Firstly, it is of course important that the system has the features you need - but it is just as important to examine the supplier itself. After all, the system needs to survive in the long term, evolve with the times and offer good service and support along the way. Here are six ways to find out if the system provider is right for you.

Size

Large suppliers have the advantage of large resources and broad functionality - and the supplier is likely to be around in a few years' time. The disadvantage of a large supplier is that commitment and responsiveness to your particular needs may be low. If you can find a partner that is "just right", this is often the best option - where functionality often meets really good service. 

Geography

We live in a globalised world and goods and services can be bought from all over the world. However, for a variety of reasons (environmental, ethical, cultural, control) it may be wise to choose a partner that is close geographically. This is particularly true when it comes to business systems for your hospitality business. Regulations, laws and requirements are different in different countries, and communication between you and the supplier is also a key issue - and it will be easier if you speak the same language.  

Support

If you are looking for a simple system, support may not be an important issue. But as soon as the system is important and something more substantial, support and training become necessary to highlight. Support hours and language - and the channels through which you can reach them - are three key issues. But you should also investigate how important your vendor seems to think support is: do they work with personal service, is support highlighted as a benefit, what are their channels for support etc?

Partners 

An interesting question for the future may be which partners/networks the system works in. Your system should help you evolve and then other solutions and integration possibilities in the system's "vicinity" may also do so.

References

An easy way to form an opinion about a future partner is to ask existing customers what they think. It is important to form your own opinion and not just get standard answers from the customers that the potential supplier sends you. Ask your own critical questions, preferably to reference customers you have found yourself. 

Whole vs. individual parts 

One final point, before looking at the systems themselves, is to look at the overall offer of the supplier. Which of your needs can the supplier cover? The benefits of using multiple systems from the same vendor are several - the systems will hopefully be made to interact smartly with each other and support cases will clearly be easier to manage when different vendors can't "Scylla" on each other. The other side of the coin can be that you have "all your eggs in one basket" and become dependent on one vendor. So check carefully that it's a supplier you're comfortable with in a long-term relationship - because collaboration is really what it's all about.