Introduction of new software: Why do we need training now?

In an age where most of the working population has essentially grown up with computers — and especially younger people rarely leave the house without some kind of digital companion — the assumption seems obvious: we all know how to use computers, and the systems are self-explanatory.

But in a business context, that can be a costly misconception. Sure, no one needs to be told anymore why passwords show up as asterisks. But why I’m supposed to document in the CRM system what topic I discussed in relation to which product, or why I need to select “Material” in one field in the ERP system in order to be able to choose “Software License” in the next — that’s not immediately clear, even to digital natives.

And that’s the point: employees need training to understand the context, to grasp the processes behind the software, and ideally, to be willing to apply them. That’s why modern IT training is no longer about teaching how a software works, but about showing the value it brings — both to each individual user and to the organization as a whole.

I enter the conversation topic in the CRM system so that I know what I talked about with the customer last time. And so that marketing, for example, can analyze which topics resonate with which customers — and which don’t. We do this to improve the customer experience and strengthen customer loyalty.

When we support a software implementation project, we often hear that the processes and workflows won’t change — only the system is being replaced, the processes will remain the same.

But is that really true? If so, why change the system at all?

There are cases where this statement is fairly accurate: for example, when a system is no longer supported by the vendor or has become too expensive and needs to be replaced. In such cases, the goal is often to replicate the old system as closely as possible in the new one. Only the processes that can’t be transferred one-to-one are adapted — and at the very least, those changes should be covered in training.

However, in most cases, the software switch is driven by a broader goal. As mentioned earlier, the aim is to simplify processes, work more purposefully and efficiently, and gain insights and understanding.

So what changes is not just the software, but also the expectations around how it should be used. The desired behavior of employees is expected to change — and behavioral changes need to be learned and practiced.

That’s why every software rollout requires appropriate training for employees. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a three-day, instructor-led classroom training. Maybe a short training video is exactly what’s needed.

But leaving employees to figure things out on their own is the surest way to miss the mark.