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Installing a digital adoption platform is the next big thing in the 21st-century business landscape. The coronavirus pandemic and the disruption it has unleashed have compelled business owners to recognize its importance. The truth is, all of us must pivot to the digital landscape and master its rules if we are to survive, let alone thrive, in the new normal. But acceptance of this hard truth does not necessarily translate into action.
According to IDG’s Digital Business Research , 89% of the companies surveyed said they are planning to roll out a digital-first strategy for implementation. However, only 44% actually follow through on this commitment.
Probably one of the reasons for this failure is that they did not have the proper adoption tools . Without these, a workforce who is just dipping their collective toe into the online world would feel intimidated. As a result, they would be slow in using those tools, or might even disregard them altogether.
Things to consider in choosing a digital adoption platform
Choosing the right digital adoption platform for your company will banish these fears. It can even make learning the new software you are bringing in fun and exciting . Critical to your choice is a digital adoption framework that will empower your team to fully understand the new solution they are given. It will teach and train them how to master it and maximize its value to the company. Aside from that aspect, there are other important things to consider in selecting a digital adoption platform. Here are the top 5:
1. User-friendliness
A user-friendly digital adoption platform with a seamless integration process will attract your team members into using it frequently.
They will see it as a valuable tool in helping them accomplish their tasks, and not another challenge that they will have to hurdle. They can spend more time on it, especially if it can easily transition into any of the devices they are using, such as a smartphone or a laptop. They can easily navigate their way through their respective tasks using the platform like a very helpful map.
This mixture of apparent simplicity and efficiency is one way how to increase digital adoption in your workforce. The more complex the software, the harder it is to understand, the frustrated the employees tend to feel. If they feel lost in using the software, they can suffer burnout and experience demoralization.
2. Tool training
Most people tend to forget what they have learned a few weeks, or even days, after the training. Reinforcement is necessary to make sure they retain their newfound skills or knowledge. This is where tool training comes in. Do not confuse tool training with the learning courses that were given to your people during day one.
Instead, tool training are resources that have been embedded in the software like a live tutorial that can be accessed at any given time. Unlike learning courses or classes, the employee does not have to turn off the work that they are doing to re-read a particular document. This kind of program might even encourage him to learn even more; according to one survey, 79% of employees prefer to learn while working on the job.
Instead, the digital adoption platform’s tool training is an integral part of the app or software. The user can tap into it any time to ask a question or clarify a process, without having to interrupt his current task. What is practical about the app is that they can apply their learning immediately to the task at hand.
3. Training customization
This is the gold mine that is rarely found in any in-app training. More often than not, training courses and other learning materials are carved in stone or programmed to function in a definite way.
An effective digital adoption platform, however, will adapt to your circumstances. Learning is not a static field: over time, you will be able to spot the most persuasive content or precise tools that can improve your people’s abilities.
A state-of-the-art digital adoption platform can customize your training content to suit your business needs. It can hone in on the specific skills that they need to build on. At the same time, it has various forms and other materials that will prevent you from starting at ground zero. No need for you to start from scratch. You can use these templates to create your own content that will best speak to the needs of your workforce.
4. Remote collaboration
Training and learning in all their forms can be more challenging if the workforce is spread throughout various locations. That is the current state of most offices today who have to resort to a work-from-home arrangement to safeguard their people from the coronavirus.
Imagine each employee who has to learn a new software or solution. When things inevitably bog down or should the employee need help, the IT officer who usually steps in might not be available because he is living a thousand miles away.
In those cases, the employee groping their way through the new software can use the digital adoption platform to get back on track. They can retrace their steps, find out where they went wrong, discover the appropriate solution, and then do course correction.
This kind of ever-present assistance is vital in work-from-home situations where personnel have to be productive, despite not being in the same office. If you are in that situation now, it might be advisable to check the guide to remote work essentials from FinancesOnline .
5. Communications tools that help you generate teams
A cutting-edge digital adoption platform can also help your company build your own teams through its advanced communication tools. There are times that companies find themselves having to create committees or groups for training from ground zero. Communications tools can bunch new students into batches, and then migrate them to teams of “graduates” who are skilled in using the software later on.
During the next few months, these team members can work at the same pace as you customize their training content. You can also design leadership modules that will mentor your promising candidates, customized according to their needs, and with security protocols that no other member can breach. If either members and/or leaders need to have their skills upgraded, the communications tools can send them notifications about the next class or training. They can also classify these messages according to the teams’ geographic locations, levels of skill and knowledge, or any other category you define.
The must-haves in choosing a digital adoption platform
These days, adapting technology is not just a matter of buying or installing the trending or most popular software. Doing it the correct way with the right technology can significantly sharpen your competitive edge. According to McKinsey , an organization that has learned how to leverage on one technology will keep on adding others. For example, after successfully deploying cloud-based services, it can move on to using mobile internet technologies and big data and architecture.
The ideal technology must provide for a learning curve that is swift and untroubled. It must be easy enough for your people to use, and equally agile to adapt to your business challenges. Its method of teaching must not be disruptive, but should be incorporated into the work processes.
The best digital adoption platform is not just a solution that can just adjust to your systems; it actually functions as a partner on your pathway to competitive edge and corporate success.