Is It Time to Demand More from Your Insights Platform?

It’s not you, it’s me.

A phrase that’s permeated pop culture for nearly three decades. Typically, we think of it in the context of a romantic relationship ending – but have you ever considered it in the context of enterprise software?

We largely accept that individuals outgrow jobs, that organizations outgrow certain structures. And both can outgrow technology. 

Consider typewriters. When they were first introduced, typewriters were a game changer. They made it possible to write more in less time and with more consistent quality. But now, they are largely seen as obsolete. 

It’s not that typewriters were bad at what they were designed to do. Rather, it’s that other technologies emerged that better suited our needs.

After all, what could be more forgiving of human error than the Delete and Backspace keys? 

That’s why it’s so important to evaluate at regular intervals if your enterprise technology is actually meeting your needs. Because what seemed like the best solution a few years ago might not be the best solution now.

So here are a few questions that can help you discern if it’s time to reevaluate your current insights platform. 

1. Does it actually work? 

Think back to the original reasons that motivated you to invest in an insights platform in the first place. Perhaps you wanted to find your insights more quickly. Or you wanted a convenient way to share insights with stakeholders to reduce the volume of incoming requests. 

Whatever your reasons were, ask yourself if your current platform is actually solving them. 

It can be easy to get caught up in the Sunk Cost Fallacy in these types of initiatives. Your team likely put in a lot of time, effort, and financial resources to get your current system in place. After all of that, it can be hard to admit that it’s not working as well as you’d hoped it would. 

That’s why it’s important to think long-term and look towards the future – what will the costs be if your insights challenges continue to go unsolved? And why should you pour more resources into something that you know isn’t working? 

Sometimes the best thing to do is learn from the experience and use those learnings to inform a better solution.

2. Do you like using it? 

How would you feel if staying up-to-date on the latest consumer insights was as fun as picking your dinner party playlist on Spotify?

This might feel silly to ask – we don’t typically think about whether or not we like software we use for work. After all, it’s work, right? 

But here’s the thing – why shouldn’t you like (or even love) the software you use at work? It’s no different than investing in a comfortable desk chair. You could probably still get some work done if you had to spend your entire work day on a hard metal stool, but why should you?

The way that we feel about software largely influences how we approach it and how effective we are in using it. Think about it this way – how many times have you put off doing something because you didn’t want to do it? Even those of us who do our best to eat the frog have found ourselves here at least once. 

We approach things very differently when we have to do them but don’t want to do them. And vice versa. Having fun is intrinsically motivated. No one needs to tell us to do it–we’re inspired to take action ourselves.  It also helps us to tap into a sense of curiosity, and thus helps us to learn more effectively. 

When aggregated, these individual outcomes have a powerful impact on the organizational level. Change management becomes easier, adoption is higher, and you get the most value from your software investment. 

3. Can it grow with your organization? 

Of course, if the answers to the two previous questions aren't both “Yes!”, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should consider looking for a new insights platform.

But if you can’t answer “Yes!”  to this one, it’s a different story. 

It is inevitable that your organization’s needs will change over time and that new, faster technology will emerge. The provider you select for an insights management platform (or any other tool for that matter) should be committed to accommodating your company as it evolves and to continuously improving their product over time. 

And their idea of improvement should be closely tied to the feedback they receive from customers like your organization. 

Because no solution will ever be perfect. And you shouldn’t have to reconsider providers every time there is a shift in your organization’s needs. 

Instead, you should select a provider that can be flexible and adapt to your team’s needs as they evolve.

If you have doubts, demand more. 

For a tool that’s crucial to running a customer-centric business, there’s no room for lackluster performance. 

If your current insights platform isn’t working, loved, or able to grow with your company, then it’s a smart idea to explore other options. 

Because insights management shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. If your insights platform provider isn’t committed to your organization’s success, it’s definitely time to have the talk.

And if your voice isn’t heard, perhaps it’s time to get back on the market. The right one could be just around the corner.