Is Your New Tech Truly Adopted – or Just Installed?
You’ve rolled out a new CRM, project management tool or digital reporting system. The aim? Greater efficiency, better service delivery, smoother workflows. The kind of transformation that’s vital for an organisation under pressure to modernise. But installing technology is not the same as adopting it.
Measuring logins alone won’t tell you whether teams are actually working differently or better. True adoption means the tech is embedded into day-to-day behaviour, solving real problems and unlocking value.
Here are seven ways to check whether your digital tools are really landing with users, plus what to do if they’re not.
1. Go Beyond Logins: Track How Features Are Used
Why it matters: People might be signing in, but are they using the right features? Logging in is a surface metric. You want to know whether staff use the functionality that drives value.
What to look for: Monitor whether people use specific features designed to solve core problems. For example, “Are service teams generating reports or just checking basic schedules? or “Is your sales team tracking leads or just viewing contacts?”
What to do:
Targeted messaging: Create short campaigns promoting underused features (e.g. “Save 10 mins per report with this template”)..
Micro-learning: Provide quick video guides for specific tasks.
Peer examples: Share short, real-life success stories.
Feedback loops: Ask non-users why they’re not engaging - is it relevance, complexity, or lack of awareness?
2. Spot the Workarounds
Why it matters: If people are using personal spreadsheets or reverting to the old system, the new tech isn’t doing the job or isn’t perceived to. These workarounds can introduce significant risks, such as data inconsistency and compliance issues.
What to look for: Comments like “It’s just easier on my spreadsheet” or “I still use the old platform for that” are signs that something is not working.
What to do:
Investigate, don’t blame: Ask what the workaround offers that the system doesn’t.
Acknowledge friction: Be honest in comms, “We know logging X feels cumbersome right now…" and explain what’s being done to improve it.
Explain the risks: Carefully outline compliance or quality issues from off-system working.
Update training: Focus on the specific use case behind the workaround.
3. Listen to the Quality of Questions
Why it matters: Questions evolve with adoption. Are you still fielding “How do I log in?” or getting more advanced queries like “How can I tailor this dashboard for my KPIs?”
What to look for: Persistent basic questions = weak onboarding or complex interfaces. Advanced queries = engaged users exploring the system.
What to do:
Simplify resources: Create quick-reference guides that get to the point.
Drop-in clinics: Offer short, optional refresher sessions and bring them to your teams, not the other way around.
Make support visible: Ensure everyone knows how and where to get help.
Refine onboarding: Update materials and approach for new joiners based on support patterns.
4. Find the 'In-house Experts'
Why it matters: Natural ‘go-to’ colleagues are a sign that knowledge is spreading organically. These internal champions can accelerate adoption.
What to look for: Who do people turn to for help? Who's sharing tips in meetings or group chats?
What to do:
Nurture them: Give early access to updates, extra training, or informal recognition
Lightly formalise: Launch a voluntary “Tech Mentor” scheme with support and visibility.
Enable peer learning: Set up a channel or slot in meetings to share tips.
Shine a light: Recognise contributions publicly to encourage wider use.
5. Conduct “Show You, Don’t Just Tell Me” Sessions
Why it matters: Claiming “we use it” isn’t proof. Seeing someone complete a task tells you how tech fits into their daily flow.
What to look for: Can users demonstrate the tool in action? Do they hit roadblocks mid-process?
What to do:
Frame it well: Position sessions as supportive, not evaluative.
Coach on the spot: Use observations to offer practical help.
Tailor resources: Create guides tied to real tasks (“How to use the CRM for client follow-ups”).
Share themes: Anonymise common challenges and address them in wider communications.
6. Measure Outcomes, Not Just Activity
Why it matters: The real question is whether tech is making a difference. Did it reduce error rates, save admin time, or improve response speed?
What to look for: Have key metrics moved? Are teams reporting smoother workflows or fewer manual steps?
What to do:
Return to the 'why': Link back to original business goals and see if they’re being met.
Share wins: Report early outcomes to keep momentum high.
Be honest about gaps: Where goals aren’t yet achieved, outline what’s being done and what’s expected of teams.
Feedback for future: If the new tech fundamentally can’t deliver, use this data to inform future decisions and communicate learnings transparently.
7. Check the Health of Your Feedback Loops
Why it matters: Too many digital rollouts rely on generic, technical, top-down, one-way messages. A faulty feedback loop kills enthusiasm for digital adoption, especially in demanding and people-centred organisations.
What to look for: Are there clear feedback channels that are actively monitored and demonstrably acted upon? Do messages seem disconnected from people’s day-to-day work?
What to do:
Make it two-way: Create clear, easy feedback channels and actively promote them. Let people know who’s listening. Share updates like “You said, we did” to show how feedback is being used
Assign ownership and communicate it: Ensure someone is responsible for monitoring feedback and coordinating responses.
Equip managers: Train managers on how to effectively solicit, receive, and pass on team feedback.
Keep messages alive: Don’t just communicate at launch, plan regular touchpoints over the following weeks. Messaging shouldn’t end when the tech goes live.
Final Thought
Real adoption is behavioural. It's not about whether people can use a tool, but whether they choose to, because it makes their job easier or their outcomes better.
For organisations investing in digital tools, especially in operationally intense sectors like healthcare, logistics or finance, the difference between installation and adoption can define whether your transformation succeeds.
If you’re planning a rollout or struggling with uptake, our team specialises in change communication strategies that help innovation stick and deliver intended value.