# Increase User Adoption of New Software in 3 Steps | Capterra > Not every employee is eager for change. New software loses value when people use it incorrectly, so here are three steps to get more employees on board. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/maximize-user-adoption --- Software ImplementationEntrepreneurs/Owners # Maximize User Adoption of New Software in 3 Steps Written by: Amita Jain Amita JainAuthor Senior Writer Experience I've been writing for Capterra since August 2021, with the goal of becoming a trusted voice in the finance technology market. I have... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/ajain/) and edited by: Rina Rai Rina RaiEditor Rina is a senior editor at Capterra. She has close to a decade of experience creating and editing content, especially for the IT, software, and finance domai... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/rina-rai/) Published May 15, 2020 | Updated on August 2, 2024 6 min read Table of Contents - [1\. Gather user feedback as early as possible](#1-gather-user-feedback-as-early-as-possible) - [2\. Identify power users versus non-users](#2-identify-power-users-versus-non-users) - [3\. Continuously resolve barriers in the adoption process](#3-continuously-resolve-barriers-in-the-adoption-process) - [Get every employee to use software the right way](#get-every-employee-to-use-software-the-right-way) ## Segment software users to effectively coach up those who need more assistance learning new software. Your new software is only useful if employees use it the right way. Sadly, that’s not always the case. Capterra’s 2024 SMB Tech Trends Survey shows that 34% of U.S. businesses regret buying new software because they had difficulty onboarding or training new users.[\*](#methodology) Adoption becomes easier when end users discover the true value of adopting a product. To boost digital adoption, use a carrot, not a stick. In other words, persuade employees by showing how the software can help them hit their goals rather than forcing them to use it through strict weekly reporting. Persuading people is doubly beneficial, as it boosts both user adoption rate and morale. Leveraging Gartner research, [\[1\]](#sources) we recommend three critical actions you can take now to get your team on board with new tech, understand the biggest challenges they face in the software adoption process, and identify the strongest and least efficient users. But first, let’s understand what causes snags in user adoption. ### Why do employees avoid using new software?  Although user representatives are typically involved in software buying committees, the actual impact of a new product on the daily work of end users is commonly neglected, leading to user resistance. A Gartner survey reveals the key reasons users could be limiting, delaying, or avoiding software usage: [\[2\]](#sources) - **Lack of training:** Seventy percent of users say new applications are rolled out without adequate training, exposing a gap between real training needs and what’s provided. - **Unclear benefits:** Nearly 60% of users say they don’t understand the new software's purpose or benefits, making it seem irrelevant to their work. - **Time and effort requirements:** Half of tech users feel that new software demands too much time and effort, pulling them away from their primary responsibilities. - **Complexity:** Poor look and feel of user interfaces make it difficult to navigate applications and overwhelm users, causing them to revert to familiar, old processes. - **Natural resistance to change:** Many employees naturally resist change, especially if they see it as unnecessary or threatening to their established workflows. ## 1\. Gather user feedback as early as possible Business leaders often make decisions about software and technology with their peers, without including the opinions of the people who will actually use the system every day. But Gartner’s research into what motivates employees to use software most effectively shows that including end users early on in the implementation phase—when you’re building a business case or creating a shortlist of features—has the greatest positive impact on user engagement during the initial product adoption. [\[1\]](#sources) The more you wait to gather feedback on these aspects, the less likely users are to adopt software wholeheartedly. Involving them during the earliest stages of the process can boost the likelihood of successful software adoption by 55%. [\[1\]](#sources) By the time you start choosing providers, it’ll be too late. Take action No matter where you are in the process, be transparent and find ways to collect end-user feedback for your software adoption strategy. - If you’ve already selected a software vendor, be sure to clearly communicate, in an email or even a meeting, the **business problem** you want to solve with the new technology and **the justification for why the chosen system and vendor** is the best option. - If you’ve just started the process, **schedule time to collect individual feedback** on the existing software from a sample of users, ranging from managers to entry-level positions in various teams, to understand the top two to three most common problems. ## 2\. Identify power users versus non-users Segmenting your users into groups with similar challenges makes it easier to address as many product adoption barriers as possible later on. And when you separate the power users from those who need extra help, you can spend your time more efficiently. There are a few key groups to keep in mind: **Type of user** **How to spot them** **How to help them** Power user High interaction High proficiency Leverage power users as extra teachers and mentors who can encourage proper software use for other groups. Critical user High interaction Low-medium proficiency Focus most of your software training efforts on this group and provide continuous feedback to improve usage. Non-user Low interaction Any proficiency Only provide software training to members of this group if you anticipate shifts in roles that would require use of the system. With a simple survey, you can rank your users from least to most proficient and determine how to solve the concerns of each group. Take action Create a survey and share it with every end user in your company. Some sample questions to include in the survey: - What is your role in the company? - What percentage of your daily tasks involve the use of \[existing software\]? - From one to 10, how would you rate