Problem Solved: Overcoming Reluctance to a New Web Database Solution

In the office, as in life, nobody likes change. Even if changing to an online database will make their jobs easier, most people would rather fall back on old, familiar ways. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get your team onboard with your big idea. You just have to go about it the right way.

Gaining acceptance starts all the way back at the drawing board. When creating your new solution, make sure to:

• Design a new web database solution from an end user perspective with a good balance between organizational and user requirements.
• Listen and adapt to user feedback so that you understand what your audience wants and needs.
• Above all, make the web database easy to use. The best solutions are often the simplest. Make sure yours fits seamlessly into the workflow of your office instead of making the office adapt to you.

Now that you’ve got the online database solution that’s going to revolutionize your business, it’s time to introduce it to the rest of the office. As you did in your design, keep it simple. Don’t overwhelm your co-workers with unnecessary information. Have a simple value proposition and stick to it. For example:

“This new application will keep track of all our current projects in one central location. So, if someone has to hand off a project in mid-stream, the person who inherits it can get up to speed immediately.”

This way, you’ve done two things effectively. You’ve recognized a universal problem and provided a universal web database solution. But, you’re still only halfway home.

Now that heads are nodding, there are a few more steps to get everyone on board:

• Show them how effortlessly your new solution fits into their work process. Quickbase solutions are customizable, which makes it easy for you to demonstrate how it works with your current system.
• Show your users how the web database solution applies specifically to their jobs without going into details they don’t need.
• Finally, get yourself a champion—a trusted peer or a person from upper management—who will trumpet the benefits of your solution. Get them to talk it up both publicly and privately around the office. It’s amazing what a little positive spin from a third party will do for an idea. People will begin to understand that you’re not just doing this for yourself, but you’re actually doing it for them.

Remember, the greatest web database solution in the world only works if you can convince people to use it.