We’ve all heard the saying “out with the old, in with the new.” That’s become a must-have attitude for businesses these days, as new technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), smartphones and more change consumers’ expectations. Delivering a stellar customer experience (CX) has become vital for companies across all industries: The majority (74 percent) of CX leaders anticipate budget increases this year, according to Gartner’s 2019 Customer Experience Management Survey.
Improving CX and embracing new technologies via the process of digital transformation go hand-in-hand. Current and potential clients will quickly lose patience with your business if, for instance, their only option is to call you, instead of having the choice to email, chat online or text your customer service reps via a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform. Likewise, if your competitors can check inventory and pull up quotes on tablets while your team still uses pencil and paper, you’ll probably find yourself losing business.
The Biggest Challenge in New Tech Implementation: People
However, modernizing your workplace and implementing new tech is often much easier said than done. What if your team likes your legacy tools and is reluctant to make a change? Many individuals prefer to stick with what’s familiar and comfortable, whether it’s their go-to order at a restaurant or a CRM platform they already know inside and out.
As a result, when it comes to adopting new IT solutions, people are often the biggest problem: A survey conducted by Forrester Research and CustomerThink found that of 414 sales, marketing, customer service or tech management professionals involved in CRM tech projects, 38 percent said the issues they ran across were people-related (e.g., sluggish end user adoption, inattention to training and change management efforts, and so on).
Fortunately, there are ways to convince change-averse members of the workforce to embrace new platforms and products. If you’re looking to implement a new type of technology in your workplace and are looking into how to get hesitant end users on board with new tech, we recommend you keep these tips and strategies in mind.
1. Look for tech that’s easy-to-use and intuitive, rather than just going for the most advanced platform.
Businesses that purchase the latest, fanciest solutions while disregarding user friendliness set themselves up for failure where user adoption is concerned, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) article “How to Boost New Technology Adoption Rates.”
If new tech is confusing and complicated, people are more likely to become frustrated with it and avoid using it in favor of the old tool or system.
2. Don’t just go with the most high-profile supplier.
During the shopping-around phase of adopting an IT solution, you might be tempted to simply go with the biggest name out there when considering different solution providers. However, it’s important to remember that technology is rarely one-size-fits-all: Instead of selecting the most well-known supplier, you should try to find one that aligns best with your specific organizational objectives and long-term strategy, according to the TLNT article “7 Steps to Successfully Technology Adoption.”
If you’d like expert assistance while considering your option, our team of trusted technology advisors can save you time and money by offering expert insights gathered during their years of experience working with a wide range of IT solution suppliers. We can provide you with side-by-side objective comparisons of your options to help you identify the best fit for your business. Visit our Trusted Advisor Services page to learn more.
3. Specify why you’re implementing the new technology and what your goals are for the deployment.
It’s difficult if not impossible to determine whether the implementation of a new CRM, UCaaS solution or any other novel business platform was successful if you and your team aren’t aware of what you hoped to achieve by adopting it, according to the Citrix blog entry “Making it Stick: The 5-step Guide to Getting End Users to Embrace New Tech.”
Letting all your team members know why you’re making a change (e.g., to increase productivity or become more energy efficient) will likely help with end user adoption as well, instead of just telling them they’re required to adjust to using a new system without explaining why.
4. Tell your team how they’ll benefit from the new platform.
Your employees will embrace the change more enthusiastically if they understand how it will make their lives better and/or easier, according to SHRM. Will this new system save them time or eliminate tedious daily tasks? Be sure to let everyone know how they’ll benefit directly from adopting this solution.
5. Create customized training programs.
While suppliers often offer training for their solutions, it’s better to tailor your own instructional programs for groups/departments within your organization, since it’s unlikely that everyone has the same level of tech literacy, according to the Harvard Business Review article “Convincing Skeptical Employees to Adopt New Technology.” Consider your employees’ unique needs and preferences (e.g., online training versus in-person coaching) to make the adoption process quicker and easier for everyone.
If you have any questions about how to get hesitant end users on board with new tech, our team of tech experts would be happy to help. Connect with the Stratosphere Networks team today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com.