your own proficiency with \[existing software\]? Collect the responses and chart them on a graph that shows interaction and proficiency on the X and Y axes to quickly group similar users together. ## 3\. Continuously resolve barriers in the adoption process At this point, you should have qualitative feedback about pain points, as well as quantitative data segmenting your employees into groups. Now, it’s time to help each user tackle their specific challenges. Listed below are a few Gartner-recommended best practices to drive technology adoption based on a user’s specific challenge or sentiment about new software: [\[1\]](#sources) **Inform: For users who report a lack of context for the change** - Provide the overall business benefits of the new technology. - Include them on email lists for implementation and training updates. **Reassure: For users who are unclear about their role in the change** - Provide examples of early “wins” with new software. - Ask a power user to plan a session to answer specific questions. **Persuade: For users who are resistant to new software** - Explain the specific business justification for new software. - Share only the benefits they will personally receive from using new software. **Involve: For users who understand the value of new software** - Encourage them to serve as advocates for the new system. - Ask to surface “wins” to share use cases of new software. Use these approaches on your critical users first to resolve the most common adoption barriers, then work your way through the critical and non-user groups as needed. Take action It’s important to continuously assess the challenges faced by users in new technology adoption. Schedule monthly check-ins with each group and offer self-service digital tools on your company intranet, such as a webpage for frequently asked questions, interactive guides, and a knowledge center to search for specific answers. ### Case study: How a rental business ensured successful software adoption When Christopher Brennan, [\[3\]](#sources) a marketing and safety manager in the rental management space, decided to implement new software, he knew he’d face resistance. He rolled out two different tools: a safety management system to improve employee compliance and reduce workplace incidents, and a community management system to boost resident satisfaction.  “_Change is never easy_,” says Brennan. “_Employees were skeptical about relying on the ‘black box,’ and residents were hesitant because shifting from old ways to a new system felt daunting_.”  So, Brennan and his team spent time demonstrating how the new digital tools made daily tasks easier and used a phased adoption approach. Here’s how:  - They held interactive workshops and hands-on training sessions explaining the benefits and functionality of the new system.  - They first targeted early adopters, using them as a focus group to identify barriers, refine their implementation approach, and build a strategy for continuous education.  - Early adopters were also encouraged to offer peer support, bridging the gap between the IT team and other users. - For residents, they focused on ease of use and user experience. They customized the software to mimic existing processes and provided continuous personal support. The results were impressive. Within a year, workplace incidents decreased by 35% and insurance premiums dropped by 22%. Similarly, with the successful adoption of the community management system, annual move-out rates among tenants declined by 8%. “Demonstrate a direct benefit early on. Start small and get buy-in from key groups. Recognize and reward participation and results. Focus on relationships, not just the technology.” Christopher Brennan Marketing and safety manager, Premiere Property Services ## Get every employee to use software the right way Any change in the tools your employees use on a daily basis will be met with some level of resistance, but helping them understand and embrace the new software can be managed like other projects in your organization. Anecdotal challenges and hard data from your employees will guide the process and improve your user adoption strategy. Here’s a quick roundup of the steps and best practices we’ve suggested above. For more help with those hesitant users, you can review our [five resources that can help you during implementation and beyond](https://www.capterra.com/resources/software-vendor-resources/). * * * **Survey methodology** **\*Capterra’s 2024 Tech Trends Survey** was designed to understand the timeline, organizational challenges, adoption & budget, vendor research behaviors, ROI expectations, satisfaction levels for software buyers, and how they relate to buyer’s remorse. The survey was conducted online in July 2023 among 3,484 respondents from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, France, India, Germany, Brazil, and Japan, with businesses across multiple industries and company sizes (5 or more employees). Respondents were screened to ensure their involvement in software purchasing decisions. This report focuses on the 700 respondents from the U.S. Respondents were screened to ensure their involvement in software purchasing decisions. Sources 1. [Ignition Guide to Technology Implementation Change Management](https://www.gartner.com/document/3995717?ref=solrImgSearch&refval=421208266&), Gartner 2. [3 Pillars to Ramp Up User Adoption and Unlock Customer Value](https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/5527295), Gartner 3. [Christopher Brennan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophbrennan/), LinkedIn * * * ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Authors [### Amita Jain](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/ajain/) Amita Jain is a senior writer for Capterra, covering finance technology with a focus on expense management and accounting solutions for small and midsize businesses. Her work has been featured in Careers360, among other publications. [### Rina Rai](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/rina-rai/) Rina is a senior editor at Capterra. She has close to a decade of experience creating and editing content, especially for the IT, software, and finance domains. Passionate about minimalist storytelling, she prioritizes breaking down complex industry jargon into engaging stories accessible to all readers. Rina holds a postgraduate degree in mass communication and journalism and a bachelor's degree in English literature. 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