Implementing Legal Software, Successfully
Here are our key considerations when looking at implementing a new software.
How Do You Ensure Roll-out is Successful?
Everyone is ready to start rolling out your new software, but how do you do this?
What are the key elements that make up a successful implementation of a new technology?
Below are 8 key steps to consider before starting the roll-out.
1. Onboarding Plan
Firstly, agree with your technology partner how you will implement it with your staff/firm.
The best onboarding plan is a combination of your partner’s experience of their product and what has worked well with other similar firms and your knowledge of your business, your staff and how well they will take to change. Have this plan agreed, costed and timelined.
2. Appoint Super Users
The best way of achieving success is to have some early adopters who those struggling can go to. Staff are also much more likely to listen to those doing a similar job to them extolling the virtues of the new software or tool then someone in management telling them it will make their life better!
You can also use the super users to collate feedback as part of point 6.
3. Adapt Your Business Processes
Process map your new way of working, involve the super users in the task to help with adoption by all and have that on hand for communication.
It is also really good practice to have these processes in place to ensure bad habits don’t creep in and you can point people back to them at any time. It is also really useful for new users as part of their onboarding process.
4. Create a Change Management Plan
Identify everyone who is likely to be affected by the change. Then communicate to this group and explain how they must behave for the project to succeed. Establish the compelling business and individual reasons and give frequent project updates.
5. Ongoing Effective Communication
Communication is key – between you and your staff and the project team but also with your technology partner. A good technology partner will be with you during the implementation and assist at every stage.
Always be the first to communicate process change decisions and solicit feedback.
6. Control the Feedback
Above we talked about soliciting feedback – an important thing to do but take control of it internally. It is very easy for an individual to raise all the problems with the partner directly and they get inundated with negativity.
Identify a key person to collate all the feedback and liaise with the partner. The partner should want to hear the feedback to help them improve their service but this way you can filter out the key issues to address.
7. Regular and Final Review
Review the implementation during regular interviews with your partner.
Put in place review meetings and ensure these are in place until such a time that you deem the onboarding to be complete.
Ensure you learn lessons from any implementation to go forward to future ones.
8. Second Stage Training
In initial training, there will only be a fraction of it that is remembered after a few months.
It is good practice to do more advanced training or re-training for those slower to adopt the change, on an ongoing basis. It is important to ensure you are using the product to its maximum capacity to achieve the maximum efficiency or benefits for your business.
Don’t Be Afraid
Technology has disrupted many industries and the legal industry is seeing new entrants using technology to do just that. Although it is important to consider all the elements to benefit the most, it is also important to act and not be afraid.
Change is upon us – a legacy of the COVID-19 era but also with the changing requirements and buying habits of future generations.
The right technology, the right partner and the right onboarding plan can transform your business, protect and prepare it for future challenges and help you achieve greater efficiency and profitability.