{"id":214,"date":"2020-07-13T21:59:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-14T04:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.golinks.com\/blog\/?p=214"},"modified":"2024-10-01T13:10:25","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T20:10:25","slug":"software-rollout-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.golinks.com\/blog\/software-rollout-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"\u200b\u200bSoftware Rollout Plan: Introducing A New Tool To Your Org\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For small companies\u2014and sometimes even large companies\u2014a software rollout plan is infrequently established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It typically looks more like this: You found the<\/em> tool that could elevate an entire process for your company. From more efficiency and less stress to higher ROI, a carefully selected tool can be a game-changer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For you, this change is easy to visualize, and you can\u2019t wait to see it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, organizational change and software implementation are rarely simple. Employees and teams often resist <\/a>them. Discomfort, fear of the unknown, and a struggle to change habits are just a few reasons for resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To successfully introduce a new enterprise tool to your company, you need to create a software rollout plan. This guide shows you how to build it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why your focus on tool adoption is essential to a successful software rollout<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you\u2019ll learn in the next section, identifying an implementation team, running training sessions for the new tool, and communicating in a timely manner are important parts of implementing a new tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for any of that to work, you need to put tool adoption front and center. For example, if only half the people use the tool, the benefits for the company will be much smaller. You won\u2019t see the return on investment you planned for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tool adoption needs to come first and underpin every step of the implementation process. If adoption doesn\u2019t happen, people who championed the tool risk their reputation in more than one way. A software rollout plan is critical to avoid the following scenarios:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83e\udd37 Those who religiously use the tool get frustrated with those who don\u2019t. It causes friction and ineffective communication between employees \u2014 the exact opposite of what you aimed for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udcc9 Low adoption leads to less-than-great results, so the tool gets dropped. This new tool promised a lot. But because this success relied on adoption that didn\u2019t happen, you don\u2019t have the proof to keep the tool going, and your company drops it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\ude24 People who already saw benefits from the tool are now losing those benefits. The early adopters already tweaked their workflow and habits to get on board, and now that the tool is being dropped. This wastes time and effort as they also have to switch their process back to the way it was before<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\ude25 The original buyer (you!) and internal champions have failed in front of the company. The risk you took depended on the actions of others, but it\u2019s still your reliability and reputation that was on the line. Making your case for a change with external stakeholders will be even more challenging after this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 6 steps for a successful software rollout plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Identify and match your business goals with IT goals<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Communicate the change early and gather feedback<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Identify an advocacy group<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Set expectations and timelines for adoption<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Work with a customer success team member<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Hold training sessions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    These steps for rolling out an enterprise tool will help you focus on and support adoption, as well as create a feedback cycle so you can keep on improving these processes. Let\u2019s dive into them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Step 1: Identify and match your business goals with IT goals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Software<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    First things first: make sure you know the value this new tool will bring to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is essential for avoiding the shiny object syndrome, especially when a tool causes lots of hype in the software world. If you jump on a new tool bandwagon before considering your goals and objectives, the time, budget, and productivity costs will pile up in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To set yourself up for success with a new piece of software, define the business goals and IT goals this tool will help you hit. Here are some questions to help you work these goals out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n