Too often, with technology, we set it and forget it. We go through the initial implementation or open the solution out of the box, then let it linger without updating it or looking for ways to improve its usage. Features go unused, reports go unreviewed, and frustration abounds.
There’s a better way. As we prepare for 2024, we can jump ahead by asking three questions of our vendors.
The questions
What features or enhancements are coming for 2024?
All vendors have a product roadmap. Your customer representative should be well-versed in what’s coming down the product pipeline. Planning today for 2024 enhancements can help you form a more fulsome annual plan, allowing you to take advantage of improved software options.
What changes should we make now?
Future states are important, but you may be able to make leaps now. Your customer service representative can evaluate how you currently use their product. Since compliance officers aren’t usually technical experts, we often don’t know about fancy reporting tools or how to enable APIs that allow one program to talk to another automatically. Asking for a quick review can yield huge rewards.
How do the most innovative companies use the product?
Compliance programs vary wildly in maturity. Customer service representatives have the advantage of seeing how many different companies use their products, both from a technical and internal process perspective. Asking the representative how other companies use the product can create inspiration.
