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As the leader of your company, you’ve experienced change often. Situations like moving to a new facility, hiring different managers, switching brands of equipment, or even just changing the time of a standing meeting are all changes that can create stress within an organization.
We’ve all been there. And with any change, feet can be dragged and complaints voiced.
Yet change can also bring about powerful benefits for everyone if executed properly. So how can we find the happy medium? First, take a look at human behavior.
Why are Humans So Averse to Change?
Part of the problem is that deep down, we all believe that the longer something has been around, the better it is. This is quite rational.
When a product stands the test of time, we feel it must be better than newer alternatives. However, longevity isn’t always an accurate predictor of success.
In fact, in the technology world, the opposite is often the case!
Lucky for you, it’s not impossible to overcome being a creature of habit. Here are 6 simple tips to consider if you’re thinking about investing in new landscape management software in the future.
1. Heighten Awareness
The first step is knowledge. Simply start paying attention to your current processes and work patterns. Engage your team and identify what works well within your current systems and what does not. Identify what takes too long, and what requires too many people to execute.
Great leaders will welcome improved productivity and simplification in their jobs.
2. Reduce Uncertainty
Most of your team has invested hundreds of hours becoming efficient in their special area of expertise. Your office manager probably knows the accounting part of the software inside and out and your operations manager knows the unique intricacies of scheduling functions.
Allow the people affected by a possible change to be an important part of the selection process when making a choice. Give them ownership for a particular feature and invite them to strategize with you.
3. Stay Focused on Big Stuff
Selecting a new system will present your team with a bewildering number of options. This can often lead to decision paralysis. Identify the critical “must haves” that are consistent with best practices for the industry as well as consistent with the core processes you are using in your own organization now.
When you keep as much of the game as familiar as possible, without moving the goal posts, you'll make the game easy to understand for every player involved.
4. Keep an Open Mind
Currently you may have systems and spreadsheets that don’t work as well as you want. But the truth is, they are customized to you. And even if they don’t work that well, people are comfortable with them, they have developed personal work-arounds, and in truth they like them!
Expecting new software to work precisely the way your current software does is unrealistic. Commit to learning and adapting to new ways of doing things. It is often exactly what your business needs to grow and thrive.
5. Invest Time Up Front
Adults require time and hands-on practice to learn new things. It’s easy for people to fall back on old habits when they have not used the new software enough to feel confident in it, or when it takes too long to learn it. As a result they hang on to the old system instead of LETTING IT GO!
If you invest the time up front, even when there is still “real work” to do, you will make the change far easier.
6. Address Concerns about Competence
Let’s face it, installing new software is like working on a car engine while the car is speeding down the road.
It seems like there’s NEVER a good time to implement software in the industry… even in the winter.
Find out what kind of support you’ll receive. Your investment in education, training, and support systems... in addition to the cost of the landscape software, it will help your team feel more confident making the change.
At Aspire, we understand that when you’re running a landscape company, it’s important to have the right tools for the job. That’s why we’ve developed an all-in-one, cloud-based solution with the functionality you need to keep your entire business running smoothly—and profitably. If you’re ready to take your company to the next level, contact us today!
Need help finding the right business management software? Download this helpful buyer’s guide to learn everything you need to know before selecting a solution, from initial research to final decision.
Continue the Series
This is Part Four in a series about Landscape Management Software Tips. Catch up on the following tips below:
Part One – How Much Software Will I Need to Run My Company?
Part Two – How Much Hardware Will I Need in the Future?
Part Three – Will the Software I Buy Need Replacing in a Few Years?