Guide: How to motivate your team to embrace new software solutions without resistance

Adopting a new software solution is never just a technical matter. More often than not, the real challenge isn’t how quickly the team can learn the application’s features, but how they respond to change. Accepting a new tool goes far beyond getting familiar with buttons and menus – it’s a process of adaptation, building trust, and aligning with a new way of working.

This article isn’t about code, servers, or complex integrations. It’s about people. About how you involve them, earn their trust, and turn a software rollout into a collaborative, fluid, and effective journey. Together, we’ll explore the common reasons behind resistance to change, the essential steps of a successful implementation, the key roles within the team, the importance of process analysis, the benefits of an agile approach, and, of course, how to design a project plan that inspires and mobilizes.

If you want your team to welcome change with openness, integrate it naturally into their workflow, and leverage it with confidence, this guide is for you.

Key Reasons Behind Resistance to Change

Of course, in any process of implementing a software solution, the budget is the first and biggest challenge. Right after that comes the task of identifying the right vendor and the implementation team. These two decisions – budget and vendor selection – are usually made by a small group of people who, paradoxically, rarely end up being the direct users of the purchased application.

Still, perhaps the most difficult stage in such a project is the actual adoption of the solution by the team. Without the involvement and support of those who will use it every day, any implementation risks remaining just a formal initiative.

The adoption process should begin as early as the budgeting phase, when the project sponsor has the responsibility to communicate the intent and highlight the benefits of the new solution. Regardless of the type of application or the vendor chosen, the goal is the same: making daily work easier. For users, the key word is ease; for management, it is efficiency.

A software solution is not implemented simply for the sake of digitalization. It must automate those repetitive tasks that consume time, generate boredom, and are prone to unintentional errors. Only then can it truly become valuable for the organization.

Why might users reject or fail to accept a software solution?

One of the most common causes is the fear of being replaced and losing one’s job. In today’s context, where human resources are increasingly difficult to find, layoffs are not a viable solution. People can be redirected to other areas of activity, but more often, the implementation of a software solution leads to an increase in the volume of data processed – such as the number of invoices – and thus, with the same number of operators, more tasks can be completed.

Another reason users might reject a software solution is the belief that “it can’t be done better,” because the employee has been doing that task for many years. They may be right in their own way, but the future user of the application often lacks a broader perspective of what happens upstream or downstream from the operational stage they are involved in.

It is common, for example, for a batch check in a warehouse to be performed twice – once at reception and again during picking for delivery. In the xTrack WMS system, once the batch is registered at reception, no additional verification is needed at delivery. This makes the picker more efficient, simply because the operator at reception has already completed the check.

The reluctance to learn new things is perhaps the aspect that requires the most effort in the implementation process. While challenges related to budget or vendor selection can be addressed with logical arguments, here a persuasion strategy is needed, before future users embrace “no” as their default answer.

There are two effective approaches:

• Identifying project supporters – key people who champion the initiative and are present at several stages:
  • During budget planning
  • When selecting the vendor
  • After the first tests
• Adopting an Agile-style approach to implementation – not referring to the vendor’s methodology, but to a step‑by‑step way of training and rolling out the application. In practice, this means identifying workflows that can be implemented and used easily. Of course, these workflows must be useful overall, and their implementation should bring clear benefits.

The fear that the system will create more work is a natural reaction when the application is unfamiliar to users. The unknown can generate a sense of complexity, the exact opposite of what management wants, which is efficiency. Interestingly, this concern contradicts the earlier one, where people believe in efficiency but fear the possibility of losing their jobs.

To eliminate this fear, it is essential to allocate time for learning, organize workshops, and run testing sessions together with the implementers. These actions can quickly clarify how the application works and demonstrate its concrete benefits in daily activity.

To overcome the challenge of resistance to change, one thing is necessary and non‑negotiable: convincing the management team, and especially the project sponsor, that the new application must be implemented without accepting excuses from future users. The message must be firm, clear, and unwavering.

