Make customers more comfortable with technology through education

The adoption of new technology is no longer a choice but a necessity for staying competitive in business. Despite the undeniable benefits these advancements bring, getting customers comfortable with change remains a significant challenge.

Why it matters: The key to shifting customers' mindset to embrace change lies in trust and clear communication when undergoing any user-faced automation transformations.

Several financial institutions, both large and small, have undergone digital transformations in recent years, notably incorporating AI to simplify everyday functions. This widespread adoption of new technologies is being used to cut costs, increase convenience and deepen customer relationships. Even with the many benefits to a digital world, some customers can be reluctant to change their ways.

Get internal teams on board with the change first. Think of a trust fall. If others see one person falling into the other without dropping onto the ground, they'll be much more comfortable in trying it out themselves. It's the same with introducing your customer to a new system or process.

Nate Yagle, vice president of credit at Premier Companies (Seymour, IN), said his company took a united front when adopting automation and discussing the change with customers. As a result, his company has seen a quick adoption from its customer base.

"We got our internal team comfortable with seeing changes first, then moved onto influencing top customers and then rolled it out to the masses," Yagle explained. "When we rolled the technology out for the first wave of customers, it allowed them to get comfortable with it for a couple weeks. Being proactive also allowed us to fix some of the bugs, too."

Some credit professionals use marketing strategies, such as online campaigns, to advertise their changes. Try using multiple communication outlets to notify customers about new opportunities.

"We usually start off with an email blast about the changes and then we'll take our top-tier customers and do a more personalized reach out," said Tracy Mitchell, AR senior team lead at Trinity Logistics (Seaford, DE). "That way we are making sure that our top customers are well-informed and have the opportunity to ask any questions they want before the product is officially rolled out."

Create a user-friendly interface. Learning a new software system can be hard enough for those who are not technically savvy. Creating a simplified interface makes it easier for customers to navigate through the new process with minimal confusion. Before considering any digital channels, customers also need to understand how the new tech will benefit them.

A great example is how technology opens communication. Customers no longer have the limited window of business hours to ask questions or receive help. It's right at their fingertips through portals or other communication channels. "We make sure to explain the benefits for customers because it's so much easier to get them on board when they're aware of what benefits they're going to get from utilizing the new technology," Mitchell said.

Don't overlook planning. Build a step-by-step guide to complete a project successfully. Undergoing any change requires clear communication on new information—especially about the security measures in place to protect customer data and transactions.

Communication is the foundation of a successful implementation plan. "We had a mass invite we recently sent out for our new app and communicated ahead of time that this change was coming and to look for it," said Yagle. "If they had questions, they could call us. The account managers and various customer-facing people inside of our company also knew about it and were able to talk to customers with a unified message."

Reassure and support your customer. Give your customers a detailed step-by-step guide. "For anyone who needs it, they'll do a basic user guide for something like a sign on in a customer portal or there's a new type of bill pay platform," said Mitchell. "We make sure that they have instructions on how to use it and that they know who to go to if they have any questions on what's coming up or how to use it once it's unavailable."

Provide a responsive customer support channel through email and phone for any inquiries or needed assistance. "We like to assure our customers that their personal and financial information is kept confidential and will not be shared with third parties without their consent," said Merry Duan, senior strategic account analyst at Bayer Corporation (Saint Louis, MO). "It's very important to do so because it's professional and helps garner trust."

Be open to feedback. Not everyone likes change. However, listening to the customer's concern can help you both reach an agreement. If you're teaching them how to use the new technology through a Teams call, for example, maybe show instructions through the screen. Understand how your customer likes to learn.

Some customers may still be apprehensive to adopt digitization, so patience is important. "We try to offer a variety of solutions for any kind of problem to provide the best service that we can," Mitchell said. "The most important things are selling the value and making sure it's not complicated for the people that you want to be the end-user for the product. Those two things will get you the least amount of pushback and the most amount of buy in."

The bottom line: Adopting new technology in business is essential for maintaining competitiveness, and its successful implementation hinges on building trust with customers through clear communication, preparing internal teams first, creating user-friendly interfaces, planning meticulously with a focus on data security, providing responsive customer support channels and being open to feedback.

-Kendall Payton, editorial associate