What do you do when something isn’t working properly or
efficiently in your business? You make a change. Now for a
harder question: what do you do when people don’t want to
change?
 Whenever
you attempt to change processes in a business, there is a
chance that staff will be resistant to those changes.
Especially when it comes to technology. If you are a field
service business that has been using paper systems for
quoting, recording job details and invoicing, you are
probably looking at technology as a way to streamline these
processes and remove double data entry.
While not all of your staff may be ready to make that
transition, you ultimately need to do what is best for your
business. At the end of the day, technology is a tool that
will not only help you increase efficiency and
profitability, but it should also make life easier for your
staff.
If your business is
making the transition to tech-based operations for the
first time, or even simply switching from one software
platform to another, there are steps you can take to ease
the transition for everyone involved.
1. Provide adequate training
Some of your staff might be able to get up and running on
new technology right away while others may struggle to
adjust. Be sure that you are either sharing helpful training
resources or working with a technology provider that will
supply custom training options for your unique business
needs. Also, keep in mind that different people have
different learning styles and different levels of capacity
to take in new information.
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2. Allow
two-way communication
If you want to avoid resistance from your staff as well as
help them manage change, it’s important that you both
communicate clearly and also give people space to share
their thoughts. When communicating about transitioning to
new technology, openly share the reason for this change so
your staff can understand the motivation and how they will
benefit. You also want to be open to staff feedback. If
certain people aren’t adopting the changes, seem confused or
aren’t engaging at all, ask why. When you show that you are
open to listening to your staff, they will feel respected
and less resistant to upcoming changes.
3. Make change at a reasonable pace
While you or other stakeholders might be eager to make the
switch over to new technology, it is important to remember
that change takes time. It is better to give your staff the
time and space to learn new processes properly rather than
to rush through implementation only to create confusion
later on down the line. One simPRO customer,
DeDe Strothman at Corrigan Electric, said it best: “it’s
worth the time and the money teaching somebody how to do it
right rather than having to correct it later."
4. Show appreciation
Whether you are implementing new technology or asking your
staff to make any sort of change that may cause discomfort,
remember to show your appreciation. Sometimes when you are
making a major change, people are asked to give up
additional time, adjust their schedules or take on
additional responsibilities. Learning to work with new
technology can be a challenge in itself, so show your
gratitude through words of praise, incentives and publicly
acknowledging those who are putting in the time and effort.
Keep these four key steps in mind when you are adopting new
technology or switching software platforms, and you’ll find
that managing change for your staff is achievable. If you'd
like to learn more about how you can manage change
specifically in regards to field service processes, download
our free eBook:
Managing change within your field service business.
In this eBook we share the five steps involved in creating a
successful change management strategy as well as helpful
advice from seasoned simPRO implementation consultants.
Download now.
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