How a Project Should Be Implemented

For a project to be successfully implemented, it is absolutely essential that both the vendor and the client invest time and resources. Active involvement from the client’s team is important at every stage of implementation, including the process analysis phase.

Based on hundreds of implementations carried out by the Axes Software team, regardless of system complexity, we have identified several key elements that decisively contribute to completing a project successfully and within a budget that works for both sides. These include:

• Clear definition of responsibilities within the teams, especially on the client’s side. A crucial role in any IT project is the power user – the person who will know the application in detail and understand how it has been configured and put into operation.
• Process analysis stage, necessary to identify the best solutions tailored to the client’s needs.
• Agile way of working, not necessarily in terms of software development, but in the implementation approach -small, well‑controlled steps that allow for progressive adaptation.
• Live testing sessions, organized after concepts have been clearly explained, both during the analysis phase and in user training.
• Establishing a project plan agreed upon by both parties, whose non‑compliance can lead to additional costs and delays.

Roles Within the Project

Here we refer to the roles of the client’s team members. In smaller projects, a single person may take on multiple responsibilities required for implementation.

Project Manager (client side): Ensures the project plan is followed and that necessary resources – such as infrastructure and hardware – are available. No stage of the project can be scheduled without these resources being ready. For example, the server must be prepared before the application can be installed.

Super User: Knows all the workflows being implemented and, at some point, understands how to configure the application. During implementation, this person acts as the bridge between the user team and the vendor’s implementation team. The super user centralizes user questions and errors, forwarding them to the vendor. Often, recurring issues can be explained or resolved directly by the super user without vendor intervention.

End Users: The people who will use the application daily, divided across different activity sectors. It is recommended that at least one representative from each department or team involved in various workflows actively participate in analysis discussions and detailed training. Interestingly, those who initially oppose the project often become the best testers, as they rigorously test the application to prove their point. For this reason, such individuals should be included as departmental representatives during implementation.

Business Consultant: The client may appoint one or more people to provide clear, quick answers about workflows to the vendor’s team. Often, this is an external consultant who brings a different perspective on business processes compared to the client’s employees. The consultant may propose workflow changes to be integrated into the software solution and is usually involved even before vendor selection, since recommendations or requirements can influence the choice. During implementation, the consultant ensures that their recommendations are applied and accepted by the client’s team, while also acting as a neutral negotiator between client and vendor.

For implementation to be carried out correctly, those in different roles must dedicate time to the project. In practice, they are partially or fully removed from their regular activities during the software rollout. Training and testing phases can take many hours, sometimes even days, depending on project complexity. It is important that this time is planned in advance and committed to by the client’s team.

Process Analysis

It is clear that within the client company, a business model is already implemented and documented. Moreover, if a consultant is involved in the project, they will have drafted such a model that should be translated into the software application. Typically, this model is not detailed from a software perspective but instead describes the steps of each process and the methods for measuring performance.

A software application has its own mechanisms and approaches, so the operational model must be translated into the application’s terms. For example, if the consultant requests that an invoice be issued once the driver has loaded the goods, the application must clearly define the trigger that confirms loading. Depending on the application’s capabilities, these requirements can be automated to a greater or lesser extent.

All these aspects are detailed in an analysis document, also known as the Blueprint, which forms the foundation of the application’s implementation.

The document must be validated by all parties involved in the project, especially the consultant, but also the end users. In most cases, it is prepared by a representative of the vendor.

The analysis document should not be confused with a user manual, as it contains numerous technical details that may intimidate end users. Its purpose is different: it serves as the basis for implementation planning and detailed resource allocation.

For a successful implementation, we recommend an Agile approach – meaning a phased rollout. The analysis document is structured according to the main stages of the workflows to be integrated into the application. It is advisable to start with simple functionalities that are easy for users to understand and adopt, and then move on to more complex ones as familiarity increases.

