8 Tips for a Successful Software Technology Rollout

01.26.18 Technology roll-out
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8 Tips for a Successful Software Technology Rollout

Kayla Moses
Kayla Moses
Freelance Writer, VTS

If you’re thinking about adopting a new technology for your business, don’t discount the importance of a good software rollout strategy. How successful your team’s introduction to the new tool is will ultimately define how easily the tech integrates with their existing day-to-day operations.

You’ve likely spent considerable time in the purchase process, and now your investment relies on successful implementation and your organization fully embracing the platform. So how can you ensure your team’s buy-in on launch day? A thorough, tactical adoption plan is your best bet.

What is a software rollout strategy, and why do I need one?

A software rollout strategy is essentially a game plan for how you’ll transition your team from one tool to another over a period of time. It’s not just the nitty-gritty details of how your backend systems will change — it should also include comprehensive communications to help align your team and ensure they’re willing to make changes, too. We recommend four key phases: 

  1. Initiation — deciding it’s time to find a new tool + researching options
  2. Planning — designing a plan to implement the technology
  3. Execution — rolling out the big change to the team and training everyone
  4. Follow-up — checking in to be sure people are comfortable and that the tool works

Why have a strategy like this? It’s simple: launching a new tool without planning can lead to poor adoption and a subsequent loss of return on your investment. If you’re changing systems to increase productivity or revenue, you don’t want to lose out on those gains (not to mention the sunk cost of the new software) just because you were ill-prepared. Why destroy the value you’ve just added by missing an opportunity to have your team participate in onboarding this new software? Thankfully, this is easily avoidable. To help you execute a successful software rollout in your own organization, we’ve compiled the following list of best practices from commercial real estate thought leaders.

1. Plan ahead and set objectives

The most successful software implementations have goals clearly defined from the outset. “Having defined objectives about what makes any implementation or conversion a success is really important,” says Robert Palmer, Senior Vice President at Kilroy Realty.

In the planning process, commercial real estate firms should challenge themselves to focus on understanding the true needs of their organization. Practice empathy by putting yourself in the shoes of your end user, and remember that the simplest and clearest solution may not rely on well-worn business practices. To really understand your business needs, try thinking through questions like these with your team members:

  • What are the most important tasks you’re trying to accomplish every day?
  • What does your typical workflow look like?
  • In these tasks and workflows, what pain points come up again and again?
    • Pain points are things that are difficult for your team. They may be processes that take too much time, aren’t reliable, or that throw off an otherwise smooth workflow. 
  • If you could design a perfect tool for your team, what would it do? 

“Scrap your old reports, forget about them,” Palmer says, as an example. “Go get the whiteboard out and focus on what your needs are. Sometimes you need that vision to work a little bit backwards.” 

Your goal is to paint a clear picture of why you’re proposing a software change. The goals for the rollout should be to make your team’s life easier — an objective they’re likely to agree with! As you refine your software rollout strategy, keep these business needs top of mind. Your messaging will likely rely heavily on these clearly defined objectives.

2. Understand how your new technology solution will connect with any existing systems (and the data they house)

Between accounting software systems, leasing and asset management platforms, and everything in between, there are dozens of digital solutions that commercial real estate firms are juggling at any given time to aggregate critical business data. The key to a successful digital rollout is finding a tool that will marry system functions together, giving your organization a unified and actionable platform. 

Bill Murphy, Chief Technology Officer at Blackstone, says that companies spend a lot of money on best-of-breed data systems but often forget to consider their relationship to each other. “Your data environment is like a bunch of Lego blocks, so you need to make sure they fit together,” he explains. A robust software rollout plan proposes exactly how a new technology strengthens the team’s efforts and simplifies the overall tech stack.

3. Communicate, communicate, communicate

The title says it all: over-communicate as much as possible. Transitioning your team to a new tool requires more than acknowledging logistics or process changes in a single email. The news needs to come from executive leadership, and the messaging should clearly articulate the benefits expected to be gained from the software rollout. Learning a new tool takes time, and your team will no doubt ask, “What’s in it for me?” so it’s critical to focus your messaging on the payoffs the technology will deliver for each individual.

Of course, benefits will differ from company to company. At Lillibridge Healthcare Services, Senior Vice President Joi Taylor and her team designed their transition with a focus on how the tech would replace manual tasks and give people more time back in their day. Centering the benefits of the software rollout around the user experience helped to drum up support and excitement for the change.

Develop a consistent communications plan that spans the length of the rollout and beyond, Palmer advises. Communicating small wins and success stories along the way are also key for encouraging organizational buy-in. Taylor made sure her team was aware of the tool’s ongoing adoption rate: “We would tell them what the adoption rate was looking like, what had they achieved through their efforts by using the system and driving it. It was one more small piece to say you’re doing a really great job.”

4: Get cross-organizational buy-in by involving your team from the outset

Getting buy-in from your team can begin as early as the design stage. Engaging your ultimate end-users early in the process can help to facilitate adoption. For example, when considering a new software for American Healthcare Investors, Executive Vice President Wendie Newman created department-specific task forces that played a key role in the software review process, which helped keep the product on people’s radars and created buy-in even before the purchase was confirmed. Newman also offered live previews and demos to other employees in advance, ensuring future users were excited about using the new solution on go-live day, rather than being surprised with a new workflow.

5. Leverage your power users

Don’t forget the importance of allies! Working with a specific group of go-to “power users” across all levels of the organization is particularly helpful in lifting adoption rates. What makes an effective power user? Choose employees who are approachable and passionate about the solution, with an understanding of why it’s important to the company.

