In this new decade, technology will continue to change the way companies across all sectors do business—at an increasingly rapid rate. Technology spend is on the rise, with 44% of organizations planning to grow their tech budgets this year, according to Spiceworks’ 2020 State of IT report.
New technologies lead to new opportunities—but only if your company is poised to harness them. This is why a digital adoption manager is crucial to help your business reach its goals.
What is an adoption manager?
A digital adoption manager helps ensure that an organization’s technology is implemented smoothly. They execute digital adoption programs, measure the success of those programs and report on ROI. This includes working with internal (and sometimes external) stakeholders to identify any barriers to adoption, then creating and deploying strategies to address those issues. They often work with digital adoption platforms, which integrate with other technology and help facilitate training.
Digital adoption managers have a comprehensive skill set that includes the ability to think strategically, manage projects, solve problems, communicate well with other staff across business functions and—of course—work with technology and data. Companies often fill digital adoption roles for the duration of a project, or hire a full-time, permanent employee.
You may wonder whether you need a digital adoption manager. If any of these scenarios reflect your business, the answer is probably yes.
You’ve recently replaced a major system
Any time an organization adopts new technology, there is an opportunity to increase efficiencies and drive revenue—and there’s a risk that opportunity will be squandered. When this happens, it’s usually due to poor change management.
84% of companies fail at digital transformation, according to Forbes. A digital adoption manager can help you avoid this common blunder. They oversee the entire adoption process of new tech, including the human element, to ensure it’s seamless and successful.
You’re not seeing the system ROI you expected
Many organizations purchase shiny new tech but fail to master or even explore all of its features, therefore missing out on its full benefits. A digital adoption manager can help you better understand and take advantage of your systems to get the greatest ROI possible. They take a strategic approach to ensure every employee can use each system in the way they need to for their job, maximizing your investment.
You’re booking too many training sessions
Don’t get us wrong—onboarding is essential to digital adoption. However, it should be done by the right person with the best skill set for the job. Enter the digital adoption manager. They can organize and execute personalized demos for each team within a company in a relevant, engaging way. This will help staff become more productive as they work with various systems. The digital adoption manager can also onboard new hires.
There are gaps in your business processes
Your team might be thrilled about the tool you just purchased, but if you’re only using some of its features and still doing things manually that could be automated, there are gaps in your process. A digital adoption manager specializes in identifying and addressing these issues. They will analyze your workflows to see where productivity could be improved and help ensure your technology truly drives your business forward.
Departments are using the same systems differently, resulting in disparate data
When silos develop within organizations, teams lose visibility into what’s working and what’s not, and data integration and quality can become compromised. A digital adoption manager acts as a bridge between different business functions—for example, IT and finance—to help CIOs gain insight into how systems are being used throughout a company. Digital adoption managers require solid interpersonal skills, which help them bring the human element back into IT.
You need someone to evaluate the latest tools and processes
It can be a challenge to keep up with ever-evolving digital trends when your to-do list is a mile long, but a digital adoption manager can take this task off your plate. They can help you choose technology solutions that will enable your business to grow, and connect you with the best vendors to suit your organization’s needs. The benefits here extend beyond saving your own time. Digital adoption managers also ensure companies can plan their IT budgets accurately.
You hear a lot of internal complaints
Employee buy-in is critical when it comes to implementing new technology, but in order to gain it, employees must be able to trust that they’ve truly been set up for success. A digital adoption manager will listen to concerns and take steps to address them by ensuring that employees receive proper training and are empowered to use the systems required in their roles.
A digital adoption manager can help steward your digital transformation, whether it’s for the short or long term. Now that you have a better understanding of their role, you can determine the best fit for your organization.
