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Asset tracking software is an incredibly important resource for your organization, allowing you to increase your business’ efficiency, organization, and accuracy in future predictions. Most companies use asset tracking software to help them manage their IT department’s assets. Implementing asset software isn’t always simple, though. Asset tracking software implementation goes through many cycles to achieve success. It needs a lot of planning and tracking in order to work out the kinks. In fact, there are plenty of things that can go wrong during the implementation process.
Asset tracking software implementation involves not just installing the system on all of your company’s various platforms but also training your team of employees on how the software should properly be used. You will have to deal with very specific issues to ensure asset tracking software works seamlessly. During the process, various problems can pop up that you might not have expected. So, keep in mind these common pain points during the implementation stage and how you can overcome them.
Train your team to use asset-tracking software effectively
When you purchase and begin implementing a new asset tracking software, new and existing employees will not be able to use it effectively if you do not inform them of its capabilities and offer training. While training all of your employees on new software might seem like a daunting task, there are a few simple tips you can implement to ensure you convey the most accurate, useful information to your team.
- Explain asset tracking software - If your employees don’t understand the value of asset tracking software, they won’t be enthusiastic about implementing it, nor will they be likely to use it to its fullest. Before explaining exactly how to use asset tracking software, discuss with your employees what it is and how it provides an improvement upon your current systems.
- Run workshops and hands-on training - To help employees learn the basics of how to use asset tracking software and get hands-on practice, it is important to hold workshops and hands-on software training in the office. This is also a great opportunity for employees to ask any questions they might have about the software and how it works.
- Provide additional resources - Once your employees have completed basic asset tracking software training, you should provide them with additional resources to help them understand how to use asset tracking software. This might include take-home training programs, brochures, flyers, or informational emails. While employees should have access to you, another employee, or an IT department for any lingering questions regarding asset tracking software and how to use it, providing your team with resources can answer most of their questions and help them feel more comfortable using the software on their own.
If the software you purchased receives any major updates or is undergoing maintenance, you should send out information to your employees about the changes and how they will affect the team. You should hold trainings after any new features are introduced.
Consider all costs involved with asset tracking software
One of the biggest mistakes directors make when implementing asset tracking software is failing to account for all costs associated with the product. As a result of failing to do research about the costs associated with asset tracking software, some companies end up having to spend a lot more money than they set aside in the budget.
While you will have to pay upfront for asset tracking software, there will also be immediate costs involved with implementing it and future costs associated with maintaining it. Those costs are only going up, too, with three-fourths of United States SMBs estimating that they will spend more on software in 2023 compared to 2022.
When deploying asset tracking software, consider the following costs:
- Upfront cost of the software
- Monthly software fees
- Maintenance fees
- Upgrade costs
- Labor costs associated with installing and maintaining software, as well as labor costs associated with training employees
Each asset tracking software is different, so you should look at the options to determine which is best for your organization. While some charge per user, others charge per asset. If you have a lot of assets you need to track, you might consider calling a company that charges per user and vice versa. It is important to keep track of all costs associated with your asset tracking software and to regularly account for them in the organization's budget.
Seamlessly integrate current processes and software
Many organizations run into issues after realizing that their new asset tracking software is not compatible with their existing processes, software, or systems, creating hiccups in the implementation process. When implementing a new asset tracking software, you must consider how your current software and processes function and how new software will fit into your business operations.
To ensure seamless integration of your asset tracking software, be sure to outline a clear plan beforehand for how you will implement and integrate your new asset tracking software. Your plan should also call attention to any potential obstacles along the way. This way, you and your employees will not be surprised by any hiccups or obstacles that pop up during the implementation phase. You can also prevent many of the issues you might face before they even occur if you are able to identify them, making problem identification an incredibly important pre-implementation step.
Finally, during the integration phase, you should also consider any future issues that might pop up with your new software as compared to your old systems or any old assets you need to move over to a digital system. If you moved from pen-to-paper to virtual asset tracking software, you should ensure that all assets are accounted for in the new system to prevent confusion, errors, and inaccuracies.
Conclusion
Implementing software requires careful planning, but with the right framework, it goes smoothly. By outlining your company’s needs and requirements before making a decision, ensuring that your budget is in place, and understanding how new software works with your existing processes, you can ensure that your company’s asset tracking software implementation goes as smoothly as possible.
Please contact us if you have any questions about asset tracking best practices or how to implement your system.
