Questions to Ask During a Safety Software Demo

(Editor’s note: This post has been updated to reflect our EHS specialist’s expert review.)

Attending demos calls is part of the software buying process.

As EHS professionals, when we ask for a demo, we usually don’t know what we don’t know. So when a vendor asks us if we have questions, it’s hard for us to get the answers we want.  

In theory, we know what we want EHS software to do. But what questions do we ask to decide which one is the right fit? 

I’ve been the EHS professional shopping for software. Now I’m an EHS Solutions Consultant and I’m the one running a demo, so I’ve heard from both sides.  

You can think of questions in 4 general buckets: software features, data management, tech support, and pricing. Then,

Software Features and Tools

The most common questions to ask during a software demo are the ones about the features and tools in the system:

• What are the main features of the software?
• Can you show me how [specific feature] works?
• Are there any new features you’re working on?
• What parts of the software can we customize?
• What kind of integrations does the system allow?
• How easy are the workflows to set up and configure?
• What kind of learning curve is there?
• Are there pre-built integrations, or is customization required?
• Does the software sync well with other systems?
• Do you have any upcoming updates or new features coming out?
• How often do you release new updates and how do we find out about them?
• Do you have a feedback system for us to provide suggestions or make requests?

Data Management and Storage

These software demo questions center around the system’s ability to store and manage critical data:

• What precautions do you take to protect our data?
• How often is the data backed up?
• Can we import historical data into the system and if so, how long does it take?
• Do you charge extra for data migration or is that included with implementation?

Technical Support

Here are some questions to ask during a software demo that involve the technical side of the product and how you’ll implement it:

• What does the implementation process involve?
• How much support do you provide during implementation and onboarding?
• What customer support do you provide once we go live?
• Is there a dedicated account manager or support team?
• Do you provide support resources (forums, manuals, tutorials, etc.)?

Pricing and Contract Terms

Lastly, it’s important to cover questions about pricing and contract terms during a software demo. You should know right away whether the system is in or out of your price range:

• How do you determine the software price?
• What different plans or tiers do you offer?
• Are there any additional fees on top of the software cost?
• Can you provide a breakdown of costs based on our usage and requirements?
• Do you charge any maintenance fees?
• Do you have a refund policy?
• What is your termination policy? Are there any early cancellation fees?

8 Questions to Evaluate Your EHS Software Shortlist

To really understand differentiators, dig in with these questions.

Buyers who ask more questions end up happier six months in because they found out what the system does for them specifically. I help customers migrate off EHS software that’s overcomplicated, expensive, and bloated because they didn’t ask the right questions. 

If you’re evaluating EHS software and have it down to a shortlist, here’s what I’d ask: 

1. “Can you show me how a corrective action gets assigned, escalated, and closed?” Ask for this in a live demo to gauge if you’re going to be able to follow their method. Eventually, you’re going to be the person managing the corrective action. How many form fields and menu options are they going through before they get anything done? 

2. “I manage multiple sites. Can I see rolled-up compliance status across all of them in this call?” Site-level dashboards make it hard for one EHS director to trend data. If you can consolidate data, that’s a big win.  

3. “What happens automatically when an item is 30 days from expiring? What happens if it’s ignored?” See if you can get proof their system escalates the issue. 

4. “Can I bring one of our actual audit forms and configure it into the system on this call?” Make the demo yours! A platform that can’t take your forms will cost you a change-management project. 

5. “Do we pay for the full suite, or can we start with the module we actually need and add on later?” A lot of platforms make you buy everything to get anything. Frankly, most of us don’t need a bloated enterprise software suite. We log on to do our paperwork and then get right back on the floor. 

6. “Walk me through implementation. Who handles data migration, and what’s our go-live date?” Lots of enterprise EHS solutions take quarters to implement. Many of them will also offload the data migration to you.  

7. “Can a technician complete this from a phone on the floor?” If the answer is “the mobile app is limited,” ask what “limited” means. See if you can get examples of the mobile version. 

8. “What does a management-of-change request look like moving through every required approval step?” See if you can monitor what happens if a step if skipped, too. 

These are worth asking because they start piecing together if the software is right for your needs. Many EHS platforms have something for everyone, there’s no discounting that. But I’m happy with EHS software that’s customizable, tailored to my needs, and simple.