Ariba PunchOut: 20 Questions to Ask (Part 4/4)

Need an Ariba PunchOut Website, but Don’t Know What to Look For?
20 Important questions to ask an eCommerce software company before buying (Part 4/4)


Q16) How much are the ongoing monthly fees?
Understandably, there will be operating costs for the software vendor. A monthly fee of a couple hundred dollars is expected to go towards server hosting fees, maintenance, and technical support. Personally, I'd feel better knowing that the software company I choose has a viable business model with continued cash flow (regardless of order volume) that increases the chance of them continuing to be around years from now. You won't benefit from them going out of business. But ask what these fees go towards.

Q17) Will I get future enhancements?
If you do pay them money every month, then ideally, you should get future enhancements at no additional cost. And I'm not just talking about bug fixes (this is expected)… actual new features. Ask for specific examples of what are some of the latest features that their clients have benefited from and what other enhancements they are working on.

Q18) Can I have a list of references?
Sales talk is cheap… but references are earned. Ask for a list of existing customers that have purchased the system as well as end users (other Ariba Buyers) that are actually using the site. When you speak with them, make sure to ask if the project was completed on-time and within budget, and if they used any consultants to help them succeed.

Q19) Who else can help us?
Unless you've done Ariba PunchOuts before, you're going to need all the help you can get. Purchasing Ariba PunchOut compliant software is important, but partnering with experienced project managers and consultants who have a proven success record with managing PunchOut projects is vital. Ask the software company if they can recommend a consulting firm that is experienced both in Ariba and in their solution.

Q20) Should I try to PunchOut enable my existing website or just buy a new turn-key solution?
Modifying your existing website in an attempt to make it work with Ariba is a very difficult and ultimately more expensive effort with no way of knowing if you'll even succeed. Purchasing proven PunchOut capable software combined with partnering with experienced Ariba project managers and consultants is the only way to guarantee a successful integration with your Ariba Buyer.