6 Steps to a Successful Technology Implementation Process

By Kelly Wilson - Jun 13, 2019

Choosing the right technology for your organization can be difficult, let alone navigating the technology implementation process that follows. Selecting the right solution is important for the success of your business, but planning a streamlined roll-out is also critical. What can you do to ensure a smooth roll-out and launch of your new technology?

Ready to learn more about upgrading your institution’s digital presence and capabilities? Download Coconut Software’s Ultimate Guide to Digitally Transforming the Appointment Experience.

The 6 Steps to the Perfect Technology Implementation Process

1. Diagnose the Problem

First, you must correctly diagnose the problem with your existing operational processes, to determine which technology to choose for your organization. Figuring out where the most painful and frustrating operational inefficiencies are occurring will help you choose the right technology to implement. By correctly diagnosing the problem, you will be able to develop a clear picture of what you’re looking for.

Instead of starting multiple sales cycles with different technology providers, having a clear picture of the implementation you need will save your organization time and frustration.

2. Secure Early Buy-In From Decision-Makers

When pushing for a new technology implementation in your organization, you want to ensure that every decision-maker is on board as early as possible. Identifying low stakeholder buy-in on a project and turning that around allows for an efficient roll-out process.

When all decision-makers are in support of a new solution, the implementation process becomes much easier, shortening the sales cycle and increasing the pace at which your new implementation can be up and running.

3. Assemble Your Technology Implementation Squad

Once you have buy-in from your organization’s decision-makers, you will want to assemble your implementation squad. Your squad should consist of individuals who are directly involved in getting your new solution successfully rolled-out in your organization.

Most organizations, when rolling-out new tech solutions, develop squads that include members of their IT, Operations and Marketing teams, as well as a project manager to lead to the process.

Having representatives from multiple teams within your organization ensures that your new implementation is meeting the needs of every department and benefiting all parts of your organization.

4. Map Out the Customer Journey 

Failing to understand and map out how a new solution will fit into existing customer journey risks making the experience worse for customers, rather than better.  With new technology, there is an increased risk of a low adoption rate from customers. By implementing the solution without mapping out the customer journey, your new tool could create friction instead of solving existing challenges.

Check out this step-by-step customer journey mapping guide.

Implementing new technology is a huge undertaking, and when the solution is customer-facing, you want the rollout to be as seamless as possible.  One of the ways you can ensure your front-end technology performs from the get-go is to map out the customer journey with your new solution at the beginning of the implementation process.

5. Get Trained

Implementing a new tech solution is great, but if you don’t know how to use it properly, you may be paying for features or functionality that aren’t delivering much value. Many organizations offer add-on training sessions to teach customers how to navigate all the features of their new implementation, which allows you to optimize the return on investment.

Choosing to invest in additional training sessions will allow your organization to get the most out of its new implementation and function at a premium level.

6. Set Your Benchmarks

Setting benchmarks for what you are hoping your new implementation will accomplish allows you to track its effectiveness within your organization.

Working with an experienced onboarding team will enable your organization to set achievable benchmarks for success. This will allow your organization to clearly track its return on investment, and see how the new implementation is benefiting your organization.

Coconut Software’s Technology Implementation Process

Understanding what the implementation process is going to look like is very important when deciding on a new technology solution.  Having an understanding of the issues within your organization, establishing your squad and getting early buy-in will allow you to have your new solution rolled-out as soon as possible to help combat operational inefficiencies.  Getting trained on how to navigate this new technology will allow your organization to get the best return on its investment. And setting clear benchmarks will allow you to track your solution’s success.

Coconut Software offers a streamlined implementation process with an experienced on-boarding team. Once your organization begins to roll-out its new scheduling solution, our onboarding team will begin a streamlined process that will look something like this –

Kick-Off

The initiation of the project which includes reviewing the scope of the implementation. Understanding the use case for mapping out the customer journey that you are hoping to provide to your customers.

System Set-Up

Using the customer workflow, begin to integrate the solution and familiarize your organization’s team with the use of its new implementation.

Branding

Create the client view and email notifications that complement the look and feel of your organization’s existing branding and theming.

Training

Introduce your organization’s staff to the front and back view of the Coconut Software application.

Go Live

Transition your organization from the implementation phase onto support and customer success to finalize the rollout of your new solution.

Trust us to help you navigate a streamlined implementation process, requiring few IT resources on your end. Our experienced implementation team will ensure a smooth roll-out that will set you up for success with your appointment scheduling solution.

What Next?

Ready to learn more about upgrading your institution’s digital presence and capabilities? Download our Ultimate Guide to Digitally Transforming the Appointment Experience for an in depth look on how to make it as smooth as possible for everyone involved, and how Coconut Software can help get you there.

Looking to boost revenue and deliver a premium experience to your clients? Schedule a consultation with Coconut Software to learn more about how our appointment scheduling solutions can get you there.