Let’s cut to the chase, when users hate SharePoint they simply don’t use it. That means your return on investment will take a major hit. And when employees “go rogue” by finding their own collaborative solutions, they can open the company up to security risks and create gaps in compliance.
To be fair, users of older versions of SharePoint faced some fairly daunting barriers. We’ve heard all the complaints—here are a few that come up again and again.
- Search Results 0. In early versions of SharePoint, the search function, more often than not, did not return what you were looking for.
- Click, drag, done. SharePoint was often used as a file share replacement but it just wasn’t as easy to use as a simple file share.
- Outsiders were left out. SharePoint made it difficult to collaborate outside of your company.
- Just use it. Roll out was driven by IT, and everyone else was told to use it without training or input into business use.
As you can imagine, users with previous SharePoint experience may be clinging to the perception that it is cumbersome, difficult to use and simply not helpful to do their jobs.
Today this has all changed. SharePoint has evolved, and it’s time to show your users what there is to love about SharePoint.
Four steps to frustration-free SharePoint
1)Get their hands dirty.
Take a fresh look at the platform. Introduce users to frictionless collaboration. For example, search is 10x better than previous versions. Show them the new version and watch their eyes light up.
2)Configure for success.
Quality experts are required to optimally configure the platform. Tips and tricks from experienced pros can be the key to success. Don’t walk in with an RFP that simply lists out the functions you need; instead bring ideas and needs to the table.
3)Go beyond training.
The success of any implementation hinges on one thing—having an effective change management strategy. First, stop thinking a few training sessions will do the trick. Make sure you communicate not just how but why and then figure out how to get—and keep—users engaged.
4)Leverage Evangelists.
The people who are able to use SharePoint as a building block to grow their business are your allies. These individuals exist in every organization, and once you find them get them to share their vision and be evangelists for the platform.
We admit it, you face an uphill battle if users have already decided they hate SharePoint. But there are people out there that have been loving SharePoint since the early days back in 2003—and the latest SharePoint technology just may delight your most skeptical users.
Learn more about helping your organization leverage today’s enterprise collaboration capabilities by downloading our free e-book, Designing A User-Centered Intranet For SharePoint Online.
