The short answer
Define the problem and how you'll measure success, agree who decides, confirm the budget, set a decision date, then test a short list of suppliers against the same requirements and the same script. Do most of the work before the first demo, not after it.
What are the stages of a technology buying process?
Whatever you’re buying, the same stages apply. The size of the purchase changes how long each one takes, not whether you need it.
- Define the problem and how you’ll know it’s solved.
- Agree who decides, who advises and who signs.
- Confirm the budget, or what it will take to get one.
- Set a decision date and work backwards from it.
- Write your requirements, ranked by importance.
- Build a longlist, then a shortlist of suppliers.
- Run demos or trials against the same script for every supplier.
- Check references, security and the contract.
- Decide, negotiate and sign.
- Plan the rollout before the contract starts.
How do you define the problem?
Write it in your own words, not a supplier’s. One page is enough: what isn’t working, who it affects, what it costs you today and what would be different if it were fixed. Then add two or three measures you’d use to judge success, such as hours saved a week, errors per month or time to answer a customer.
If you can’t write that page yet, you’re not ready to talk to suppliers. You’re still researching, and that’s fine. Treat any supplier conversation at this stage as research rather than the start of a sale.
Who should be involved?
Name these people at the start, and write down who makes the final call:
- The owner: the person whose problem this is and who will be measured on fixing it.
- The budget holder: the person who signs off the money. Sometimes the same person, often not.
- Users: two or three people who will use it every day. They spot problems demos hide.
- IT and security: for integration, data and access. Bring them in early, not at the end.
- Procurement and legal: for the contract, terms and supplier checks.
Agreement matters more than headcount. If the people involved don’t agree on what success looks like, sort that out before booking demos.
How do you set a realistic timeline?
Pick the date you need a decision by and work backwards. Mark the steps that need other teams, such as security review, legal review and procurement approval, and ask those teams now how long they need. Those steps run on their schedule, not yours.
How many suppliers should you shortlist?
We suggest three. That gives you a real comparison of approach and price, and few enough that you can test each one properly. Build a longer list first from peers, search, analysts and AI assistants, then cut it down against your must-have requirements.
How do you run a fair evaluation?
- Agree your scoring criteria and weightings before the first demo.
- Give every supplier the same scenarios to show, based on your real work, not their standard demo.
- Have the same people score every supplier, independently, then compare.
- Where you can, trial the product with real users and real data.
- Keep notes of what each supplier promised. Those promises belong in the contract.
What should you check before you sign?
Speak to references who look like you in size and use case. Get security evidence in writing. Read the renewal, notice and exit terms as carefully as the price. Our questions to ask a technology supplier covers this in detail.
How ready are you right now?
The Asand benchmark scores your buying readiness across five areas that follow this process: clarity, alignment, budget, timing and momentum. It takes about eight minutes, it’s anonymous by default and you see your result straight away. Take the benchmark.