technology change champions

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Technology Change Champions: Getting Internal Buy-In for Software Upgrades

The time has come to upgrade! Maybe your firm has a piece of technology that is outdated and costing more money than it is saving, or maybe your external collaboration efforts are stale because of a lack of available technology to move it upwards. Or worse, your data has been compromised because the security infrastructure around the technology is old and irrelevant. Whatever the compelling event, undoubtedly the time will come to replace that old technology with a current solution that is in line with the organizational goals of the firm. There are many steps to consider when laying out a plan for a large software upgrade, but before the

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plan even begins, there needs to be a champion or group of champions: a person or department in the firm responsible for cheerleading the efforts of the upgrade, while making a strong business case convincing and compelling enough to eliminate doubts and hesitations.

Internal buy in, or getting your firm onboard and excited about a technology upgrade, is no easy task. In fact, it is a process independent of rolling the software out altogether. The software champions should be the experts and advocates responsible for getting everyone onboard for the often daunting task of switching technology vendors. The champions can convert one department at a time, presenting compelling evidence for the switch, creating champion departments. After all, many people in many departments advocating for the same switch is a loud statement that will be tough to ignore.

Outline Goals and ObjectivesBefore emerging as the champion, it is imperative that all objectives are identified and laid out. Match each goal with a solution or feature that the software touts as advantageous and identify how that will accomplish the firm’s overall objectives (i.e., productivity, client enhancement, etc.) The more specific the goal, the easier it will be to identify whether or not the software will facilitate the firms’ objectives. To better match objectives with software facilitation and how the benefits can be maximized, consider the following:

• What areas of business will the software touch, and how will other areas of productivity be affected?

• What potential consequences will the firm experience if the status quo continues, and the software project either takes a back seat or is suspended completely?

Finally, when these questions have been answered, it is important to look at the emotional vs successful elements of the software and how to appropriately identify the two. For example, how will the new software impact the firm for the better, and how will it make each individual feel about their day-to-day work responsibilities? If implemented and designed properly, the software should have the ability to meet the firm’s objectives for success and client service while simultaneously giving the employees a sense of completeness and satisfaction.

Due DiligenceTo eliminate hesitation and get the highest level of buy-in possible, there are some question sets that should be presented to each relevant department affected by the technology switch. This pre-questioning period will ensure that time is not wasted in the evaluation process of solutions that will adversely affect the goals of the firm. Present some questions to each department to get a sense of what is needed and how productivity is currently being affected due to inadequate software. Some good questions to ask include the following:

• How can a new technology help shift the focus to the client and the bottom line simultaneously?

• What specifically does the team struggle with internally and how can new software help?

• What, if any, stumbling blocks can be foreseen by implementing new software within the department?

• What works best now, and how can workflow stay constant when the new solution is rolled out?

“Before emerging as the champion, it is imperative that all objectives are identified and laid out.”

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“Once the costs and benefits are identified and explained, the champion will have a much better case to receive a higher level of internal buy in.”

The Elephant in the Room: CostThere are two types of costs that should be considered when evaluating a new software platform. Obviously, the dollars and cents need to be factored in, but often overlooked costs are the ones that are harder to monetize, for example, productivity, overall tech footprint, infrastructure needs, electrical footprint, etc. Before evangelizing to other departments the benefits of a new software platform, a detailed cost analysis should be created: one that explains the monetary value (annual license cost vs. SaaS model, cost per user, add-ons for training, implementation, etc.) and another one that lays out the cost of the status quo (the cost of doing business the way it has always been done and the soft costs that are not as tangible or obvious).In addition to the hard vs. soft costs of rolling out new technology, another important consideration should be addressed: how will each department use the software and what level of resistance will exist? User adoption should absolutely be considered in a cost analysis and how those costs can be mitigated by converting one department at a time in order to minimize the high cost of employee resistance to new technology. If there is a boycott, all of the hard work done by the tech champions will be in vain, and worse, security protocols can and will be threatened.Once the costs and benefits are identified and explained, the champions will have a much better case to receive a higher level of internal buy in.

Rallying the TroopsNow that all of the crucial elements of the due diligence process are complete, the tech champions should be confident and ready to present findings to the departments. Each department, including all of the decision makers, need to know that the champions have:

• Evaluated what the current solution is going to cost the organization, monetarily and otherwise

• Calculated and evaluated the ROI of the new solution being presented• Compared extensive differences and advantages between competing vendors• Concluded how and why a new solution will absolutely benefit the firm’s goals

and objectivesThe value of a new technology is only as good as its user adoption and use. The tone for this is set by the product champions and the rally to embrace change for the better starts well before the implementation ever begins. The more advocates that can be successfully recruited into the champion group, the easier it will be to convince the ultimate decision makers across departments that the firm is moving in the right direction to achieve the higher firm goals of productivity, security, and ultimately, the increased level of client service and satisfaction. Over the past decade and a half, NetDocuments and its Certified Channel Partners have helped thousands of firms transition from legacy, on-premises document and email management to the cloud. Shifting from server-based software to cloud-delivered solutions takes planning and professionals. If you’d like to learn more about NetDocuments leading cloud-based document and email management solution, or would simply like to speak to someone about implementation best practices, simply call or email. [email protected] or 1-866-638-3627 www.netdocuments.com