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New technology can help a firm streamline its processes, communication and workflow, which can lead to better outcomes for your clients, team and firm. But transitioning to new technology can present many challenges for firms.
Along with the training itself, you have to ensure that your team is on board and motivated to adopt your new solution. How do you do that?
Let’s explore some tips on how to transition your team to new technologies:
No. 1 — Get Your Team on the Same Page
Before you even begin the transition process, get your team up to speed on your decision to implement this new technology and how it will be used.
Gather your team and explain:
- What this new technology is and how it will benefit the firm and them personally. Will it save your team time and stress? Will it automate repetitive tasks? How will it make your team’s lives easier? If it impacts and benefits them directly, they’ll be more inclined to go through training and use the tech.
- Your commitment to this new tech and the time spent vetting this solution. Make sure they understand that you’ve tested this solution to ensure it’s a good fit for your firm.
- How it will impact client relationships. Will the solution improve, streamline, or change the way your firm works with clients?
Communication will play an important role in your transition to new technology. Explanations can go a long way in making the transition smoother and less stressful for everyone.
No. 2 — Incentivize Your Team
Even if your team can see the benefits of this new technology, you may still struggle to motivate them to go through training and adopt it. Incentivizing your team can go a long way in helping them find that motivation.
Incentives can be anything that your team will value. For example, maybe you can host a virtual party and give your team a box of goodies for completing the transition. Give your team something to look forward to and motivation to go through the transition process.
No. 3 — Assign a Change Champion
To make the transition smoother and more organized, assign a Change Champion. Your champion will be the expert on your team who can answer questions and help team members who are struggling with the transition.
Before assigning someone, make sure that you clearly define the Change Champion role. For example, maybe your champion will be responsible for:
- Learning how to use the software
- Creating the plans for setup and rollout
- Implementing the software into the firm’s workflow
- Coordinating and carrying out team training
- Offering support throughout the transition
Support should be a big part of your champion’s job. Your team will need support and guidance throughout the transition process, and your champion should be the one to provide this help. Giving your team someone to rely on and turn to when they need assistance will make the transition much easier and less stressful.
Even after the transition is complete, your Change Champion will still play a role in notifying your team of new features and functions as they’re introduced.
No. 4 — Create Your Rollout Plan
Once you have a Change Champion in place, it is time to create your setup and rollout plan. A well-thought-out plan can make the transition less chaotic.
First, create a timeline for the rollout. When do you want the transition to the new system to be complete?
Determine who will be responsible for what. You will likely have team members help with the setup and rollout. Make sure that they know what they will be responsible for and how to carry out their tasks. Be realistic about deadlines for when their work should be complete.
If your new technology has client-facing features, you will need to offer support to your team to help clients through the transition process as well. Be prepared by offering resources, talking points, and extra support at this time for both your team and clients.
No. 5 — Start Training and Support
Training and support will be the next steps in your transition journey. As part of this process, make sure that you have clear documentation on how the firm expects to use the new technology and that your team understands accordingly.
Even if your software provider offers team training services, your team needs to understand how your firm will be using the platform. Every firm has different processes and goals for its software. Ensuring your team understands your unique uses for the software will make training much easier.
Before you even begin the transition process, get your team up to speed on your decision to implement this new technology and how it will be used.
Ahead of training, reach out to your account manager with your new software solution to see if they offer any guidance or training options. Do they have an online community that can answer questions?
Technology partners like Client Hub provide resources to help firms start the training process and make the transition as seamless as possible. Check to see if your chosen solution offers this level of service. Some providers may only provide these services at an additional cost.
Along with your initial training plan, make sure that you have an ongoing plan for training and support for current and future staff. The software will likely have updates and new features in the future, and your team may need assistance learning how to use these additions.
No. 6 — Get Feedback from Your Team
Make sure your team understands that adopting this new technology is not optional. Your goal is to have 100% adoption of your new technology.
Ask your team for feedback to help ensure you reach that goal.
Additionally, ask your team to share:
- What’s working and what’s not working
- Best practices for using the software
- Ideas on how to improve the things that are not working
No. 7 — Celebrate Your Transition
Implementing new technology is a big challenge for firms of all sizes. Reaching the finish line and completing the transition is something that should be celebrated.
Now is the time to give your team their incentive for completing training and adopting the new technology.
While there’s much to celebrate, it’s important to stay on your toes. Technology is constantly changing. Ensure that your Change Champion is helping your team stay on top of updates, the best ways to use the technology, and assisting with training for new features.
Judie McCarthy is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor (Advanced Certified), speaker, author, experienced accounting professional, and co-founder of Client Hub. Client Hub is a one-of-a-kind, all-in-one web-based, frictionless workflow and client collaboration tool built for accounting professionals. Client Hub takes communication out of cluttered, unsecure email inboxes and into a secure, firm branded workspace. To get in touch with Judie or schedule a demo of Client Hub, CLICK HERE.
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