Looking for a direct sales software solution and don’t know where to start? There’s a lot of options out there, and when you’re looking for a partner you can grow with, you want to make sure you’re picking the right one for you. While you narrow down your options, make sure you remember these seven things:

1. Cloud Solutions are Changing the Game

If you can, going with a cloud-based direct sales software system is a great choice. Getting data and business updates anywhere and anytime means you can be more flexible about where you your work happens. And, by avoiding building hardware and maintaining data centers, you’ll save money in other areas, like IT costs. Software in the cloud is also more scalable and reliable, so it’s a much better option when you’re looking for a long-term solution. 

Looking for direct sales software for your ERP? Download our whitepaper to see how we can help you create a highly configurable solution. 

2. Your Business Operates in Real Time

I know, this is an obvious one. But a lot of companies are acting like everything happens once a day—relying on nightly batch jobs or manual synching. Remember, speed is everything in today’s world. Getting info to your distributors and customers as soon as you can is the best way to go to keep engagement high and revenue rolling in. When you’re making tech decisions that will have a big effect on your customers and salesforce, make sure you’re taking real-time updates into account. 

3. You Need Up-to-Date Technology for the Best Integration

Technologies and business practices are changing every day. The best service providers are counting on keeping up by staying agile, and that means maximizing their flexibility. Integrated MLM solutions should be built on a cloud-ready API layer to keep both you and your vendors current on all of your latest info. That way, you’ll be able to stay reactive to unexpected changes and it’ll be much easier to connect all of your software pieces to create one comprehensive system. 

4. Start with an Industry-Specific Foundation

Businesses with multi-level payment tiers are in their own category when it comes to software needs. Starting out with a solution that really gets where you’re coming from will give you a leg up in productivity right out of the gate, and simplify the process when you go to tack on new systems as you outgrow your old ones.

5. Scalable Solutions Are Cheaper in the Long Run

As you compare software prices for varying systems, it’s best to look at both the upfront cost and think about your trajectory and long-term plans. Make sure you ask about how your price will change with your needs—if you’re not careful, an affordable solution now can end up costing you much more than you bargained for down the road. 

6. User Experience Matter

In a world run by multi-million-dollar e-commerce giants, distributors and customers expect a flawless user experience when they interact with you online. Your integrated software solution needs to be optimized for all of your end users—if you can get some great component pieces that interact together seamlessly, it’ll feel like a single system. 

7. Software is made by real people

Lastly, keep in mind that you’ll be spending a lot of time working closely with the people in these companies. Make sure you know who they are and feel confident that you can solve problems, find answers, and get along together successfully. If you feel like just another number, you might want to keep looking for a better solution. 

When it comes to choosing a software partner, we know your decision isn’t an easy one. If you’re looking for an integrated commission solution for your business, it’s best to find one that can easily work with your growth plans, competitively position you in the ecommerce space, and help you operate as quickly and efficiently as possible. And, above all, remember that the best company to partner with is the one that’s right for you. No matter who you choose to partner with, we hope it’s the best solution for your business.  

Click here to learn about the latest offering in our product stack—our commission-based FlexCloud platform. For a free demo, get in touch with a team member here.