Nobody likes changes just for the sake of changing. No matter what industry you are in, there is always a sense of comfort staying in a routine and doing what we already know. The Kubler-Ross Change Curve stated that people experience the same roller-coaster emotions while going through changes or in time of grief.
Many property restoration contractors seek new technologies because they have identified deficiencies in the current processes and behaviors of their company to drive growth. They understand that something is not working, but they do not have the necessary tools or visibility to fix it. As businesses grow, these issues begin to snowball as they continuously struggle to maintain efficiency and increase profitability.
Understanding what is required of your organization makes this technological transition beneficial and profitable. Much like first impressions, you only really have one shot to get it right to keep the staff focused and onboard. Ask these 5 questions before the transition kicks off:
1) Do you have a Champion? (Lead vs Rank)
Champions are not specific to one person within your organization like a GM or an Office Admin. The idea is to empower all the people around you to become internal champions. These people will drive the process and share the company vision. You want to look at the rank-and-file position employees who aren’t necessary assigned to be leaders. When those people start to surface, you will see that others will naturally follow suit. These champions will also help provide a strong defense for staff who are looking to detail the implementation process or migrate over bad habits. Make the solution about them and the benefits they will receive by becoming a more proactive organization.
2) Do you have adequate Administrative Support?
There has been an increase in the demand for documentation, and an increase in KPI’s and compliance requirements over the past few years in the property restoration industry. These changes not only lead to an increasing need for information, but also require it to be available in real-time, consistently and accurately. We have all heard the saying “Garbage in, garbage out”, meaning that no matter how great the technology is, it is only going to provide what we put into it. Hence, it is essential that each person in your organization understands the importance of their role while utilizing such technologies to ease administrative burden and increase productivity.
3) Do you have Employee Buy-In?
Companies need to ensure they have employee buy-in to ensure the team understands the goals, the vision, as well as what is required from them in order to carry out this transition successfully. As part of the implementation process, you should ask yourself how much time in a week do you have to invest in this program. The answers we usually receive range from "I thought this program does all the work for me" to "as much time as is needed". Technology is not a magic wand which solves problems or fix underlying issues all by itself. It requires human intervention and teamwork from all employees within an organization.
4) Do you have a consistent way to Measure?
As a property restoration software provider, we are always looking at new ways to help our PSA users measure and innovate employee performance, financial variances, close ratios etc. The only way to understand the true benefits of the technological changes is to have consistent and meaningful ways of measuring the success and growth of your organization. Consistent measurement is the lifeblood of success. If leaders do not consistently measure what they want, things will fail.
5) Does the technological changes / software provider fit the need of your organization?
Features aside, when you are looking to embrace new technologies, you really want to treat this like finding a long term relationship or partner that will be with you throughout your journey to success. One that you feel is both a good fit for your business and also your company culture. Tools are only as successful as the people who use them, so you need to make sure that your technology provider has a structure in place that can support your company learning, and is able to listen and respond quickly to your business needs.
Over the years, we have worked with a large number of restoration companies and contractors. Assisting them in onboarding and preparation leading up to the implementation is one of the most critical times for positioning the company for success. It is often the phase where most restoration companies want to rush through and get right onto the solution. However, the time and preparation invested up front pays off tenfold. In Canam Systems, we help our PSA users set realistic expectations and implement changes. Change, as we have learned, can be challenging. But if followed through, it can make a huge positive impact.