The analysis and drafting of the Blueprint document provide a valuable opportunity to present the application’s functionalities while also training users in a practical, hands‑on way.

From our perspective, the process analysis stage is essential for ensuring that the application is easily adopted by users. Conducting this stage step by step allows for full exposure of client requirements, clear understanding by all parties, and correct implementation in the application.

The role of the analyst is crucial in project execution. They must anticipate the client’s real needs and propose the most suitable solutions from the end user’s perspective, ensuring that their work is simplified as much as possible. Ideally, once a module or workflow stage is implemented, there should be no need to revisit functionalities due to overlooked aspects.

Experience is often gained from similar projects, and this is indeed the easiest approach. However, we believe that relevant experience can come from any domain that contributes to the success of a new implementation. For example, knowledge gained in the auto parts business can be successfully applied to pharmaceutical projects – a real case we encountered in warehouse functionality requirements.

A software solution validated across multiple industries is generally more flexible than one dedicated exclusively to a single domain. This flexibility allows for innovative approaches and tailored solutions to meet each client’s specific needs.

At Axes Software, we have often succeeded in delivering innovative process automation solutions precisely because of the experience accumulated across hundreds of projects. This valuable know‑how has contributed to the flexibility of our applications and their ability to respond effectively to challenges in diverse industries.

All these factors help transform Axes Software applications into true partners for users. After the implementation period, users become more relaxed, their efficiency increases significantly, and the number of errors drops dramatically.

Agile Way of Working

Agile has become a popular concept in the IT industry, and at Axes Software we use it to make implementations easier for users to understand and follow. At a macro level, the methodology adopted is Agile, but at a micro level – for each stage of the project – we work in a Waterfall style.

This hybrid approach allows us to gather all relevant information for each stage, document it clearly, and include it in one or two sprints depending on complexity. Each step is therefore well‑defined, easy to track, and adapted to the client’s real needs.

When looking at a project as a whole, our goal is to highlight its outcome through workflows that are as simple, clear, and easy to apply as possible. Later, the detailed developments from the Blueprint document complement these workflows. This approach saves time during implementation and facilitates user adoption of the application.

Within the Axes Software team, we use two implementation methods, each with its strengths:

Method 1: Modular Implementation

Each module is analyzed, configured, and implemented separately. While this approach has a stronger Waterfall component, the smaller size of the modules allows implementation to resemble an Agile process, since each fits within a single sprint.

• The analysis document becomes the sprint backlog.
• This makes subsequent stages clearer for the client and easier to manage.
• Ideally, the project is divided into stages treated as sprints of up to two weeks. After testing with the client, GoLive can occur at the end of each sprint, enabling users to adopt the application gradually.
• Even in early stages, staff rotations can be organized so everyone has a chance to familiarize themselves with the application, whether for a few hours or a few days.

Method 2: Standard Functionality First

The application is installed with standard functionalities, workflows are started, and after a training period, GoLive occurs for the entire application.

• Afterwards, the analyst begins documenting processes, and the client identifies more aspects and workflows that can be optimized compared to the first approach.
• As the client gains experience and understands the philosophy and capabilities of the application, they become an ideal partner – almost a consultant – in the implementation process.
• The learning effort is concentrated into a shorter time frame, which can create stress and a higher risk of rejection. However, communication with the client becomes more effective, since discussions take place on common ground with a clear understanding of the application.
• This approach reflects Agile principles and offers an important advantage: costs are spread over a longer period, and visible results are achieved immediately after the initial GoLive with standard functionalities.

Each project is unique, and the choice of implementation method must be based on budget allocations and client specifics. This decision should be preceded by a SWOT analysis, so the client clearly understands the advantages and risks of each approach.

Some projects cannot be handled through a standard implementation because they include special requirements which, if not integrated correctly, can turn the application into an obstacle rather than real support. A concrete example is warehouses where goods are weighed and weight loss may occur over time — an aspect that must be carefully managed within the application.

