As your company’s IT journey evolves, you are likely to add new software or applications to enable your team to work more efficiently and effectively. However, you will probably encounter challenges around implementation and adoption. Developing an adoption strategy to ensure that your employees embrace and use this new technology is imperative. By following these best practices, you can find success.
A new frontier in technology adoption
When you invest in new technology, the objective is that it will lead to greater productivity for employees, streamline workflows, and enhance customer experiences. The new technology you choose to implement will depend on your needs, but much of it revolves around using technology in new ways to solve old problems.
New and emerging technologies have the most buzz. In looking at adoption rates of technology worldwide, the cloud tops the list with the Internet of Things (IoT) and on-demand marketplace platforms following.
Beyond these technologies that can reshape how you use IT, companies are also juggling the implementation of platforms, the top ones being Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and eCommerce platforms, according to a 2020 trends report.
So, how do you ensure that the technology your organization needs is fully embraced? How can your IT staff break down barriers? How can co-managed IT help support your current infrastructure?
Barriers to new technology adoption
With every innovation, there comes growing pains and resistance. You may face a number of these, which can be proactively addressed when you create an adoption strategy.
- Not knowing what you need: As a business owner, you may not be in tune with all the latest and greatest technology. If you don’t know what can help you, then adoption will be a challenge. Instead, use an IT consultant that can work together with your current IT team and develop a solution together that fits your company’s needs and budget.
- Lack of training: One way to derail adoption is to not allow for proper training and usability insights. Implementation should also include relevant training.
- Going all in without a vision: If your company is taking on new technology, then you are likely to get more buy-in upfront by developing a vision. This vision should define how it will help your company grow and prepare for the future.
Adoption strategies best practices
Once you decide on the new technology for your business, use these best practices for a smooth adoption.
- Let end users offer feedback: You can start with a trial on the application and give key users the chance to play around. Then get their feedback when it comes time for customization and configuration. They know what they need better than anyone else.
- Conduct a pilot program: You should stagger the rollout of the new technology, starting with a pilot program for those that will use it the most. This gives you more time to evaluate the technology and get it right before expanding it.
- Communicate: Above all else, continuously communicate with your teams at every stage, starting with why and moving through all steps of implementation.
- Establish user-specific training: Not everyone will use technology the same way, so it’s a good idea to create user-specific training to focus on what each individual needs to know, with co-managed IT this training becomes quite simple.
You might need a partner to adopt
Want to learn more about successful adoption? WIth a part-time IT provider, transitioning and adopting new strategies becomes easier for your existing IT team. Your business will be able to scale with ease, and you can have peace of mind while we explore how to make your IT journey less painful.
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