5 Factors To Building Adoption Around New Technology
Building adoption for any new technology or solution is critical, and it doesn’t happen overnight - especially in our industry. Did you the know the construction industry is one of the slowest to adopt technology? The industry is one the least digitized industries, only above agriculture and hunting!
But that is beginning to change. Manufacturers are seeing that they need to provide more than just product, they need solutions for their channel partners (distributors, dealers, contractors, esc..) to sell their product.
Adoption is never-ending. Once you get the early adopters and show value, take the feedback and make the experience better. Then do it again. And again.
When we launched the first Augmented Reality (AR) experience within the AZEK iPad App, we knew it was going to be a test. It was a really cool experience, but the main purpose was to get people familiar with Augmented Reality. There was no adoption. Why? I’m glad you asked. First, our sales reps didn’t have iPads! Only a few who had personal iPads could demo the experience and train others on the value of the experience.
This wasn’t a shock. We knew it was an issue. The good news is that we fixed it. When we launched the official AR experience at our National Sales Meeting, we gave every sales rep an iPad. It worked. Reps were excited to learn and demo the app with customers.
So let’s walk through 5 factors to building adoption around new technology. I left out any type of heavy advertising or digital marketing spend. These are factors directly related to the app itself and hands on solutions to build adoption within your target market.
Show the value prop
First and foremost, your solution much provide value to the end user. At times, that value could be some form of entertainment, but typically that is a short lived solution for a business or enterprise solution.
If you are going to invest, invest in something that creates value. Whether that’s a visualization solution, a training solution or something that solves an issue for your end user.
Focus on the End User
Know who your end user is. You may have different end users, and it’s critical to find what they value and deliver on it. Your solution may not be for everyone. That’s ok. Focus on the ones that will help you drive adoption and provide ROI on the investment.
For example, don’t build a fun interactive game if your end user is a contractor or builder. They don’t have time for that. They want valuable solutions and they want it quick.
Make it simple and fun
Your solution should be simple and ideally a fun experience. Don’t be afraid of fun. Fun makes it more memorable.
Simple allows anyone to learn quickly and hopefully make it a habit. That is the key. Can your solution be simple enough to seamlessly fall into your end users process and become a habit. If your solution is complex and takes time, that doesn’t fit into a contractors daily habits. If your solution allows them to quickly visualize or quote a project utilizing the tools and steps they already perform, they are more likely to adopt your new technology solution.
Training and ongoing support
Training is often one of the most important factors that is either passed over too quickly or simply missed all together. Training can’t be a one and done item on the checklist. It must be all inclusive and ongoing. So what does that look like?
First, it begins within the technology solution itself. The UX (user experience) must provide simple and quick instructions or mini-tutorials. Tell the user what they need to do, and how to do it. Even better, automate any part of the experience you can and be one step ahead of the user.
Secondly, if your new technology is for the masses you will need demo or instruction videos. Keep these videos short and directly to the point. Post them everywhere. Within the app or experience, online and YouTube. Make it easy for a user to find these videos and quickly learn.
In-Person training. This is the most time consuming, but most valuable training. If your technology is for your business, do webinars or live in-person trainings with your sales reps. Travel the country and train your customers. Watch them use the app, ask them questions, learn and use that knowledge for future updates to the technology and solution.
Also, provide ongoing support. Your end users should be able to get in contact with someone quickly to answer any questions.
Get influencers onboard and highlight wins
This is critical and can really push adoption. Find those who are leaning in, excited about the solution and provide them every asset they need to succeed. As they adopt and begin seeing success and providing ROI - tell those stories to everyone. Celebrate the wins. This is the fun part. When people start seeing success, they fully adopt and don’t go back.
These influencers will then tell everyone they can. Make them “power users” and utilize their excitement and knowledge to train others. You’ll see your adoption rates increase much quicker.
What other factors have you seen when building adoption around new technology? Leave a comment!