Have you found a new tech solution that could truly benefit your business but aren’t sure how to tackle this new venture? In today’s post, I’m sharing tips from nearly a decade of assisting clients—from small teams to enterprise businesses—with successful technology implementation.

When your organization decides to set up new technology, certain techniques must be in place to ensure the project stays on track and nothing is overlooked. Before meeting with your implementation team, here are crucial steps to set yourself up for success.

 Identify Your Resources

The implementation team assigned to set up your technology implementation is just one half of the equation. You’ll also need internal resources who understand your business and the challenges the new tech will solve. These individuals will ultimately become your internal implementation team. Ensure you understand their availability, coordinate with their managers for commitment, and clarify their roles in the implementation. Conducting this exercise before engaging with your vendor will lead to a smoother experience, increased utilization from day one, and buy-in from those who know the business needs best—your internal champions.

 Meet with Your Team

I’m not referring to the contracted implementation team but rather to all stakeholders who should have a say in how the tech needs to be customized. Your internal stakeholders need to know what’s happening, the estimated timeline, and the time commitment required from them. While your implementation team will guide conversations to determine your priorities and needs, having an internal ‘discovery’ meeting first will make those initial discussions far more effective. Don’t wait for the implementation team to reach out—start as soon as the contract is signed. This meeting provides an opportunity for stakeholders to voice their concerns and expectations, making the initial interaction with the implementation team smoother and more productive.

 Identify Scheduling Conflicts

Backwards planning is crucial in the implementation world. Without a clear goal for when you want to ‘Go Live’ and start using your new tech, it will be challenging for your vendor’s implementation team to build a feasible project schedule that aligns with your business needs. Consider potential conflicts, such as other tech implementations in progress, payroll processes, holiday schedules, office closures, year-end tasks, and daily workloads. If your internal team has multiple scheduling conflicts, an implementation your vendor estimates to take 12 weeks might stretch to 16-24 weeks. Once you identify all blackout days, you can effectively communicate your timeline to your vendor, enhancing their ability to manage expectations and reduce any escalations related to scheduling issues.

Implementing new technology is a significant investment of time, energy, and resources. I’ve seen many businesses miss the opportunity to maximize all three by not taking charge of their implementation experience from the moment they commit to working with a vendor. To change this narrative, identify your resources, meet with your team, and understand your scheduling conflicts before your kickoff call with the vendor’s implementation team. This proactive approach will improve communication and foster a better working relationship from the start, leading to a more positive implementation experience for everyone.

If you’re struggling to find the time to work through these recommendations, we’re here to help. Schedule a call with us today to discuss your needs and ensure a successful technology implementation!