Here’s how power users can bring extra power to your launch:

  • They can help you decide which product makes the most sense for your organization.
  • They’ll provide practical input on your communication and software rollout plan.
  • They can develop software best practices to train and support the rest of your team.
  • Engaging these employees helps create an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions that they may not be as willing to ask their boss or a more senior member of the team.
  • As regular users on an ongoing basis, power users are the best people to provide feature suggestions and roadmap feedback to your technology partner.

6. Lean on your technology partner’s Customer Success team

Customer Success has evolved heavily in recent years. It’s now much more common to see companies placing heavy emphasis on proactive support — not just reacting to customer need when it arises. In fact, when seeking out a new technology, we recommend seeking out partners that have deeply invested in their Customer Success team. This will give you access to solid account management and support resources. These teams have helped roll out software for hundreds, if not thousands of other customers — any potential hurdle that you may face, they’ve seen before and know how to solve it.

Here’s how you can lean on your Customer Success rep:

  • Leverage information on software best practices: Ask your Account Manager to provide information on best practices or useful case studies from other customers to set your team up for success from the get-go. 
  • Take advantage of value-add services: Onboarding to a new tool takes time, resources, and expertise. Understand what services your technology partner offers to assist with implementation and how these may maximize the ROI of your solution.
  • Regular, ongoing engagement: Ensure you maintain open lines of communication with your Account Management team to ensure you’re deriving the most value from the tool. They can also be a helpful partner as you outline your rollout plan, as they’ve heard anecdotes from other clients about successful talking points and user benefits. 
  • 90-day review: Once the software is live and fully implemented, have your technology partner conduct a 90-day review to ensure all of your initial rollout plan goals have been met, your team is well-trained and actively engaged on the platform, and you’re leveraging the platform to get as much value as possible.

Annual reviews: Work with your technology partner to conduct ongoing, annual reviews. You can resurface your software rollout plan to see the goals and objectives you outlined at the onset, and together, consider whether you’re continuing to derive the most value from the tool. These sessions also give you an opportunity to get up to speed on any new features, improvements, or additional modules that can be added to your account.

7. Continue the internal education post “go-live” date

Technology platforms are constantly evolving with updates ranging from entirely new products and features to small but valuable enhancements. It’s critical that your rollout strategy solves for the immediate future and provides ongoing support to your team in the months that follow.  This was one of Robert Palmer’s biggest takeaways after completing an implementation. To maximize the system, he notes, it is critical to stay on top of continuing education opportunities.

Think of this as a secondary “go-live” date to add to your calendar. What training and refresher sessions can you provide, and can you get them on the company schedule ahead of time? As Joi Taylor explained, it’s important to continue to highlight any product updates and any impact on internal processes to the company.

These training sessions may be modules or videos released by your software provider, in-person Q&A sessions hosted by your IT department, or “quick tips” sent to your team via email. Be sure to add training materials to long-term documentation (like a video library or shared folder of training materials) so they’re available for onboarding new teammates, too. Visuals like graphics and video can also be great resources since employees can refer to them independently when they need help. As more time passes, it may be helpful to survey your team to ensure they’re still feeling confident and supported in all the new processes.

8. Help shape the product by partnering with your technology provider on an ongoing basis

“Pick your partner smartly and then help influence the product direction,” says Jim Whalen, Chief Information Officer at Boston Properties. Web-based software products are no longer “out of the box” static installations with bi-annual updates — they’re constantly changing and improved with new features. If you choose the right partner, your company can play a larger role in the product’s development. Who wouldn’t benefit from a seat at the design table?

There are multiple opportunities for users to get involved and share ideas and feedback. Here are a few common avenues:

  • Speak up about your interest in beta programs, which are smaller groups of users testing new software features before they’re rolled out to the wider user base. Beta users work closely with product managers, developers, and designers to confirm changes meet user needs, and they’re responsible for delivering feedback directly to the minds building the product.
  • Submit product feedback (positive and negative) directly to your Customer Success team. They’ll likely ask you for feedback at your scheduled meetings, but you can usually share your thoughts via email between your regular calls. 
  • Investigate options to join your technology partner’s advisory board (if available). Individuals on the advisory board have a literal seat at the table — they get to share feedback from a leadership perspective, and executives consider their input as a valuable stakeholder. 

Keep in mind that technology firms have roadmaps and probably won’t build your idea the next week (or even the next month). Instead, your feedback may be incorporated into a broader conversation about product strategy and customer experience. 

If you’ve planned properly for a big software shift, you’ll guard yourself against major mishaps. Here are some of the most common mistakes companies make by changing processes without adequate prep: 

  • Moving too quickly, and not giving the team time to adjust 
  • Choosing a tech solution without getting user input
  • Leaving important stakeholders out of the decision-making process
  • Not communicating to the right people at the right time
  • Focusing only on how to use the new software — not the value it provides
  • Ignoring feedback from team members and managers

Change is hard, and that old adage absolutely applies to new tools in the workplace. That said, armed with a rock-solid rollout strategy, leadership can more easily bridge the gap between old and new. Commercial real estate firms need to adopt new technologies to stay competitive and to serve their clients. Challenging the status quo, setting solid objectives from the outset, and consistently communicating with your organization are good places to start.

Kayla Moses
Kayla Moses
Kayla Moses is a CX designer and freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. Her work spans a variety of industries, including personal finance, business, and real estate. See more of her personal projects and experience at her website: kaylamoses.com.

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