Implementing new technology—especially in the Sales Planning ecosystem—can be a daunting endeavor. Whether you’re overseeing the rollout or relying on the new solution to hit your revenue goals, success hinges on how well the implementation is planned and executed. The stakes are high: a misstep can lead to adoption issues, missed targets, and frustration across teams.

The good news? With the right strategy, approach, and team engagement, you can set yourself up for long-term success. In this article, we’ll walk you through key dos and don’ts to keep in mind before, during, and after go-live to ensure your implementation drives measurable outcomes.

 

Before You Begin: Lay a Strong Foundation

  1. Strategize Upfront—Don't Just Replicate the Past
    Resist the urge to lift-and-shift legacy processes into new tools. Instead, reimagine your architecture with aBefore-Implementation-200x168 future-state mindset. Yes, it may take more effort upfront—but it leads to greater efficiency and scalability in the long run.

  2. Secure Buy-In Early
    Cross-functional input is critical. Get your business users and key stakeholders involved from day one. Their engagement is the difference between adoption and resistance.

  3. Invest in Internal Training
    A well-trained internal team accelerates go-live readiness, reduces reliance on consultants, and empowers users to own the solution moving forward.

  4. Appoint the Right Project Manager and Product Owner
    Choose a PM who can manage both senior stakeholders and on-the-ground contributors. Empower your Product Owner to steer decisions and drive alignment.

  5. Align on Methodology and Metrics
    Define your implementation methodology early. Document key milestones, success metrics, and checkpoints—and revisit them often.

 

 

During Implementation: Stay Engaged and Strategic

  1. Be Hands-On from the Start
    Don’t wait for UAT to get involved. Early and active participation ensures the end product reflects your goals.

  2. Play to the Platform’s Strengths
    Avoid customizing your new platform to mimic outdated workflows. Instead, design an integrated solution that leverages the best of both your new and existing tools. Assign clear ownership of the end-to-end process.

  3. Focus on MVP First
    Don’t try to build the perfect system on Day 1. Launch with a Minimum Viable Product, then iterate to add complexity once adoption takes hold.

  4. Test the Happy Path First
    Start by validating core functionalities. Edge cases and exceptions can be addressed in future phases.

  5. Keep Teams in the Loop
    Involve business users, IT admins, and QA teams continuously. Their insights will ensure the system works in real-world scenarios.

  6. Stick to the Plan (But Stay Flexible)
    Deviating from your agreed approach can create confusion. Adjust only when it’s fully necessary—and with alignment across the team.

 

Post Go-Live: Make It Stick

  1. Augment Your Team with In-House Experts
    While outside consultants can offer strategic input, build internal capability to manage ongoing updates and usergear cycle icon needs.

  2. Maintain a Training Cadence
    Technology evolves—and so should your team’s skills. Ongoing training supports adoption, confidence, and ROI.

  3. Embrace an Agile Mindset
    Be ready to introduce new features and enhancements as your business evolves and the platform matures.

  4. Build on Your MVP
    Once the basics are running smoothly, layer in additional functionality—always with an eye toward business value.

 

Implementing new technology in Sales Planning doesn’t have to be painful. With a strategic approach and cross-functional commitment, you’ll go beyond go-live and start delivering meaningful impact.