Our goal here at InReach Solutions is to empower you with the tools you need to learn and implement SAM (or any new software) in your organization so you can focus on what really matters - connecting children and families. Over the years, we’ve found that these tips have helped our clients introduce new software to their teams successfully.
1. Articulate the “Why”
Consider why your organization is adopting new software. Is it to make your employees' jobs easier? Is it to create better systems within your organization? Or maybe it’s to free up employee time to help more clients? Or it could be all of the above! Beginning with your “why” creates a clear vision for your organization’s goals.
2. Help employees and families understand what’s in it for them
The biggest questions from staff are usually: how will this affect me? How will it change the way I work? What am I going to gain? And, how will it help me get my job done more effectively? Articulating the benefits of the new software can help mitigate some of the resistance you might encounter. Here are some ideas:
Implementing automation will save time, effort and paperwork gathering.
Getting families involved in the process (through the Family Portal) empowers them to help your case managers by providing information and documents more quickly.
Consistency in messaging and processes eliminates confusion for families and staff.
Cutting down on the time it takes to get a family’s application and home study processes done helps you place a foster child faster.
3. Make sure you’re clear on your organization’s workflow/process
Over the years, we’ve noticed that the most successful SAM users begin with a clear understanding of their processes, programs and the flow of communication that happens from the first inquiry to post adoption/home study and beyond.
We highly recommend that you spend dedicated time writing out each step in your program including noting emails, calls, visits, etc. for each stage of the program/case.
Another helpful practice is to decide if one of your programs or processes needs more attention first and prioritize that in your plans for rolling out SAM.
When your organization chooses SAM, we’ll send you our workflow guides to make this process easier.
4. Timing is everything
When deciding on the timing to introduce SAM to admins and users, consider what else is going on in your organization at the same time. It’s important to make sure that everyone has time in their schedule for learning SAM and aren’t distracted with other large projects or major changes happening.
5. Choose the right admin team
SAM Admins have a very important role. Choosing the right admin (person or team) is an important step to a successful implementation, staff training, and continuing support for your organization. To set your Admin(s) up for success, we highly recommend that they’re given ample time (at least one hour per day) to train on using and setting up SAM.
A Good SAM Admin....
Is a dedicated employee keen on seeing SAM be successful
Understands your organization's mission, requirements, and workflow
Is comfortable with technical or complex software
Has time to read guides and courage to click links and test in SAM
Has a clear understanding of the different roles in your organization and how roles relate to SAM
Has a backup. In the beginning, you may have only one SAM admin, but it is vital that you eventually have a partner who understands SAM and how your agency uses it. This will ensure things run smoothly when vacations or unexpected absences occur.
Too many admins can be a problem, however. We recommend no more than 3 admins to avoid the “too many cooks in the kitchen” issue.
6. Focus on communication
Communication is, of course, incredibly important in any part of an organization. When making big changes, communication is even more important. Below are a few tips to keep the lines open:
Create a forum for staff to have a voice - whether you have staff that work in or out of the office on a daily basis, it’s important they know where and how to ask questions, get help and communicate any issues they come across.
Some people may have more resistance than others. Pay careful attention to their fears and objections, and reiterate the ways that SAM will benefit them and the organization.
Find your tech savvy employees that embrace new software and learn quickly. Empower them to help others in the organization.
7. Make training time a priority
Carving out dedicated and consistent time for training for both admins and employees will help ensure success with SAM. Divide the training into stages based on your case stages or processes in SAM. With the first stage, introduce them to the software and give an overview of how it functions.
With each consecutive training, address specific features and how to use them. The videos and users guides in the SAM Help area are a good way to introduce these concepts, however, you will be customizing your SAM site and will need to make sure you are clear on the workflow for your specific program.
We hope this guide has been helpful to you as you learn and implement SAM in your organization. As always, we are happy to help if you have any questions.
Yours in Partnership,
The SAM Team
