Getting Operators On-Board

Getting your team on board with any new technology solution is vital to its success. It’s something we understand at Docketbook, because we know that without adoption, even the best systems can fail.

We often hear about one group of people who can be a little bit more challenging when it comes to technology adoption: operators. And it makes sense, they are working to tight deadlines, have a paper-based system that they know what to do with and have relied on for years, and, in some circumstances, they are from a generation where technology uptake isn’t their strongest suit.

Jenna Watson leads Docketbook’s customer success team and has implemented the solution with businesses from small plant and equipment operators to tier-one contractors and multi-national organisations. We caught up with Jenna and picked her brains on how to successfully implement a digital solution for operators.

“The biggest hurdle in successfully implementing a solution is ensuring the end users adopt the change. In our case, the solution is digital dockets, and the end-users are machine operators, truck drivers and labourers. There is no substitute for getting operators on board. Implementations fail when operators reject the change, irrespective of the effort you have put into perfecting your setup and processes,” said Jenna.

Here are Jenna’s Top 7 Rules of Digital Transformation for Operators.

Take the time to explain why the change is happening, and why it is happening now. Outline the benefits, provide time frames, and give reassurance that they will be well supported. Be specific about what exactly is changing for them, and which of their current activities will be replaced.

Don’t confuse this conversation with a “how-to” session, which should have its own dedicated time allocated for a future date.

2.Communicate wisely

Pick your communication channels intelligently – sending an operator an email will not be as effective as talking to them at a toolbox talk. Be sure that the communication is coming from the right person. Someone who has the respect (and language) of the audience is much more likely to make an impact.

People want to have their say on changes that impact how they do their job, so consult with them. Listen to what they have to say and be serious about taking their feedback into account when rolling out your new solution. Your team are experienced, they know their job and can give you great feedback on what may or may not work when designing a solution for them.

Don’t worry, this will not turn into an endless complaint session. In our experience, the opposite is true.

4.Champions of change really matter

Finding champions is a great way to support new systems. If you can identify an influential operator as a champion, your chance of success will improve. They can be a channel for information, support the roll-out, and share their positive attitude to bring others along for the journey.

5.Keep it simple and take it slowly

Start with a simple model that operators won’t perceive as a massive leap from their current paper process. You can add more structure later once the operators are more confident in the process. Allow sufficient time to roll out a new system. There are several steps to go through to be successful, so set realistic timeframes.

Implementing slowly and successfully is better – rushing and failing will make it significantly harder to convince stakeholders to re-engage later.

‘We can’t change because most of our team are older’ – we hear this often. In our experience, age is not a barrier to technology adoption. We have users in their 70s successfully creating digital dockets every day. It’s a matter of confidence – spend the time getting users confident in their ability to use the technology. Let them know that you're ok with them making mistakes in the beginning, and you understand it will take time to get used to the changes. Make sure they know exactly where to get help when they need it.

We often like to run digital and paper dockets in tandem to start with. This enables people to become comfortable with Docketbook while having a safety net. It also allows them to see the benefits of digital dockets – they can’t go missing, and operators don’t have to go looking for a supervisor to sign their docket at the end of their shift.

Implementing a system is rarely met with 100% successful user uptake overnight. Be prepared for resistance. Do not be disheartened if users are not immediately keen on the change; it may take time for them to be fully on board, so be prepared to adapt your approach as needed.

Rolling out will take time, require a little refinement and additional training, so be prepared to be resilient to achieve success. Define ways to measure your progress in the short term, as it will take time to see the results of your effort reflected in the bottom line.

“One of the things I am most proud about at Docketbook is our culture of real support. Although we are a software solution, we talk to our customers, spend the time to understand their people and processes, and offer real, live support – no chatbots! This approach to support is a game-changer during an implementation,” said Jenna.