What Keeps a Practice Using the Same Software for 30 Years?

William B. has used Herfert Software since 1984. That is 42 years on the same practice management system. Les has been on it since 1985. Ginger G., also since 1985. Tammy at Rodnick Chiropractic, approximately 30 years. William at Bender Chiropractic, over 30 years. Dawn at Horizon Chiropractic, since 1997. Susan B., since 1996. Brian Lane, 21 years. Donald M. Reno, almost 20 years. Karen at The Robbins Chiropractic Center, nearly 20 years.

That is not normal in software. The average lifespan of a business software product is about 6 to 8 years before the vendor sunsets it, gets acquired, or pivots. Herfert has been in continuous operation since 1980, and a significant portion of its customer base has been around for decades.

We looked at what these long-term users actually say about why they stay.

It Is Not Inertia

The obvious explanation for staying with any software for 30 years is switching costs. Migration is painful, data transfer is risky, and retraining staff takes time. But several of these long-term reviewers explicitly say they have looked at alternatives or even tried them.

William B., the customer since 1984, wrote:

“I have witnessed many Chiropractors leave Herfert to get the latest offering from other companies only to see them disappointed in either performance, service or viability of the software company and return to Herfert.”

He is not staying because switching is hard. He is staying because he has watched colleagues switch and regret it.

Genevieve G. used Herfert for 18 years, then actually made the switch to a larger competitor:

“We tried another software 3 years ago, one of the big names. The staff hated it, it was way too complex and did almost too much. We just like the small business, easy to reach, easy to use feel of Herfert Software.”

She came back. The switching cost argument does not explain that. She already paid the cost of switching away and then paid it again to come back.

What Long-Term Users Actually Value

Reading through the reviews from customers with 10+ years on the platform, three themes come up repeatedly.

The software evolves without breaking what works. Tammy at Rodnick Chiropractic has used Herfert for roughly 30 years:

“Herfert Software has utilized Herfert Software for approximately 30 years and it keeps getting better. Ease of use is amazing and their customer service is unbeatable. Most impressive about Herfert is their continuing effort and ability to improve in accordance with the changing billing requirements.”

The key phrase is “it keeps getting better.” She is not describing a product frozen in time. She is describing a product that has updated continuously for three decades while maintaining the simplicity that made her choose it in the first place.

Susan B., an office manager since 1996, said something similar in fewer words:

“Everything. And we keep learning new features.”

After 30 years, she is still discovering capabilities. That suggests a product that adds depth without adding complexity.

Support stays personal. Dawn at Horizon Chiropractic Health Center has been with Herfert since 1997:

“We are not a very ‘tech-savvy’ office and their staff, particularly Gary, has always been extremely patient and helpful when we need assistance.”

She names a specific person. After nearly 30 years, she knows the support team by name. That is a fundamentally different support experience from submitting a ticket to a queue and getting a different agent every time.

Ginger G., a customer since 1985, described the same thing:

“Herfert Software has been a part of our practice since 1985 and we love the personal support provided (if at all possible immediate help is available). This aspect is a must in a high volume practice.”

Immediate, personal support. Not “your ticket has been escalated.” Not “please allow 24-48 hours.” A real person who knows your practice and picks up the phone.

The company outlasts the competition. William B. made this point explicitly when he mentioned the “viability of the software company.” In the chiropractic software market over the past 40 years, dozens of vendors have launched, grown, been acquired, changed direction, or shut down entirely. Practices that chose those vendors had to migrate, sometimes more than once.

Herfert is still here. Still independently owned. Still focused exclusively on chiropractic. For a practice evaluating software today, that track record is a data point that no feature comparison can replicate.

What 340 Combined Years of Use Tells You

Across all 85 reviews, Herfert’s customer base represents approximately 340 combined years of use. That number comes from the specific tenures reviewers mention: 42 years, 41 years, 30 years, and so on down the list.

340 years of combined use across 85 reviewers means the average reviewer has been with Herfert for roughly 4 years at the time of their review. But the distribution is what matters. A large cluster of reviewers has been on the platform for 15 to 40+ years. That is not a product people tolerate. That is a product people choose to keep using through multiple technology cycles, multiple staff turnovers, and multiple opportunities to switch.

The Question Worth Asking

When evaluating practice management software, most comparison guides focus on feature checklists. Does it do SOAP notes? Does it handle electronic billing? Does it have a scheduler?

Every modern chiropractic software product checks those boxes. The harder question is: will this company and this product still be here in 10 years? Will the support team still pick up the phone? Will updates keep coming without breaking what you have built your workflows around?

Herfert’s longest-tenured customers have answered that question with decades of continued use. Their reviews do not read like people who are stuck. They read like people who found something that works and never had a reason to leave.