Be sure that the system is the right size for your business: too big and you'll find the system cumbersome, expensive to buy and expensive to run; too small and you'll be limited with what you can do. A good guide can be to find out the size of the provider's average customer. If you're going to be one of their bigger dealerships you might be stretching the software's capability. Similarly if you're going to be one of their smaller customers the software might be more than you need. You could also talk to satisfied dealerships that area a similar size to you and see what they are using. Ask how old the software is, be wary of revamped old technology with just a windows front end. The software should be truly Windows® based from the ground up, not old proprietary technology. Software needs to be constantly evolving to keep up with today's technological advances. How many staff are in the provider's software development team? Is there a formalised procedure for feeding back information? How do you get updates? Is the system constantly being developed? If not, are you buying an outdated system? The provider should do much more than just give you software. Are they able to seamlessly integrate the new software into your business and tailor it to meet your unique needs? What's the background of their staff, do they have critical industry knowledge? Are they able to offer sound business advice to help you get the most out of your new system? Does the provider have plenty of satisfied customers and are you able to talk to them direct? What levels of support do they supply? How do you pay for this? How good are their response rates? Do they have systems in place to benchmark their support? The bottom line is that the best technologies and development resources are directed towards the Windows® environment. If the software isn't windows based it will be unlikely to accommodate new technologies. Broadly comparing costs from different providers may not be a useful exercise as some costs could be hidden to make the bottom line more attractive. Carefully consider just what's included. What does the base system include, do you need to pay for costly extras to get what you want? Do you pay for upgrades or are they included in the support charges? Does the provider have close relationships with all of the major vehicle and equipment manufacturers? You want to be assured that as soon as factory enhancements become available your provider is aware of them and will incorporate the change within a reasonable period.