# 3 Must-Do Things To Ace Your Software Implementation | Capterra > Follow these three steps to ace your software implementation. Software implementation is difficult, and failing to implement it correctly leads to buyer's regret and revenue loss. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/must-do-software-implementation-tips --- Sales & Business Development # 3 Must-Do Things To Ace Your Software Implementation Written by: Collin Couey Collin CoueyAuthor Collin Couey is a senior content writer at Capterra, covering medical and construction technologies, with a focus on emerging medical and construction indust... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/ccouey/) and Taylor Short Taylor ShortAuthor Team Lead at Capterra, sharing insights about the manufacturing and maintenance industries. Journalism grad. Published in The Washington Post, Facility Manag... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/tshort/) Published April 30, 2020 | Updated on July 31, 2024 6 min read Table of Contents - [1\. Communicate constantly](#1-communicate-constantly) - [2\. Customize or personalize the software](#2-customize-or-personalize-the-software) - [3\. Create checkpoints](#3-create-checkpoints) - [Ready to nail your software implementation?](#ready-to-nail-your-software-implementation) ## Checkpoints, customizations, and constant communication lead to implementation success. Getting [new software](https://www.capterra.com/categories/) up and running is a critical step to implementation, but it can fall apart without specific goals, important milestones, and clear communication. According to Capterra’s 2024 Tech Trends Survey,[\*](#methodology) 60% of software buyers [regret a purchase](https://www.capterra.com/resources/us-tech-trends/) they’ve made in the past 12 to 18 months. Almost all buyers (96%) start their software search with an initial list of software vendors in mind—89% go on to purchase off this list almost always or at least most of the time. Sixty-two percent of these buyers go on to regret their purchase decision. As a small-business owner implementing software for the first time, or if you have been unsuccessful with software implementation in the past, keep these three things in mind during the entire process. If you do, you will see improved employee productivity, better personalization with the implementation process, and less overall confusion. This will lead to longer-lasting success with a lower likelihood of having to switch to a new software system later on which can cost thousands of dollars. With that in mind, we talked to David Singletary and Kenny Trinh, two professionals who have managed and implemented new software several times in their careers, to learn their best practices for ensuring smooth software implementation.[\[1,2\]](#sources) From there, we learned three things you can do to make sure your software implementation is as smooth as possible. ## 1\. Communicate constantly Arguably, the most important characteristic of every successful implementation is clear communication throughout the process. Make sure every plan you create is executed alongside constant communication with your team, stakeholders, and the vendor. Here are some communication tasks to complete before kicking off an implementation: Task Why it’s important Channel of communication Establish a default communication method, which could be contained in a [project management system](https://www.capterra.com/project-management-software/) or a communication tool. If you dedicate a single space for all implementation discussions, you’re much less likely to miss important information. Meeting cadence Factor in some formal check-in meetings with the vendor and internal representatives to solve any potential issues and ensure all steps are completed before moving to the next phase. Depending on the length of the implementation, you could hold them weekly or monthly. Method to share important documents If possible, use the same communication software to share documents as well. That way, the appropriate information is easily available to any person on the vendor or company side. David Singletary, software project manager at Wiss and Company, has extensive implementation experience over 25 years and says regular communication is key. That also includes having a channel available for employees to bring up any issues they experience while working with the new software. “You can have daily or weekly touchpoints to discuss how the system is performing, discuss best practices, and make system or operational adjustments if needed,” he says. “People may not raise their hand if they are struggling; this will provide the forum to do so.” You can also establish a RACI chart so each person involved with the implementation process knows exactly who to contact to keep the project moving. People are classified as one or more of the following: - R: Responsible—Those responsible for the work to achieve the goal. - A: Accountable—The “owner” or those who ultimately answer for the completion of the project. - C: Consulted—Those who offer input or opinions. - I: Informed—Those who are kept informed of the progress. Your RACI chart will look similar to this example: Activity or deliverable Project manager CIO Team lead Confirm functional requirements A/R C I Establish new workflows A/R I C Complete accounting integration A R I Clear communication and sharing of information is crucial before, during, and after implementation among business leaders, the vendor, and your employees. ## 2\. Customize or personalize the software Today’s typical software is cloud-based, delivered on any device, and capable of deep customization so your employees can work more efficiently and boost productivity. Work with the vendor to create a list of what you’d like to modify on their system, and establish an implementation checkpoint for the vendor to review the customization tweaks that you request.  For example, [project management software](https://www.capterra.com/project-management-software/) users often want specific workflows added to the system, and [sales teams](https://www.capterra.com/sales-force-automation-software/) usually like to customize the fields to make data entry more smooth. Vendors are usually able to help with these requests.  