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How to Boost User Adoption in Your AEC Firm: 4 Key Strategies
Getting employees to adopt new software can greatly impact your firm's success. Engaged users mean better data, smarter decisions, and more efficient projects. Let's discuss how you can boost user adoption with four key strategies.
Adoption of ERP systems can be challenging for many firms. The disconnect often arises from legacy software systems that employees find cumbersome and outdated. Not meeting the user where they are, whether the systems they work in at the office or while they are mobile, further exacerbates the situation. This gap widens if the users don't fully understand the benefits of an integrated business system. The disconnect creates frustration and leads to minimal engagement with the ERP system, reducing its effectiveness to just an accounting tool.
In contrast, firms that successfully integrate their employees into the ERP system benefit from real-time data analytics, better resource management, and enhanced project delivery. Thus, overcoming the challenge of low user adoption is crucial for firms looking to stay competitive and agile in an ever-evolving market.
1. Use Familiar Tools
Integrating new software with tools your team already uses can significantly ease the transition. Familiar environments like Excel, Outlook, and Teams can be leveraged to perform various tasks without leaving these applications. For instance, employees can make entries directly in Excel while ensuring real-time data synchronization with the ERP system. Sales teams can manage leads and contacts within Outlook, reducing the need to switch between different software. Similarly, creating project-specific team sites in Microsoft Teams facilitates better collaboration, enabling easy access to documents and project statuses within a familiar workspace. This seamless integration into everyday tools minimizes disruption and encourages user adoption.
2. Mimic Familiar User Experiences
Designing new tools to look and feel like the software your team already knows can significantly boost user adoption. For example, creating a fee estimator tool that mimics Excel can help project managers and estimators transition from their usual spreadsheets to a unified system more comfortably. Custom user interfaces tailored to resemble familiar layouts reduce the learning curve and help employees feel at ease with the new system, thereby increasing their willingness to use it.
3. Leverage Emerging Technologies
Emerging technologies like AI and automation can simplify tasks and provide quick access to important information, further driving user adoption. AI tools like Microsoft Copilot can summarize information, draft documents, and automate routine tasks, allowing users to get updates about clients or projects through simple queries quickly. Implementing chatbots for tasks like tracking overdue invoices saves time and helps employees stay on top of their work without manual intervention. These technologies make interacting with the system more intuitive and less time-consuming, enhancing overall user engagement.
4. Ensure Mobile Accessibility
Ensuring that your ERP and business systems are accessible on mobile devices is crucial for field and traveling employees. Mobile data entry for timesheets, expenses, and other tasks allows employees to update information on the go. Features like voice-to-text for CRM entries and receipt scanning for expense reports streamline these processes, making it easier for employees to stay engaged. Additionally, developing mobile apps for field tasks, such as inspections or site reviews, ensures real-time data capture and integration with the ERP system. This keeps all information up-to-date and accessible from anywhere.
Ready to Learn More?
By integrating familiar tools, creating user-friendly interfaces, leveraging new technologies, and ensuring mobile access, you can significantly improve software adoption in your firm. These strategies will make your ERP system a valuable asset, driving better data quality, smarter decisions, and more efficient operations. Engaged employees mean a more successful and thriving firm, so focus on making their software experience as seamless and beneficial as possible. View our on-demand webinar to learn more!
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