Change is always a challenge. They’ll always be resistance to anything new and different, but leadership must find ways to overcome this reluctance. To start, before the solutions are deployed, managers should get employees can get warmed-up to the idea. For example, a company can send out sending out newsletters and emails discussing the arrival of the new AV technology and get the team acclimated to the idea. The messaging can provide specific examples of how a department can benefit from using the technology and include use cases of how others have improved their throughput with it. Advanced communication showing how the solution increases productivity sets the stage for acceptance and proves the value of making the transition. An effective training and adoption strategy should always include this first step.
Next, all end-users should be trained. People can only use the technology if they know how, and although the IT staff may feel it’s intuitive to operate, that’s not always the case. Because the staff looks through their own lense, they may not be the right resource to deliver training.
Don’t forget to address training issues early on. Functional requirements for an AV solution are defined during pre-sales meetings. During the discovery process where all space requirements and goals are carefully considered, questions should also be directed towards disclosing the knowledge and experience levels of the general user population and the size of the IT department; often the group is short-staffed, so training becomes an additional burden. Outsourcing this service is well worth the expense. Employing education professionals with the appropriate skillset is a practical, cost-effective method of delivery.
After hosting a training session, knowledge retention can present a secondary challenge. If the technology isn’t used every day, it’s quickly forgotten. Printed and laminated Quick Reference Guides can be kept with equipment, so anyone entering the room has immediate access to easy-to-use, step-by-step instructions. These support documents should be written by training professionals so they’re simple to understand and offer only essential information.
In the end, it’s important to monitor the effectiveness of any training session. Surveys provided to participants soliciting valuable feedback should always be included. By including employees’ advice in making improvements, they become even more incentivized to use the system, and support its adoption.
Embracing new technology can be challenging for many. With a carefully defined and executed training and adoption strategy, this transition can go smoothly. Outsourcing this key step is a great way to secure the success of any expensive implementation. Don’t forget that technology is nothing without people using it. By working closely with a professional educational services provider, employees will be given the instruction they need to use new AV rooms and solutions effectively.
Diane Hagan is a Marketing Content Specialist for IVCi in Hauppauge, NY. She has over 20 years of experience in Marketing Communications.