User adoption is one of the most difficult — yet most important — elements of a successful new technology rollout. Unfortunately, many firms make the all-too-common mistake of waiting until they go live to focus on user adoption. But by kicking off user adoption efforts as soon as implementation starts, you can introduce users to new products early to generate greater interest, stronger engagement, and faster buy-in.
In 2023, one global private investment firm experienced the benefits of this approach firsthand. Their firmwide deployment of the Intapp DealCloud deal and relationship management platform included a highly successful user adoption strategy that was put into motion months before their go live. Keep reading to learn their top tips for maximizing DealCloud user adoption.
Get executive buy-in
If executives don’t consistently champion new technology and continually emphasize its value, professionals might assume it’s just another tool, and that using it is not a priority.
Achieving high levels of executive engagement requires firm leadership to understand the impact of the technology and believe in the value of the investment — which starts with obtaining their buy-in.
Recognizing this, the project leaders made executive engagement a core part of their DealCloud user adoption strategy. While implementation was underway, they worked closely with their executive team to make sure the executives understood what DealCloud does and the potential return on investment.
Once buy-in was secured, the project leaders partnered with senior managers to create a mission statement to help them cascade a clear, consistent mandate for user adoption throughout the firm. The messaging tapped into key outcomes the firm aimed to achieve with DealCloud, such as establishing a single source of truth and connecting firmwide networks.
Prioritizing top-down support from the very beginning set the tone for adoption across all levels of the firm, sending a clear message that if leadership was all in on DealCloud, everyone else should be too.
Seek user feedback and identify user champions
To foster adoption, the project leaders knew that DealCloud users had to be considered in their firmwide adoption strategy. They created groups of select DealCloud users, then met with them regularly to gather and implement their feedback prior to go live. The project leaders leveraged these meetings to uncover user issues, address them proactively, and make platform adjustments in advance of the full rollout.
These pilot groups also made it easy for the project leaders to identify user champions — professionals who believed in DealCloud and knew how to use it effectively in their roles. These champions played a key role in the successful adoption of DealCloud by sharing best practices and tips directly with their peers during the rollout.
After the rollout, project leaders continued engaging with the pilot groups to quickly gather and respond to feedback. This ongoing communication ensured the firm understood and met the evolving needs of its teams — and laid the foundation for long-term adoption success by making users feel heard and supported.
Show – don’t tell
The project leaders knew that simply talking about the benefits of DealCloud would only go so far — they also needed to show the platform in action. They decided to start with the platform’s scheduled automatic reporting capabilities, creating templated reports that were customized for each team and scheduled for weekly delivery.
Receiving these reports in their inboxes each week reinforced the platform’s value for the firm’s professionals. They found the reports to be genuinely useful and recognized the importance of continually updating the data to keep the reports accurate. This created a natural incentive for users to work within the DealCloud platform, driving adoption organically without the need for top-down enforcement.
Drive user adoption that sticks
Our investment firm client’s user adoption strategy was successful largely because it got executives and future DealCloud users invested in the platform before it was deployed. If you’re preparing for a DealCloud rollout of your own, applying their tips to your firm’s implementation can help you achieve high user adoption rates that stick.
For more Intapp client tips on how to maximize DealCloud user adoption, read this blog.