The 5-Step Checklist I Use to Evaluate DG Software Vendors (And Avoid Costly Mistakes)

If you're a logistics or compliance manager looking at DG software—maybe you're searching for "labelmaster login" details or trying to get a demo—you've probably sat through a few sales pitches. They all sound great. The demos are slick. Everyone promises to make your hazmat shipping compliant and easy.

I'm a procurement manager at a 350-person chemical distributor. I've managed our compliance software and services budget (about $30k annually) for 6 years, negotiated with 12+ vendors, and documented every invoice and outcome in our cost tracking system. And I can tell you, the gap between the demo and the day-to-day reality is where budgets get blown.

Everything I'd read said to focus on features and price. In practice, I found that implementation support and hidden operational costs were the real budget-killers. A cheap upfront license doesn't help if your team can't use it properly and you're paying fines or wasting hours on workarounds.

This isn't a theoretical guide. It's the exact 5-step checklist I use—and have refined over 200+ tracked software-related purchases—to separate the truly valuable partners from the ones that just look good on a PowerPoint slide. Let's get into it.

Who This Checklist Is For & What You'll Need

Use this if you're evaluating DG software vendors (like Labelmaster's DGIS, ICC, or others) and you're responsible for the budget or the outcome. You don't need to be a tech expert. You do need:

• 30 minutes for steps 1-3 (pre-meeting work).
• Access to a colleague who actually ships DG (for step 2).
• A simple spreadsheet or document to take notes.

We're going to look at Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), not just the license fee. That means factoring in setup, training, ongoing support, and the labor cost of using the tool.

Step 1: Map Your 3 Messiest Shipments Before The Demo

Don't let the sales rep drive the demo with their perfect, simple example. You drive it with your messy reality.

The Task: Before you even get on a call, document three recent shipments that were complex, time-consuming, or error-prone. Think: multi-piece kits, shipments with limited quantities and fully regulated goods together, or anything that required a call to your corporate hazmat expert.

Why This Works: When I compared generic demos to tailored ones, I finally understood why some software feels great in a trial but clunky in real life. The vendor's perfect demo hides workflow friction. Your messy shipment reveals it immediately.

What to Ask in the Demo: "Can we use your software to build this specific shipment from scratch, right now?" Watch how many clicks it takes, where they have to look up information, and if the software guides them or if they have to know the regulation already. The best software simplifies the complex. The worst just digitizes the paperwork.

Step 2: Grill Them on Implementation & "Go-Live" Support (The Hidden Cost)

This is the step most people skip, and it's the most expensive mistake. People think a high license fee is the major cost. Actually, poor implementation leading to low user adoption is the cost that keeps giving—in errors, delays, and help desk tickets.

The Task: Get specific answers to these questions, and ask for them in writing:

• "What is included in your standard implementation? Is data migration from our old system included?"
• "Who is our point of contact? Is it the sales rep (who might vanish), a dedicated project manager, or a ticket system?"
• "What does training look like? Is it pre-recorded videos, one live webinar, or tailored sessions for our packers vs. our compliance managers?"
• "What's your service level agreement (SLA) for support during our first 90 days 'go-live' period? Is it different from standard support?"

My Experience: In 2023, I audited our spending. We paid a 20% premium for Vendor A over Vendor B. Vendor B's "cheaper" plan came with forum-only support and video training. Our team's adoption was so low we had to hire a consultant for $5,000 to get us operational. Vendor A's package included a dedicated onboarding specialist and three live training sessions. Their higher price was actually the lower TCO.

Step 3: Decode the Pricing Model & Ask for the "All-In" Annual Quote

Software pricing is a maze. You need the map.

The Task: Don't just ask for the price. Ask them to break down the pricing model and give you a formal quote for Year 1.

• Is it per user? Per shipment? A flat enterprise fee?
• What triggers a cost increase? (Adding the 10th user? Exceeding 100 shipments/month?).
• Are regulatory updates included? (They should be—this is DG software!).
• What's the annual maintenance or subscription fee after the first year? (Usually 15-25% of the license fee).

Get It In Writing: Say this: "Can you please provide a formal quote that includes the first-year license, all implementation and training fees, and any other one-time costs? I need to see the total first-year investment." This document is crucial for step 5.

Step 4: Conduct a Reference Call With a Recent Customer

A vendor will always give you a reference who loves them. Your job is to ask the right questions.

The Task: Ask the sales rep to connect you with a customer who went live in the past 6-12 months. Then, ask that customer about the process, not just the product.

Questions to Ask the Reference:

• "How did the implementation timeline match what was promised?"
• "Was the training useful for your different teams (e.g., veterans vs. new hires)?"
• "When you had a problem in your first month, how was support? How long did resolution take?"
• "What's one thing you wish you'd known before signing that you know now?"

This call is a reality check. If a vendor hesitates to provide a recent reference, consider it a red flag.

Step 5: Build Your Simple TCO Comparison Matrix

Now, bring it all together. This isn't about picking the cheapest option. It's about identifying the most valuable one.

The Task: Create a simple table with your final 2-3 vendors. Compare them on four key areas, using the data you've gathered:

1. First-Year Total Cost: The "all-in" quote from Step 3.
2. Implementation & Support Score: Your qualitative assessment from Steps 2 & 4. (Grade them: Strong, Medium, Weak).
3. Fit for Your Messy Reality: Your notes from the tailored demo in Step 1.
4. Growth Flexibility: Based on the pricing model from Step 3. Will costs spiral if you grow?

Seeing Vendor A and Vendor B side-by-side in this matrix made me realize that the obvious "feature leader" was actually a poor fit for our team's skill level. The simpler software with better support would get used correctly, making it more valuable than the powerful software that would sit half-utilized.

Important Notes & Where People Go Wrong

Don't Skip the Internal User: The biggest error is evaluating software only with managers. Involve at least one person who will use it daily in Step 1 and Step 2. Their frustration with a clunky interface is a real cost.

Beware the Customization Trap: Vendors might offer heavy customization to make their software "perfect" for you. This often means high upfront costs and a system that's harder to update. Favor vendors whose standard workflow is an 80% fit over ones who promise a 100% custom fit at a 300% cost.

On "Labelmaster Login" and Specific Contacts: If you're looking at Labelmaster specifically, you'll likely deal with their DGIS software team. While I can't speak to individual performance, in my vendor comparisons, their strength has been bundling software with their deep regulatory expertise and label/placard supply. That integration can be valuable—but still apply this checklist. For any vendor, always verify current pricing and support terms directly. A quote from December 2024 will be different from one in March 2025.

Final Thought: The goal isn't to find software that does everything. It's to find a solution your team will actually use correctly to keep shipments compliant and moving. The cheapest software that causes a $10,000 fine or a major shipment delay isn't cheap at all. Use this checklist to see the whole picture, not just the demo.