One of the most important things I heard in the conversation? An implementation plan for software is a team sport.
You need project managers, admins, accountants, and decision-makers on the same page. Saying, “Here’s the new system—use it,” is not enough. You have to show how it improves their lives.
Understand pain points across roles for risk assessment. For example:
- Fabricators want accurate stock levels and job costing.
- Admins need faster data entry and fewer double-ups.
- Project managers want timelines that reflect real capacity.
Hadleigh shared a story about a company that launched a new system without involving its users. The result? A great platform, completely ignored by the staff.
Instead, involve your team early, listen to their concerns, and build around their workflows—not just around features.
Improved communication is one of the biggest drivers of successful change, but it doesn’t happen automatically. People need context.
If you’re leading the change, it’s your role to keep repeating the ‘why’ behind the new system. Why it matters, why it’s better, and how it supports your business goals.
Clarity beats hype. Don’t oversell it—be consistent and visible in your support.
Tony and Hadleigh both emphasized how important it is to start small.
Track your early wins—maybe it’s reducing double-entry, improving quoting accuracy, or saving time on invoicing. Whatever it is, make it visible. Hadleigh advise:
“Start with something simple. Measure the improvement. Then grow from there.”
Success breeds confidence. And confidence fuels adoption.
If you’re considering a software change, here’s a practical roadmap to reduce the risk and improve efficiency:
- Audit your current process. Where are the bottlenecks? Who is most impacted?
- Define your core goals. Are you trying to reduce admin in construction projects? Improve project visibility? Clarify costing? Do you need accounting software integration?
- Start with one function. Begin where impact is high and complexity is low.
- Build team collaboration. Don’t go it alone—loop in voices from finance, ops, and on-the-ground roles.
- Document before/after. Start tracking progress, even if it’s minor.
- Assign ownership for better business systems clarity. Don’t let systems become “everyone’s job.”