Many companies find it difficult to follow the software adoption process. According to Really Simple Systems, the biggest obstacle for 83 percent of senior executives was getting their employees to use the software and adopt it. If you’re trying to introduce a new CRM framework, timesheet tracker, marketing hub, or something else, you need to make sure the business is set up for success before you begin.
In this article:
- Software adoption vs. Product adoption vs. user/ customer adoption
- Software adoption strategies
- Selecting an adoption strategy
- Process of making an organization ready for software adoption
- Challenges to successful software adoption
- Five steps to successful software adoption
- Product Adoption rates
- KPIs to measure digital adoption of software
Software adoption vs. product adoption vs. user/ customer adoption
First, let’s look at how we can define software adoption in comparison to product adoption, customer/ user adoption.
| Software adoption | Product adoption | User adoption | Customer adoption | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean –ing | The transfer between old software and target software in an organization (or, more broadly, by anyone). | The complete process where an individual tries a new product and becomes a regular user. | The transfer from an old system to a user adopting a new system. | The acquisition of new customers that use the organization’s products or services. |
| KPIs | * User login rates * Updating rates * Contact creation * Opportunity creation/updating * Activity completion * Open/Closed tasks * Chatter usage | * Adoption rate * Time to first action * # of unique users who are using the feature * Total # of times a feature was used | * Adoption rate * Time-to-first action * % of users using the feature for the first time | * Adoption Rate * Time To First Key Action * Time To Value * Satisfaction, Proficiency, & Usage |
| Adop –tion Stages | (1) Ensure support team involved (2) Communicate (3) Find internal champions (4) Hold training events (5) Market internally | (1) Awareness (2) Information gathering (3) Evaluation/ consideration (4) Trial (5) Adoption | (1) Awareness (2) Interest (3) Evaluation (4) Trial (5) Adoption | (1) Awareness (2) Interest (3) Evaluation (4) Trial (5) Adoption |
Software adoption strategies
Software adoption strategies help an organization to enable a user to use new software as the in-house CRM. For most companies, only around 50% of CRM features that companies pay for are used by their employees.
CRM is now the heart of every growing business. According to reports, CRM is expected to surpass more than $80 billion in revenues by 2025. Accessibility is one of the key growth factors in CRM. Organizations can now access customer data in real-time (customer service, email marketing, etc.), with mobile and cloud solutions leading the way.
Organizations realize that CRM helps connect platforms and technologies with customer data for a personalized experience that has a huge impact on the meeting of sales quotas.
To incorporate software in an organization, a variety of adoption methods may be used. Big bang adoption, parallel adoption, and phased adoption are the key methods. Pilot adoption is also another uncommon method that is used.
Big bang adoption
When a new system is introduced with no transition time between the existing and new systems, it is known as big bang adoption or direct changeover. The benefit of a big bang adoption is that the new system would not need to be compliant with or associated with any existing systems.
This simplifies the design of the new system considerably, particularly in an enterprise of many incompatible systems. However, it is riskier than other adoption forms because there are fewer learning resources built into the strategy, necessitating more planning.
Parallel adoption
A strategy for transitioning from a previous (IT) system to a target (IT) system in an enterprise is known as parallel adoption. To minimize risk, the old and new systems operate concurrently for a period of time, during which the old system is removed if the new system’s requirements are met.
The procedure necessitates meticulous preparation and monitoring, as well as a substantial expenditure in labor hours. This entry focuses on the general method of parallel adoption; if applicable, (real-life) illustrations are used to provide a more meaningful understanding of the process.
Phased adoption
The method of introducing an innovation (i.e., information technology, software migration, processes, etc.) in a staggered manner in an organization, with various portions of the organization being adopted in different time slots, is known as phased adoption. Phased adoption, phased migration, phased solution, phased plan, phased introduction and staged conversion are some of the other terms used.
Pilot adoption
The pilot adoption approach is found in multinational organizations with many sites or units that are completely autonomous. The new structure is first implemented in one of the locations or departments and then gradually expanded to other locations or departments.
Selecting an adoption strategy
Before adoption begins, the adoption plan must be decided, and it is dependent on the desired outcomes and the form of method to be adopted. Big Bang, parallel adoption, and staggered adoption are three forms of adoption that vary from an immediate transition to a method in which people gradually begin using the new technology over a period of time (which can be weeks, months, or even years).
According to the book written by Ken Eason, the final choice is made by prioritizing the objectives to be met and then matching a plan to them. The following are goals described by Eason:
- To make the system work, a “critical mass” might be required
- If there is a risk, risk management is needed
- Facilitation for change is required
- The rate of transition
- Local design requirements
Process of making an organisation ready for software adoption
The modifications that may occur must be decided in order to plan the organization for the implementation of the new software. This is important in order to provide a schedule or an outline of the transition, and it can be accomplished by writing framework specifications.
After determining the conditions, management must agree on them before moving forward with the transition plan. If no consensus is reached, management must review the conditions again until they reach an agreement. If an understanding is reached and a contract is signed, the company may proceed to the next stage.
Challenges to successful software adoption
- Resistance to change
- Lack of a workable adoption strategy
- Data management and analytics aren’t up to par
- A user experience that is not optimized for learnability
Five steps to successful software adoption
- Ensure team support
- Communicate well
- Find internal team leaders
- Hold Training Events
- Market internally
Product adoption rates
User activation for a web or smartphone application is measured by product adoption. It can be expressed as a rate relative to signups for a given date or as a count over time, such as monthly active users (MAU). Monthly Product Adoption Rate (percentage) = [new MAU / monthly signups] * 100, for example.
Stickiness is a metric used by several firms to gauge product adoption. The number of users who log in to the product a minimum number of times, expressed as a count over time, is referred to as stickiness. The definition of activation has shifted, but the majority of the product adoption definition has remained unchanged.
KPIs to measure digital adoption of software
KPIs for measuring digital adoption can be divided into four categories:
- Outcomes
- Features
- Satisfaction
- Intention
Outcomes
This subset of KPIs has little to do with the concept of digital adoption. Rather, it is linked to its function. The aim of digital adoption is to increase human performance; to make it simpler and quicker for workers and/or consumers to produce outstanding results. The goal is to improve human output and all causes that are linked to it, such as efficiency.
Features
If people are unaware of or don’t appreciate all of the features of a new tool, it would not be effectively implemented. For example, a bank can launch a new app for its customers that includes the ability to print a banker’s cheque at home. Customers are familiar with and pleased with the concept of online banking, so the banking app sees a lot of use. But on the other hand, customers are entirely unaware of the latest banker’s cheque function.
Satisfaction
This collection of KPIs is specifically concerned with the users of the interactive tool in question. There are a few metrics that can be used to assess user satisfaction.
- Overall Customer Experience
- The rate of completion of the intended task
- Number of visitors that are likely to return
- Numbers of visitors like to give recommendation
Intention
So, what will the current invention or device be used for? What is the point of it? What requirements does it have to meet, and what issues do you want it to resolve? Intention KPIs may be based on the answers to these questions. For example, if automation is implemented to speed up sales procedures, you can track how much time is spent on each one.
If your company is implementing a chatbot to relieve pressure on the customer service center, you can monitor the number of calls to the center as well as chatbot use.
Final thoughts on software adoption
Software adoption in an organization is an uphill battle. But it is a battle that is necessary. If a company invests its time and efforts to figure out the best adoption rates and software for its organization and give the company and employees time and space to learn and grow, it will be able to implement the software properly, gaining many benefits in the process. With all of that said, software adoption is of immense importance to all.
