Stephen Turner
Akash Kumar
Jordan Lee
Taylor Scott
Compare software vendors from what they said on the demo
Vendor demos blur together, and each one steers toward its strengths. Set your criteria first, ask every vendor the same questions, and capture the calls. Then fill in a scorecard from what each vendor actually said, and list what still needs proof.
Why demo memories mislead
Each vendor steers a demo toward its strengths, so you rarely compare the same things. And in our view, by the third demo it's easier to recall the presenter than the answers.
The fix is simple: decide what matters before you see anyone, and hold every vendor to the same questions. The deliverable is one scorecard your team can defend.
Before the demos: fix the criteria
Write down what the software must do, using real tasks from your team. Split must-haves from nice-to-haves, and agree on weights while nobody has a favorite yet.
- Three to five tasks the vendor must show live, using your example data.
- Dealbreakers, such as a required integration or security review.
- Who scores which criteria: a finance lead on pricing, a daily user on workflow.
- The same list of questions, sent to every vendor ahead of time.
During each demo: same order, same questions
Tell the vendor you're recording, and ask if they're fine with it. Then let your own tasks run the call, with the pitch last if there's time.
When a vendor says "yes, we can do that", ask to see it. Have one person note live whether each task was shown or only described, since a transcript may not make that clear.
- Show each task from your list. What was shown, and what was only described?
- What does this cost at our size, including add-ons and onboarding?
- What doesn't it do that customers like us often ask for?
- Who could we talk to about a similar rollout?
After: build the scorecard
This is an illustrative layout. Fill each cell from the call, and add a quote or timestamp so anyone can check it. Scores come from people, not from the transcript.
| Criterion | Vendor A | Vendor B | Proof status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imports our CSV | Showed it live, with our file | Said yes, showed a slide | B: ask for a live test |
| Salesforce sync | Two-way, on the top plan | One-way only | A: confirm the plan in writing |
| Price for 40 seats | Quoted on the call | "We'll follow up" | B: quote still needed |
| Onboarding | Named a dedicated contact | Self-serve guides | Check with a reference |
Doing this in Bridge
Demos often run on the vendor's own link, so the vendor usually decides whether to admit Bridge Agent on Zoom, Google Meet or Teams. If they agreed to recording but don't admit the agent, the Bridge desktop app for Apple Silicon Macs can record those calls bot-free, plus Webex and GoTo Meeting. If they'd rather not be recorded, take notes by hand.
Put each evaluation's calls in one Space, on Professional or above, and share it with buying team members in your workspace. Guests can't use the Space's Assistant, which answers across those meetings. It shows no source links, so open the meeting's transcript to check an answer.
Prompts to try on the Space
These are examples to adapt. Treat every answer as a lead, and open the meeting to confirm it before it goes on the scorecard.
- For each vendor, what did they say about Salesforce sync?
- List every price each vendor mentioned, and what it covers.
- What did we ask that a vendor didn't answer?
What this won't settle
- A demo isn't a test. Run a trial or a pilot on anything critical.
- Spoken claims can change. Get pricing and commitments in writing.
- Transcripts can mishear product names and numbers, so confirm figures with the vendor in writing.
- References and security reviews still need their own conversations.