Your industry and the type of workflows you need will impact what needs to be customized, but the list may include: - Adding or removing fields - Establishing custom workflows - Setting up access to features by role - Matching user interface to brand colors and logos - Integrations with specific requirements You can set up each screen to show only the information you need so the system is easy to use ([Source](https://www.capterra.com/p/142562/Asset-Panda/)) Personalization refers to how individual users can tweak the navigation, dashboard layout, or functionality in their own view of the software. Have the vendor representative demonstrate how individual users can personalize the system before the go-live date. Managing customization and personalization ahead of time ensures that users can get the most value from the software from the beginning. ## 3\. Create checkpoints Most vendors have a template for the implementation process, and you can work with them to ensure it meets your needs. But for such a critical task, it’s important to formally track checkpoints and milestones to know everything is going as planned. “Building checkpoints into the project plan will ensure that your goals and expectations are being met and that any questions are answered in a timely and responsive manner,” says Kenny Trinh, founder of NetBookNews. The checkpoints you create will depend on your unique plan but should include any major milestones for connecting existing software, transferring important data, starting regular training workshops, and the final go-live date. Trinh, who was CEO of an education technology company before founding NetBookNews, says new software going live without historical data from the company is a common problem. Without historical data, it’s hard to track why certain decisions are being made because stakeholders lack context. However, with checkpoints, all stakeholders can know how and why each decision was made in the implementation process. “The objective here is to eliminate miscommunication, and make sure that all parties to the agreement are held accountable for their deliverables,” Trinh says. ## /CASE STUDY ## Dr. Neha Kharod Dr. Neha Kharod, an allergy, asthma, and immunology specialist who just completed a successful EHR implementation, provides insights into what made it go so smoothly and how to avoid EHR implementation challenges.[\[3\]](#sources) Dr. Kharod’s recent EHR implementation process went smoothly because the guidance from the vendor was more hands-on. She highlighted the fact that her vendor made sure that the support staff was available to answer questions about any of the minor day-to-day issues they had.  “Look for a vendor where you’re not a customer for them. You want to look for someone who views you as a partner. You want someone who is invested in your success just as much as you are.” She also suggests talking to other people in your specialty or industry who have used the software before, as they are more likely to be able to tell you what it’s like to use the software on a day-to-day basis. ## Ready to nail your software implementation? By planning customizations and establishing regular check-ins for consistent communication, you’re far more likely to implement an efficient new system tailored specifically to your needs. And if you’re not sure where to start looking for systems, product comparison sites, such as Capterra, give buyers useful information to make purchase decisions.  [Capterra Shortlist](https://www.capterra.com/project-management-software/shortlist/), for example, offers a snapshot of not only the most popular products in any given software category but also the ones most highly rated by actual users.  From this grid, buyers can go to profiles for specific software products to learn more about their features and pricing or [use the comparison tool](https://www.capterra.com/resources/capterra-software-comparison-tool/) to size up alternative products in the same category. If buyers feel overwhelmed by the number of options, however, or don’t feel confident they know enough about a category to decide which products should be on their initial list, a consultation with a Capterra advisor is just a click away. These advisors can give personalized software recommendations based on a buyer’s needs and pain points in less than 15 minutes. * * * **Survey methodology** \*Capterra’s 2024 Tech Trends Survey was designed to understand the timeline, organizational challenges, adoption and budget, vendor research behaviors, ROI expectations, satisfaction levels for software buyers, and how they relate to buyer’s regret. The survey was conducted online in July 2023 among 3,484 respondents from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, France, India, Germany, Brazil, and Japan, with businesses across multiple industries and company sizes (five or more employees). Respondents were screened to ensure their involvement in software purchasing decisions. This report focuses on the 700 respondents from the U.S. Respondents were screened to ensure their involvement in software purchasing decisions. Sources 1. [David Singletary](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dsingletary/), LinkedIn 2. [Kenny Trinh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anhktrinh/), LinkedIn 3. [Dr. Neha Kharod’s about me page](https://primecareofga.com/dr-neha-kharod/), Prime Care of Georgia * * * ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Authors [### Collin Couey](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/ccouey/) Collin Couey is a senior content writer at Capterra, covering medical and construction technologies, with a focus on emerging medical and construction industry trends. Collin has presented at the Conference on College Composition and Communication, as well as the Pop Culture Association Annual Conference.  Collin’s research and writing for Capterra is informed by more than 80,000 authentic user reviews and nearly 60,000 interactions between Capterra software advisors and medical and... [### Taylor Short](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/tshort/) Team Lead at Capterra, sharing insights about the manufacturing and maintenance industries. Journalism grad. Published in The Washington Post, Facility Management Magazine, and Facility Executive Magazine. Texas native. 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