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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesBefore choosing an analytics platform, ask every shortlisted vendor the same questions, request written answers and supporting evidence, and score each response against your actual workflows. A polished demo or a generic promise to “integrate” is not enough: you need to verify data fit, privacy and exit controls, full costs, implementation effort, and support.
1. Can you demonstrate our priority workflows?
Give each vendor the same short list of required tasks and ask for a live or recorded demonstration using representative scenarios or data. For each workflow, ask the vendor to distinguish what works out of the box, what requires configuration, and what requires custom development. Record any assumptions, dependencies, or limitations.
A 2021 Center for Internet Security security analytics RFP treated a platform demonstration as a major technical evaluation factor alongside written proposals. That is a useful procurement example, not a current market benchmark: use your own requirements to judge whether a product fits.
2. Which data sources, destinations, APIs, and connectors do you support?
Name the systems you use rather than asking whether the product “integrates.” For every source and destination, find out how data is ingested, transformed, modeled, and exported, and whether the connection is native, partner-provided, API-based, or custom work. Salesforce’s CDP buying guide discusses source coverage, partner integrations, APIs, ETL, and data-model flexibility as buying considerations.
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- Which of our named systems are supported today, and which require a partner or custom connector?
- What data can each connection send and receive, and how frequently does it update?
- Can we inspect, change, or reuse transformations and mappings?
- How do you identify and resolve gaps, duplicates, and inconsistent data across sources?
3. How do you define identity, events, and metrics?
Ask the vendor to explain the core concepts behind its reports and models. For a customer data platform, for example, identity resolution may involve CRM records, marketing systems, device identifiers, households, or companies. Confirm which definitions and models can be changed to match your use case.
Ask whether changing an identity rule, event definition, or metric affects historical reporting, and request a concrete example. Historical behavior is something to verify for the specific product and configuration; it should not be assumed from a general description of the platform.
4. What data do you collect, how is it used, and what controls can we configure?
Request the applicable data-processing terms and ask for specifics on collection, access, retention, deletion, data sharing, subprocessors, and linked services. Clarify the roles and responsibilities that apply to your organization and deployment rather than relying on generic claims about privacy or compliance.
Google’s Analytics documentation says that, under the GDPR terms it describes, Google Analytics customers are controllers and Google acts as processor; it also describes customer rights concerning collection, access, retention, and deletion. Those statements are specific to Google’s documented service and terms, and do not establish another vendor’s legal role or compliance.
5. What happens when data moves through integrations or leaves the platform?
For every integration, ask what data is sent, to whom, under which terms, and whether your administrators can audit or disable the connection. Google says data exported through a linked integration is subject to the integration partner’s terms and policies, and that Google Analytics no longer maintains access or control over that exported data. Verify equivalent details for each platform and connected service you are considering.
6. What is the complete cost at our current and forecast scale?
Ask for an itemized estimate based on your current usage and a forecast. The estimate should state the pricing unit, volume assumptions, included limits, overage rules, and both recurring and one-time charges. Include costs that may sit outside the base license:
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- Licenses, users, events, records, or other usage-based charges
- Hosting, storage, bandwidth, and additional environments
- Implementation, migration, training, and support
- Add-ons, premium connectors, and services
The CIS RFP evaluated licensing models and projected costs based on volume, hosting, storage, bandwidth, and other fees. A people analytics checklist also prompts buyers to ask about subscription or per-user pricing and extra charges. These sources identify cost categories; they do not provide current market prices.
7. What implementation work, timeline, and internal resources are required?
Ask for a written implementation plan with milestones, owners, prerequisites, and dependencies. It should make clear what the vendor configures, what your team must provide, which integrations are included, and how migration will be handled. Ask what commonly delays deployment for a project with your systems and data, and how those risks will be managed.
Request vendor-specific timeline assumptions and a definition of “live” or “time to value.” A checklist can help surface the right questions, but only the vendor’s documented plan can establish what it expects for your deployment.
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8. How will we validate performance, scale, and accessibility?
Describe the data volumes, growth, user numbers, and reporting workloads you expect. Ask the vendor to demonstrate those scenarios or explain how they can be validated, then request service or performance measures that apply to your proposed product and contract. Do not treat a general uptime or scale statement as a commitment unless the relevant measure and terms are documented.
Also assess whether the product works for the people who will use it: ask about usability for your team’s skill levels, accessibility needs, and supported devices. A people analytics checklist raises these as evaluation prompts; it does not establish that any particular platform meets a given threshold.
9. What support, training, customer evidence, and roadmap can you document?
Ask what onboarding and ongoing support include, how escalation works, and whether training or professional services cost extra. Request references or case studies from customers with comparable use cases, scale, and technical environments. Ask which product developments are planned, how customer feedback informs priorities, and what roadmap information the vendor is willing to document.
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The CIS RFP included implementation support, product evolution, and past performance among its evaluation factors. A people analytics checklist likewise raises training, services, references, case studies, roadmap, and customer feedback. Treat each as a prompt to obtain evidence from the vendor, not proof that a product delivers a particular outcome.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.10. How do we retrieve or delete our data when the contract ends?
Get the exit process in writing before signing. Ask what data you can export, in which formats, how long retrieval takes, whether there are fees, and how deletion works—including any applicable backups and retention commitments. Clarify whether the process covers connected services as well as the main platform.
Google documents user-data deletion and export mechanisms for Analytics, but notes that deleting a user does not delete associated aggregate data such as page URLs visited. Confirm the precise scope and process for the product, configuration, and contract you are evaluating.
How to compare vendors’ answers
Use one shared scorecard so a strong presentation does not obscure missing evidence. Set the weight of each category according to your organization’s priorities, then score each vendor against the same use cases and assumptions.
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| Evaluation area | What to assess | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow fit | Whether priority tasks work as required, including the configuration or custom work involved | Scenario-based demonstration and written response |
| Data and integrations | Named sources, destinations, APIs, transformations, and model fit | Connector details, data flows, and mapping examples |
| Privacy, security, and exit | Collection, access, retention, deletion, portability, and downstream controls | Applicable terms, settings, and written exit process |
| Cost | Total projected spend at current and forecast usage | Itemized estimate with pricing units, limits, and assumptions |
| Implementation and support | Work, timeline, internal resources, training, and escalation | Plan, responsibilities, service details, and applicable commitments |
| Customer evidence and direction | Comparable past performance and product evolution | References, case studies, and documented roadmap information |
For each answer, record whether it is demonstrated, documented, or only asserted. Note unresolved assumptions and follow up in writing. A buying guide or checklist can help you frame questions, but it is not independent proof that a vendor’s product meets your requirements.
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