Learn more about taking that next step and implementing Intuit Practice Management by joining our free webinar on November 30, Learn How to Have Full Firm Transparency with Intuit Practice Management. You can register here.
The first time you log into your new app can be overwhelming. The time, research, and emotional involvement you made all lead up to this moment. No matter how much you prepare yourself, no matter how many videos you watch, when you start to use the app for your firm, is a very different experience.
Take a deep breath. Start from the top and break it down into pieces. You arrived at this point for a reason, and you researched it well. It’s what we do.
Implementation of an app for your firm is somewhat a leap of faith. Faith you made the right decision, faith you are placing this data in the right hands, and faith that you have the strength to see it through.
My first time to login to a new app is always scary. It’s happened many times and I always have that last moment of FUD at the log in screen. That’s the moment of truth. It’s where the work begins.
The ease in which you can proceed at that point depends on a few factures. Some of it has to do with you and the rest is dependent on how user friendly your new tool is.
Let’s talk about the “you” factors first. You are the conductor of your firm, no matter it’s size. You determine the piece, the mood, the key, the tempo, the very energy of your creation. You need to know the beginning, the end, and the points in between, but what you don’t need to know is how to play the tuba. You must have the confidence to step up to the podium and take charge. You also must know the limits of your knowledge and when to get input from your team.
And just like any leader, you should have a plan for whatever it is you are about to implement. Implementation without one is at high risk of failure.
By the time I arrive at the login screen to create my new credentials, I have already done my research, mapped out a plan with a timeline and set a distinct order to the first steps I will take. In my timeline I have already determined the tempo to our new endeavor. The pace and energy of which are determined and fed by my actions and mood, and I take care to note at what points I will need to interject the right energy and direction into the line of our progression to, what I hope, will be a new beginning for our firm.
To get to this point, there was pain and a great hope that this piece of technology would help solve it. The last piece required of us for this whole implementation to work, is to keep an open mind. You will need to learn something new. New habits will need to be developed. The most important thing to keep in mind is that for something to fit perfectly, it must be tailored for you, not anyone else. There is no app solution that is plug and play, but that is a good thing. You can set it up to how you want it to work for your firm.
The first place I visit after my credentials have been set, is the settings page. The usability of the app will be felt right away here. Next, I invite my team, set their permissions and away we go!
The next test of usability is at this juncture. Settings and users are one thing, what you really got the app for is another matter entirely. Can you start using it that day or will it be some time before it is set to launch? Usually, you have some idea of this before you made your new purchase, however going full hands on with the app will be the reality of it.
It’s very easy to be overwhelmed at this point, and that is why having a starting task list for set up is important to keep you on point.
- Global Settings
- Users and permissions
- Connections
- Client list
- Template(s) or other set-ups necessary to start use
- Start with the most pressing and keep it simple
My first-time logging in to my latest acquisition of technology for my firm, Inuit Practice Management, went much better than I had hoped. Nothing distracted me from the task at hand and I could see the full potential of what was to come, a platform the whole team could use and use easily. I had a lot of trepidation surrounding this implementation due to its very importance in the management of the firm. My apprehensions were quickly soothed as I started to see all the scattered threads start to weave together, the beginning of what I wanted to see, the full tapestry of a client laid out in front of me.
This is the feeling you should have your first-time logging in to your latest investment in your firm. The sense that everything will go well and the solution you were looking for is in reality doing what it said it would do.
Not every implementation of a new app goes well. If you are struggling from the onset, constantly in the support pages and chat because you can’t figure out how to deal with the base settings, it is not a good sign. Useability of a platform should cross from the login to the settings and out to the day-to-day use.
Next time you have a first time to log in to a new app, remember this, first impressions are huge. Those feelings that you have in those moments will determine not only your use of the app, but also how your team will use it. Trust your gut during your first-time logging in. You have grown to this point because you have trusted yourself so far.
Learn more about taking that next step and implementing Intuit Practice Management by joining our free webinar on November 30, Learn How to Have Full Firm Transparency with Intuit Practice Management. You can register here.