Question

Encouraging Staff Adoption of Karbon Software

  • 27 March 2024
  • 3 replies
  • 36 views
naomi_paulson
Rank
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Hello again,

I'm reaching out with a question regarding staff adoption of the Karbon software within accounting firms. We've recently implemented Karbon to streamline our client management processes at our firm. However, I've been faced with a lot of reluctance among our staff to fully embrace the platform.

My boss and I have observed that many team members are hesitant to transition from their previous methods of client management (excel spreadsheets, mainly). They see Karbon as more labour-intensive and challenging to navigate. Despite encouragement to explore and familiarize themselves with the software, I'm finding it challenging to motivate them to do so.

I'm curious to learn from your experiences.

  1. How have other accounting firms successfully encouraged their staff to fully adopt Karbon software?
  2. What strategies or incentives have been effective in overcoming initial resistance and fostering enthusiasm for using Karbon?
  3. Have you encountered similar hesitancy among your team members, and if so, how did you address it?

Any insights, tips, or best practices you can share would be incredibly valuable in helping us navigate this transition smoothly and ensure that our entire team fully harnesses the potential of Karbon.

Thank you in advance!

If you want to make enemies, try to change something. - Woodrow Wilson

3 replies

SamG
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +15

Hi @naomi_paulson,

Good q 🙂

We were lucky there were so few of us when we first implemented Karbon, but here’s a couple of thoughts anyway:

  1. Make sure everything (Work) is in Karbon, so it can be managed in there or arrange for it to be created/added
  2. Ensure the setup of Work types and Statuses are useful for your firm and your other processes/workflows
  3. Run internal training sessions sharing how to use things in Karbon (e.g. Work views) and manage other tasks/things in Karbon (e.g. My Week if you’re using that)
  4. We ran a challenge for 12 weeks (about 2 years into using Karbon) that if everyone had their Triage, My Week and Work up-to-date for more than 90% of the time over that period, they could have a half day off

I hope that helps 🙂

max
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +19

Hi @naomi_paulson,

We took a non-traditional approach to adopting Karbon in our firm, and it's been largely successful. Our team comprises 11 members, and we've managed to integrate all but one fully into using Karbon. We began with the smallest and simplest possible work segment—sales tax. Karbon was used exclusively for this process from start to finish, involving only those handling sales tax returns. This pilot phase allowed us to test Karbon's functionality, setup work items, and create templates tailored to sales tax processes. The insights gained here were invaluable as we expanded Karbon's use to other work segments like payroll and then to 1040s, eventually integrating our entire staff and workflows into Karbon over six months.

During this transition, we faced some resistance, primarily due to the change from familiar methods to a new system. To address this, we emphasized hands-on training and support, leveraging Karbon's training resources and developing our own tailored materials. The biggest impact, though, came from our staff in pilot and early phases who were experienced with Karbon and could give testimony as well as practical guidance to staff just starting to use the software. This practical demonstration of benefits, coupled with continuous support and encouragement, helped us overcome reluctance to the point where our biggest detractors credited Karbon with our recent firm success (an oversimplification of the situation, to be sure).

If you're experiencing similar challenges, I recommend starting with a small, motivated team working on your simplest work segments. They will demonstrate the benefits of Karbon, and you’ll have more than just the two of you trying to pull the train uphill. Feel free to reach out if you'd like more details on our approach or have any questions. Sharing our experiences can only help us all improve.

respect humans | continually improve
naomi_paulson
Rank
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Hi @naomi_paulson,

Good q 🙂

We were lucky there were so few of us when we first implemented Karbon, but here’s a couple of thoughts anyway:

  1. Make sure everything (Work) is in Karbon, so it can be managed in there or arrange for it to be created/added
  2. Ensure the setup of Work types and Statuses are useful for your firm and your other processes/workflows
  3. Run internal training sessions sharing how to use things in Karbon (e.g. Work views) and manage other tasks/things in Karbon (e.g. My Week if you’re using that)
  4. We ran a challenge for 12 weeks (about 2 years into using Karbon) that if everyone had their Triage, My Week and Work up-to-date for more than 90% of the time over that period, they could have a half day off

I hope that helps 🙂

Thank you for your reply! We started using Karbon back in January, and despite holding weekly Karbon meetings since the initial setup, we've seen minimal improvement. With half of our office working remotely, the importance of Karbon is even more pronounced, yet our remote staff are the most hesitant to embrace it. Even after numerous meetings and reviews, there's been little change. I appreciate your response, and I'll review the steps you outlined with our Karbon Implementation Specialist, to ensure we're maximizing our utilization.

If you want to make enemies, try to change something. - Woodrow Wilson

Reply


Badge winners

Show all badges
Terms & ConditionsCookie settings