

Partner, operations

The demo always looks like the answer. These are the questions we ask before a client signs anything.

What problem are we buying this for?

Write it in a sentence with a number in it. If you cannot, wait.

Who will own it after the consultants leave?

A tool with no owner becomes shelfware within six months.

What will we stop doing?

Every new system should retire an old one. If nothing goes, the cost is double.

The Aldermere Letter

One essay a month, short enough to read on the train.

Want this applied to your business?

Thirty minutes, free, and no slides.

The Aldermere Letter

One essay a month on running a business well. Short enough to read on the train.

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© 2026 Aldermere Advisory Ltd, Bristol

© 2026 Aldermere Advisory Ltd, Bristol

Independent since 2011 · Fixed fees · No lock-in

Independent since 2011 · Fixed fees · No lock-in

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