In every industry, happy customers are product evangelists and a great source of customer referrals. They want everyone to know how great the product is, how much time it saves, and how it has delivered an exceptional experience.
There are lots of studies that suggest that customers on current versions of software are happier than customers on older versions. Analytics like Net Promoter Score, Average Sales per Customer, Customer Retention Rate, and even Repeat Sales measure customer engagement as a means of satisfaction. However, few of the methods actually explain why customers on current versions are happiest.
Here are seven reasons why customers are happier on newer releases of the software:
- Newer releases deliver features that resolve functional gaps along with usability enhancements aimed at improving the customer experience.
- Customers that frequently upgrade, maximize the value of their annual Business Care Plan thereby increasing the return of their investment.
- Routine maintenance likely means a longer product lifecycle because the software continues to evolve rather than becoming version locked.
- Investing in technology reinforces its importance within the organization, especially if the company views software as an asset to grow its business instead of a necessary operating expense.
- Comfort knowing that the latest software version provides the best chance of thwarting viruses and security breaches that can negatively harm a business.
- Customers are engaged in upcoming releases and actively submit new ideas, suggestions and feedback that drive roadmap plans.
- There’s excitement about what’s coming in the next release. Hundreds of thousands of customers attend publisher customer events and user groups annually to see and hear first-hand what new enhancement and features are in store.
If you haven’t upgraded recently, perhaps it’s time to assess your current system, the justification for your initial investment and your long-term plans to determine if an upgrade will benefit your organization. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to smile the next time someone asks how your ERP system is performing.
