Finder Tool

Appropriate software can make a big difference for your business and finding the right tools can take a lot of work away from your shoulders. However, sticking to a solution that is not a perfect match can confuse and create even more work while keeping you guessing if there may be a better option for you out there.

With a wide range of software in every niche, the selection journey is time-consuming, and you might still make the final decision based on gut feelings or assumptions since there is just too much to consider.

This is where our software finder tool comes in as a saver.

What is the Finder Tool?

The finder tool is a step-by-step questionnaire with simple questions that help us understand your business to narrow down your specific needs, intentions, budget, and priorities for software in a particular category.

It allows us to collect the essential information necessary to understand your pain points and demands. Thereby, our custom algorithms are provided with all inputs needed to give a specific recommendation that matches your profile.

Sounds easy so far. Let’s look under the hood.

Our main goal at Softailed is to perform the most accurate competitive software analyses and maintain a regularly updated database of software services so you can find the best fit for your business. You can find more information about how we develop our analyses on our Best Picks page.

During our first studies, we’ve discovered that users need more than a comprehensive software list to choose from. They want to be guided and find just one specific software tool to rely on.

So who would be best to judge what’s best for your business?

Well, it’s you.

But unfortunately, you haven’t used any software of its kind before, and if you have, then you won’t have compared it to all options on the market and frankly don’t have the time or industry knowledge to do so. The next best group to best judge your needs would be industry experts and similar companies to yours that use or need specific software.

And this is where the idea for the software finder tool was born.

Using our extensive research, we can match the results from each study with different customer groups. And because you are the best person to judge what you need, we create questions together with industry experts to understand which customer group you belong to. Think of it like a guided tour through our research, just that you don’t have to deal with all the noise. We have combined both worlds of market research and your personal view in one tool to tailor it down so you can easily find the best software for your business.

Let’s take a closer look at how we assemble the finder tool for each software category.

1. Research Scalping

We take our research and extract every detail about what can determine customer segments and different characteristics related to the software category.

2. Customer Segment Mapping

Together with industry experts, we put together customer segments based on our robust market insights and outline the key features of every segment.

3. Software Matching

We take the results from our study and assign software to each customer segment tailored to their primary needs and pain points.

4. Questionnaire Development

We brainstorm straightforward questions that lead us to understand precisely which customer segment a user belongs to. Next, we look at which questions can be grouped or aim for the same outcome. We then eliminate all questions that are not more purposeful and keep a small selection of questions that answer everything to determine a segment.

5. Algorithm Creation

We create the algorithm that matches a user's combinations of questions and answers with the appropriate best software. In addition to the segments, we include additional branches so that each unique case receives an individual recommendation. Even though we design the questions accordingly, we can ensure maximum accuracy that way because we have set a custom recommendation for each possible path, no matter the answers or how close a user may be to multiple segments.

6. Quality Assurance

We check each part of the process for any discrepancies. Furthermore, we perform a short test with real people and businesses to see if we hit the target correctly. In the last step, we still test exceptional cases and adjust the algorithm if something has been noticed during the QA.

As you can see, the base of the software finder tool has much to do with grouping businesses and needs.

Customer research is a core element in determining what is essential in general and what applies only in some instances. For example, a small company likely wouldn't need as complex software functionality as a larger enterprise, and lower costs could be more meaningful. On the other hand, a larger company that is not on a tight budget usually aims for more specific features and advanced automation options. Using industry experts and actual data to create a quiz is the only way to nail down what we need to know and what can lead to tailored suggestions for every software category.

How does the Finder Tool work?

Our software finder tool is simple to use.

Here is how it works:

1. Select a software category at the top of this page.
2. Start the questionnaire and answer all the questions.
3. Receive your result and see your inputs as a summary below.

You can retake the quiz anytime to change your answers to specific questions and see if your changes would affect the resulting recommendation.

Find the perfect software for your business

You've come to the right place if you need a software solution for your business but don’t know where to start, which features to look for, and how to fit it all within your priorities. The software finder tool will solve this riddle for you.

If you have several providers in mind and need more evidence to make the final decision, check out the Comparison Tool to see differences.

Or head to the Best Picks to get an overview from our perspective and see which providers perform the best overall.