Five Questions a New Order and Execution Management System Vendor Should Ask You

Choosing a new Order and Execution Management System (OEMS) isn’t just about what the vendor can do—it’s about how well they understand your business. A truly strategic OEMS provider should lead with curiosity, not just features. If they’re not asking smart, tailored questions from the beginning, that’s a red flag.

Here are five essential questions every OEMS vendor should ask you before proposing a solution—and why those questions matter.

1. What Are Your Organizational Needs?

This may sound broad, but it’s one of the most critical starting points. Your OEMS provider should understand:

Are you a broker-dealer, asset manager, or proprietary trading firm?
What asset classes do you trade?
What markets and geographies do you operate in?
How do you plan to manage compliance and regulatory requirements?

A cookie-cutter platform won’t cut it. Your vendor should be working to tailor a solution that matches your operational, regulatory, and execution needs—not forcing you into a generic workflow.

2. Do You Need Holistic Order Management or Just a Front-End Order System?

Many trading firms assume they need an all-in-one solution. But some may only require a front-end execution tool while others need full post-trade workflows, allocations, and reporting.

This question helps clarify whether you need:

A full OEMS (Order + Execution) platform
A standalone EMS (Execution Management System)
A more traditional OMS (Order Management System)

Understanding your workflow complexity will determine the right architecture—and avoid overbuying or underbuilding.

3. What’s Your Current Infrastructure—and What Processes need to be Integrated?

A good OEMS doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Your vendor should ask:

What operational systems need to be connected to the OMS?
Are there any Start-of-Day files you need loaded into the solution? (e.g. Risk, Position, etc..)
Do you require FIX connectivity or APIs with any outside platforms/customers?

If your systems can’t talk to each other, efficiency and data quality will suffer. The right OEMS vendor should aim for seamless integration from day one.

4. What Are Your Reporting and Compliance Requirements?

If your provider isn’t asking detailed questions about compliance workflows, that’s a concern.

Do you require audit trails or real-time surveillance?
What regulatory regimes do you fall under (e.g., SEC, MiFID II, FINRA)?
Do you need exception reporting or pre-trade risk checks?

A robust OEMS should act as a partner in reducing risk and strengthening compliance scores — not just executing trades.

5. How Will Success Be Measured?

A top-tier OEMS vendor will want to understand:

What is your firm’s timeline to go live on the solution set?
What products and services are most important to the success of your operations?
What are the pain points with your current workflow that we can focus on streamlining?

By asking this, the vendor shows they’re not just trying to make a sale—they’re working to become a long-term strategic partner.

Why It Matters

When a vendor asks the right questions, they’re telling you something important: they care about your outcomes, not just selling their product.

At Trafix, we begin every client relationship by understanding the full picture—from infrastructure and execution strategy to compliance and support needs. Our multi-asset OEMS platform is built for flexibility, scalability, and real-time performance—because that’s what today’s trading environment demands.

Thinking About Switching OEMS Providers?

Let’s have a real conversation—one that starts with questions about your business, not just a demo. Contact us today to speak with a Trafix expert.