February 25th, 2020 | Updated on June 28th, 2022
When things are going relatively well in your business, it can be tricky to make changes in the office. People are hesitant to change the way things are done especially if they have become familiar with a certain, albeit inefficient, mode of work.
There is also a well-documented status quo bias in human behaviour and thinking which locks in the current way things are done in the minds of your employees.
However, there are some occasions where the addition of new technology, such as accounting software, will provide tangible benefits for your business.
In these cases, it becomes necessary to convince your team of these benefits and make sure that the addition of such a tool does not encounter resistance. Effective change management strategies on the part of a thoughtful manager will help this process to go smoothly.
Let’s look at some of the best strategies for introducing accounting software to your NZ business.
1. Announce It Early
If you are bringing accounting software into your business for the first time and this requires the support of your entire team to work, then it is important to announce the proposed change to your team as early as possible.
Once you have made the decision to introduce the software, then prepare a well-crafted announcement to inform your team, as precisely as possible, what the changes will entail. Announcing this early on will give people time to prepare for what’s coming.
2. Highlight The Benefits
If your team is comfortable with the way things are currently done, then it is important to highlight the efficiency gains and benefits that accounting software will bring. Focusing on the bright side will help your team to more easily accept the changes.
However, if your team is struggling with your current mode of bookkeeping, you may even find that the introduction of accounting software is a welcome relief.
3. Provide Training
Make sure that your team is comfortable with the use of accounting software before you expect them to use it properly. Before the full implementation of the software, make sure to hold training sessions for all relevant personnel.
This will allow people to get up to speed with the features of the software and allow them to become proficient with its use.
Provide ample time for people to learn, as each of your team members will learn slightly differently.
Providing access to additional resources such as web-based courses or workshops will also help to give your team a well-rounded understanding of the software’s capabilities.
4. Take Feedback Seriously
Your team will likely have a lot to say about any major changes that you plan to make. If you are introducing accounting software to your team for the first time, then be sure to have an open ear to any positive or negative feedback, especially in the initial stages.
The comments and critiques of your staff may be valuable for tweaking the implementation of the software.
Taking this advice to heart will help to ensure that the introduction process goes smoothly and that everyone is on the same page about it.
5. Implement With Ease
Major changes always take time to complete in any business. Accounting software comes with a host of efficiency and productivity benefits for your team, but it may take some time before these fully manifest.
Make sure to be patient and follow the tips outlined above. This will help to ensure that the process of implementation does not seem like it is something that you are forcing on your employees, but rather the addition of a useful tool to help them do their work better.
