Fear of technology, job uncertainty, or resistance to change...
What does this really mean? Do we truly resist change? We live in a world of constant change and global progress, especially in technology. There is no way anyone can stay "up to date for long"—what you purchase today ceases to be "state-of-the-art" in just a couple of months. We are accustomed to dealing with changes in the products we use, the way we buy, how we consume content, and how we engage with entertainment.
However, when it comes to changes within the company where we work, we typically encounter resistance to the new. Some might argue that it is simply fear—but fear of what?
When we begin using tools to streamline time and functions within our organization, one of the primary challenges we face is uncertainty. Not knowing how a tool works, what data or information it reports, what tasks it handles for me, or whether it completely replaces my role creates an immediate and inevitable pushback against technological innovation.
"Machines are going to replace me," or, from management's perspective, "We are going to save on payroll."
Neither of these fears is entirely unfounded; however, throughout Awtana's extensive experience implementing technology solutions, we have found that communication is both the foundation and the solution to these challenges. Involving users and leaders from the early stages of tool evaluation and consideration fosters trust and the exchange of ideas within customer service teams. This builds a foundation that will later strengthen the adoption of new ways of working and alignment with new processes that evolve through technology systems, such as a Help Desk tool for managing post-sale requests.
When we ground the use of technology in driving results, systems become tools and means to achieve objectives. How many repetitive tasks do you and your team handle? How much time is spent repeatedly receiving and categorizing requests? How much strain does that place on productive hours? How many customer requests are not addressed promptly and properly? Or, most importantly... What impact will ensuring customer satisfaction across post-sale requests through technology have on customer experience?
These questions can broaden our teams' perspectives and allow them to view technology adoption as a WIN-WIN scenario—one where the company becomes more competitive and gains greater control over service variables, and professionals spend less time on repetitive manual tasks, gaining back time to do what they do best: serving our customers' needs.
