Doing business as usual can beblissfully comfortable. But customers are constantly demanding change. Introducing new technology can increase theefficiency ofany business, but itrequiresthe whole workforce to be on board. Before you come up with an ambitious proposal, there are plenty of things you need to consider before taking the big technology leap.So here's a helpful guide to introducing your team to new technology!

Justify the changes you want to make

You cannot confidently propose new technologyif you don't have justifiable reasons to back up why your business needs a change. A good way to start is to identifythe core issues your company is facing. Can they befixed by new software, or do they relate more to the company's behaviour and practices? Get your answers by organising focus groups or individual interviews with your employees, or send them an online survey if you have a large workforce. Gather your feedback, rank the resulting issues from most critical to least important, and use what you've found to justifynew technology as the way forward.

Nominate a strong project manager

You will definitely need a competent and experienced project manager to help you make the change happen. The project manager can serve as your mainpoint of contact and consultation with regards to your tech initiatives. Whilst acting as a stakeholder, the project manager needs to be someone capable of working with everyone involved - internal staff, customers and external consultants specialising in technological developments.

Research what's out there

Having identified your company's issues and appointed a project manager, it's time to lookatthe technology that is available. Whether you do it online or through contacting physical vendors, look carefully at the features of each product on the market. But don't solelylook at the price tag. Ask yourself howthe technologyout there can help you solve your most prevalentissues, and what kind of training will be necessary. You should also consider what can go wrong, and how something canbe detrimental to your company's technological development.

Pilot the changes before rolling them out

Once a decision is carefully reached on the new technology of choice, it's important to pilotthe changes before simplyimplementing them. Internal consultationshould come back into play here. Choosing the right people to pilot new technology can truly facilitate the implementation process. Ask the influencers in your organisation to test the technology and reply with detailed feedback. Getting the influencers on board early on is critical to the technology being adopted successfully.

Be prepared for initial confusion

"But we've always done it this way" - this is a phrase you will probably hear numerous times onceimplementation starts. Naturally, everyone fears change. This makes it more difficult to convince your employees that the technological changes you have in mind could truly benefit the whole business, including them. Instead of getting disheartened, stay calm and back yourself up with some strong statistics. Encourage your employees to at least try and embrace the change, and remain positive in your approach towards them.

Stop and analyse what has changed

Keep a platform for feedback readily available at all times, and be open to both positive and negative reception. Infuse the change gradually, as opposed to rushing in the new technology to start seeing immediate results. An effective business model, known as stage-gate, is extremely effective when introducing new technology to a team. Implement change one stage after another, and temporarily close the gate. This means taking a step back to look at the bigger picture andanalyse what has improved or gone wrong in the process.


Now you're ready to get technologic! But are you still unsure on how to bring in new technology and at the same time keep your team in the loop?
There are46 Business Consultants and 30 Management Consultants listed on www.yellow.com.mtwho can help you push forward change in your business!