Most distributors buy software twice: once for the wrong tool, then again for the right one. The wasted year hurts more than the wasted money. This checklist helps you get it right the first time.
1. Does it run on a phone — really?
Your salesmen, warehouse staff and you are mobile. 'Mobile support' that is really a shrunk-down desktop screen will not survive a day in the field. The core actions must be built for a phone first.
2. Is it GST-ready out of the box?
CGST/SGST/IGST handled automatically, HSN on every line, GSTR-1 export in the government format. If GST is an add-on or a manual step, walk away.
3. Does it work on a weak network?
Test it on 2G, not office Wi-Fi. The market is where the work happens, and the market has bad signal.
4. Where does your data live, and can you take it out?
Insist on automatic cloud backups and a one-click export to Excel. Your data is yours; any tool that holds it hostage is a future headache.
5. What is the true cost?
Add up licence fees, per-user charges, AMC, and the engineer visit to install an update. A clear monthly price with everything included almost always wins over a 'cheap' licence with hidden extras.
6. How long to go live?
If onboarding takes weeks, you will never finish it. The best tools load your catalog and shops for you and have you running the same day.
7. Is it in your team's language?
An app your warehouse staff can use in Hindi will be used. One that forces English on everyone will quietly be abandoned.