Live Testing Sessions

Live testing with the client is a crucial step in the implementation process and should be carried out as close as possible to the analysis stage, so that the information discussed remains fresh and is not lost. This testing is necessary regardless of the implementation method chosen.

During testing, manuals for each workflow are used, even if they are not yet in their final version. These manuals can later be used after implementation is complete, as training materials for new operators. It is important that they are clear, present the sequence of operations step by step, and avoid complex technical details such as explanations of how the application behaves under certain circumstances.

Testing is not just about following steps and pressing buttons to get a result. It begins with a theoretical presentation of the concepts behind the module or stage. In practice, the process starts “from the ground up”: the workflow described in the analysis document is reviewed, all concepts are explained, including those not obvious at first use, and only then does testing begin.

After the theoretical training, implementers demonstrate how the application works, and afterwards all tests are carried out by the users themselves, without direct intervention from the implementation team. At this stage, implementers act as observers of the testing process.

It is important that as many end‑users as possible cover all testing scenarios, to properly validate functionalities and ensure effective adoption of the application.

Testing is based on clearly defined scenarios, agreed with the client before the process begins. Each scenario must include input data and expected results, so that tests are relevant and complete. For example, when printing invoices, all types used by the client should be verified: cancellations, discounts, duplicate items on different lines, invoices with many lines that don’t fit on one page, VAT calculation simulations, and other specific cases.

These tests require dedicated time from both the vendor’s team and, especially, the client’s team. Rigorous testing is essential to eliminate errors and cover all functional aspects. At the same time, the testing stage is an excellent opportunity for users to familiarize themselves with the application and adopt it naturally.

Testing scenarios are built during the analysis phase, when each workflow is detailed. The Blueprint document clearly highlights what must be tested with priority and which areas of the application have been customized.

At first, testing may be difficult, especially in the early stages of implementation. As the project progresses, tests become easier to perform, and the time required for the same level of complexity decreases significantly, leading to greater efficiency among end‑users.

After the testing stage is complete, user manuals are finalized, incorporating feedback from users. They may point out unclear aspects or areas needing clarification, thereby improving the training materials.

It is also recommended that people who initially showed strong resistance to the application — whether during the communication of the implementation intent or at contract signing — be involved in testing. A reluctant person who eventually accepts the application and recognizes its advantages can become a powerful ally. By their personal example – “they accepted” – they can positively influence colleagues who will be involved in later stages of the project.

Project Plan

The project plan is a critical document in the implementation of a software application. It provides teams with a clear cadence, an estimated budget, and a precise allocation of resources across the client’s departments.

It is important that the plan takes into account the learning pace of users, to avoid overload and the emergence of new reasons for rejecting the application. At the same time, the project duration should not be excessively long, as interest in the application may fade and the client may lose motivation to continue.

Adhering to the project plan is vital: any deviation can lead to increased implementation costs and reduced efficiency among those involved.

The project plan serves as a guide for sponsors, offering clear milestones at which the benefits of the application can be measured and the stages where the investment begins to gradually pay off. For end users, the plan sets deadlines for activities such as testing and defines when they must begin using the application as agreed.

This plan must be adopted regardless of the implementation method chosen, whether phased or simultaneous, and should reflect the structure of the analysis stages.

The project plan thus becomes a key instrument in the adoption process. Respecting it contributes decisively to successful implementation, providing both vendor and client teams with a clear framework for defining and meeting deadlines.

Resistance to change is perhaps the greatest obstacle to a successful rollout. That is why every stage, from analysis and testing to training and GoLive, must be designed not only from a technical perspective but also from a human one. User involvement, an adapted learning pace, and constant communication transform reluctance into trust and play a decisive role in the project’s success.

At Axes Software, we understand that technology does not work without people. If you want a team that helps you manage change, adapt the software solution to your company’s real needs, and turn challenges into results, we invite you to contact us using the form below.