Businesses continue to adopt more and more software as advancements in the technology industry are made. According to CompTIA, besides healthcare, technology is driving the U.S. economy more than any other profession. This reality reflects the growth in technology among consumers. If title and escrow companies fail to notice this trend, they could set themselves back in the market.
While technology is essential nowadays, it doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is always on board.
“My team is hesitant about this new software …”
It is not uncommon for teams in title and escrow to respond to new technology with reluctance and hesitation. If not implemented thoughtfully, the results of an overwhelmed team could have a negative impact on your title and escrow company.
Change management is crucial when implementing new software as it ensures a smooth transition from old processes to new ones. People naturally resist change due to fear of the unknown, disruption of routines, and perceived risks. Without effective change management, your team may become disengaged, leading to decreased productivity and even project failure.
4 Steps To Help Lead Your Team Through A Software Implementation
1. IDENTIFY PAIN POINTS, THEN THE SOLUTION
Identifying pain points is a critical step when implementing new software as it enables a targeted and effective transition. Pain points are the existing challenges, inefficiencies, and bottlenecks in current processes that the new software aims to address. By understanding these pain points, a title or escrow company can tailor CloseSimple's features and functionalities to directly alleviate these issues.
Pinpointing pain points also helps in gaining employee buy-in. When title and escrow agents see that the new software directly addresses their daily struggles, they are more likely to embrace the change. Addressing pain points maximizes the software's value proposition, streamlines the implementation process, and positions the organization for a smoother and more successful transition.
2. ESTABLISH CLEAR COMMUNICATION
Often, leaders do a great job of explaining how new software will benefit the company as a whole, but fail to identify how specific roles will be impacted. Instead of solely painting a broad picture of the benefits, encourage your title and escrow team with how the implementation will impact specific areas of their roles.
If their role involves a significant amount of time communicating, tell them about how CloseSimple can save them a minimum of 30 minutes per file. If they are worried about security, explain to them how CloseSimple has a SOCII Type II Security Compliance. Communicating how CloseSimple will positively impact their role will increase their support and excitement.
Another way to ensure clear communication is to consider having a point person that is responsible for answering questions about the new software and making sure everything is running smoothly for the team.
Clear and consistent communication will minimize the overwhelming feeling that a lot of teams experience while implementing a new software. Keep them updated throughout the implementation process rather than just throwing all the information and updates at them at once.
3. TRAIN & GUIDE
Offering training opportunities can boost your team's confidence and knowledge of the CloseSimple implementation. It won’t do anyone any good to just assume your team will eventually grasp the new software.
Take the time to guide your title and escrow team through introductory sessions and get everyone on the same page. Invite them to ask questions and express their concerns. In doing this, your title and escrow company will practice authenticity and minimize questions that could later arise.
4. PROMOTE WINS
Sometimes people can remain hesitant after implementing the software, even if it was led well by the leaders of the company. One tactic to combat continued hesitation is to mention the success your title and escrow company has seen due to the implementation of the new software.
Don’t ignore the concerns your team may have, but conveying a positive attitude and outlining the successes the software has produced can influence the attitude of your team.
An idea to promote wins would be to keep track of how many messages are sent out through CloseSimple. Last year, CloseSimple exchanged over 50 million email and text notifications.
Lead Well, Succeed Further.
Your team's support can be a real struggle when implementing new software. However, by following the steps above, you will ease a lot of the possible complications regarding their support.
The level of support your team have will impact the results of the implementation. Making the effort to lead well now, will set you, your team, and the company up for success.
The CloseSimple software prioritizes elevating the closing experience for EVERYONE. That doesn’t mean only real estate agents, but everyone in the title and escrow industry. The process should be simple, and that is what our software achieves.
Want to hear it from title and escrow professionals themselves? Check out this video to see how some of our customers handled change management within their title and escrow companies.
