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Step 2: Assess Business Needs (Current & Future)

Now that you know what you have, let's figure out if it actually meets your needs. This step is about alignment: do your tools match what your business actually needs?

Why Business Needs Assessment Matters​

The Core Issue:

Most companies have tools that don't match their actual needs. You might be:

  • Paying for "what if" scenarios that never happen
  • Using tools that are overkill for your current needs
  • Stuck with tools that are underpowered and can't handle growth
  • Fighting with tools that don't match your workflows
  • Using tools chosen based on marketing promises, not actual needs

The Cost of Misalignment:

  • Paying for features you'll never use
  • Manual workarounds because the tool doesn't fit your process
  • Need to upgrade/replace as you grow (expensive migrations)
  • Team frustration with tools that don't work the way they work
  • Lost productivity from fighting with tools instead of using them

Assessing Current Business Needs​

For each tool, ask these questions:

Functional Needs​

  • What specific tasks does this tool need to do?
  • What workflows does it need to support?
  • What features do we actually use?
  • What features are we paying for but not using?
  • Does it match how our team actually works?

Scale Needs​

  • How many users need access?
  • What's our current volume? (contacts, emails, campaigns, etc.)
  • Are we near plan limits?
  • Will we outgrow this tool in 6-12 months?

Integration Needs​

  • What other tools does it need to connect to?
  • What data needs to flow between systems?
  • Are there manual processes that should be automated?

Team Needs​

  • What's the learning curve?
  • Does the team actually use it?
  • Is it intuitive for your team's skill level?
  • Do you need training/support?

Assessing Future Business Needs​

Don't just think about today. Think about tomorrow:

Growth Projections:

  • Where will your business be in 6 months? 12 months? 2 years?
  • How will your team size change?
  • How will your marketing volume change?
  • What new capabilities will you need?

Flexibility Requirements:

  • Will your processes change?
  • Will you need to customise workflows?
  • Will you need to integrate with new tools?
  • Will you need to scale up or down quickly?

Risk Considerations:

  • What if the vendor raises prices significantly?
  • What if the vendor goes out of business?
  • What if you need to switch tools?
  • Can you export your data easily?

The Tool Fit Evaluation Framework​

For each tool, evaluate:

Current Fit:

  • Perfect Fit: Tool matches needs exactly, team loves it
  • Good Fit: Tool works well, minor gaps
  • Poor Fit: Tool doesn't match needs, constant workarounds
  • Wrong Tool: Tool doesn't do what you need

Future Fit:

  • Scalable: Can grow with you
  • Flexible: Can adapt to changes
  • Replaceable: Can switch if needed
  • Risky: Hard to replace, vendor dependency

Decision Framework:

  • Keep: Good fit now + scalable for future
  • Upgrade: Good fit but need more features/capacity
  • Downgrade: Overkill, can use simpler/cheaper version
  • Replace: Poor fit, find better alternative
  • Eliminate: Doesn't meet needs, not critical

Common Misalignment Patterns​

Pattern 1: Overkill Tools

Paying for enterprise features when you're a small team.

  • Example: HubSpot Professional when Starter would work
  • Solution: Downgrade to tier that matches actual needs

Pattern 2: Underpowered Tools

Tool can't handle your volume.

  • Example: Free Mailchimp when you need automation
  • Solution: Upgrade or switch to tool that scales

Pattern 3: Wrong Tool for Your Industry

Generic tool when you need industry-specific.

  • Example: Generic email tool for e-commerce (should use Klaviyo)
  • Solution: Switch to industry-appropriate tool

Pattern 4: Tools That Don't Match Workflows

Tool forces you to change how you work.

  • Example: CRM that doesn't match your sales process
  • Solution: Find tool that matches your workflows

Business Needs Checklist​

For each tool:

  • Does it meet our current functional needs?
  • Does it match our actual workflows?
  • What features do we actually use?
  • What features are we paying for but not using?
  • Can it scale with our growth?
  • Will we outgrow it soon?
  • Does it match our team's skill level?
  • Is it flexible enough for future changes?
  • Can we replace it if needed?
  • What would happen if the vendor disappeared?

Previous: Step 1: Complete Stack Audit
Next: Step 3: Assess Tool Integration & API Availability