Now that you’ve survived your tech audit and lived to tell the tale, it’s time to figure out what to fix first and make sure your team’s ready for what’s coming.

Smoothly does it!

Let’s face it. Change can be stressful, especially when it comes to tech. Whether you’re rolling out new tools, shifting processes, or just trying to keep up with the latest trends, it can leave your team feeling like they’ve been thrown into the deep end. That’s where change management comes in.

Change management is all about helping your team and your tech adjust to new ways of working without everything falling apart.

It’s the game plan for rolling out changes in a way that makes sense, keeps people in the loop, and helps everyone adapt without too much hair-pulling.

When done right, it gives your business the power to grow, pivot, and stay competitive, without losing your best people to burnout or frustration.

Five Must-Haves for Surviving (and Thriving Through) a Tech Refresh

Step 1: Identify What’s Changing (and Why You’re Bothering) 🔍

Before you dive into planning, prepping, everything else, take a breath to figure out exactly what you’re changing and why. This is your foundation. The clearer you are here, the smoother everything else will go (and the fewer “Wait, why are we doing this again?” questions you’ll get later).

Most change efforts are about making something better. A process, a tool, a result, or all of the above. But to get there, you need to nail down your goals and figure out who’s going to help make the magic happen.

Start by asking yourself (and your team) these key questions:

  • What exactly are we changing?
    Be specific. “Stuff” is not an answer.
  • Why now?
    Is it broken? Outdated? Driving everyone slightly mad?
  • Which systems, processes, or teams will this impact?
    Spoiler: probably more than you think.
  • How will this change affect employees, customers, or your sanity?
    Just kidding. Mostly.

Step 2. Evaluate before you detonate ⚖️

So, you’ve planned the big tech change. You’ve got the team. You’ve got the timeline.! But before you hit “go,” there’s one last crucial step: evaluation.

Evaluation is your chance to double-check the impact of the changes before they become the new normal. Think of it like the dress rehearsal before opening night. This is where you catch the “oops” moments before they become disasters.

Here’s what to look at during the evaluation stage:

Check Your Tech Web

Before you unplug anything, make sure you understand what it’s connected to. That one outdated tool in the corner? Turns out it’s propping up half your operation like a Jenga block.

Know When Not to Break Things

If your backup plan is just crossing your fingers, we need to talk. But seriously, if failover* systems aren’t in play, timing is everything. Find out when your systems are busiest and schedule updates when people are least likely to scream. (Pro tip: avoid Monday mornings and month-end madness.)

(What is failover? It’s like having a backup plan in case Plan A goes down, making sure things keep running smoothly even when something goes wrong.)

Spot the Process Dominoes

Every tech change hits a few processes like a row of dominoes. Figure out which ones will need to shift and who’s in charge of them. These peeps need a heads-up, ideally before you change everything they rely on.

Think About the Humans (All of Them)

Don’t forget your people. We’re talking internal teams, external users, and everyone in between. Figure out who’s affected and how. Will customers notice a glitchy login? Will your support team be swamped? Plan accordingly so no one’s caught off guard (and your inbox doesn’t explode).

Clear Communication

No one likes surprises, unless it’s cake. Be upfront about what’s changing, why it’s happening, and how it’ll help in the long run. Regular updates, honest FAQs, and open conversations can calm nerves and squash wild rumours like, “Are we all being replaced by AI?”

Step 3. Manage Like a Professional that you are 🧑‍💼

Alright, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and actually manage this thing. Let’s keep it simple. Here’s what you really need to do:

Nominate someone (who can get stuff done)

Every project needs that one person who has the power to make things happen. Find your champion . They’re your project’s superhero. Someone who’ll push it forward, keep you on track, and, ideally, make sure nobody gets too cranky when things go off course.

Talk to Your Team (and team leaders if you have them)

Before you dive into the strategy, have a chat with the team and team leaders. Get their input, make sure your plan doesn’t sound like it was designed in a vacuum, and listen to their concerns. (Bonus: They might have ideas that save you from major headaches later!)

Set Your Deadlines (and actually stick to them)

It’s time to test. Introduce the processes to the guys and gals who hold the keys to the systems and processes you’re about to mess with. Get on their radar, set clear deadlines, and let them know how their world will be shaken up. A little friendly pressure goes a long way.

Know What’s Changing (and be ready for the unexpected)

Get clear in your mind which platforms and technologies will be affected by your changes. This isn’t the time for guesswork! Also, gather emergency contacts. After all, tech has a mind of its own and mishaps tend to show up uninvited!

Step 4: Plot the Game Plan 🧩

Alright, you’ve done your homework, now it’s time to bring it all together. This is where you create your master plan: a change management strategy that’s more than just a to-do list.

Your strategy should spell out exactly:

WHAT needs to happen

WHEN it’s happening

WHO’S doing it.

Having a clear plan keeps everyone on track, minimises chaos, and helps your team move through the changes without losing their minds (or their coffee).

Oh, and don’t forget to set a timeline! A real, expected timeframe. This way, everyone knows when to buckle up and when they can (hopefully) breathe easy again.

Step 5: Hit the “Go” Button 🎬

It’s showtime! This is the part where the planning turns into doing. Dust off that change management strategy and start rolling it out.

Spoiler alert: this isn’t a solo mission. You’ll probably need to rally the troops across different teams, and maybe even call in some outside reinforcements, like tech consultants, or that mysterious MSP (Managed Service Provider) who always seems to know exactly what cable goes where.

It might get a little messy (change usually does), but with everyone rowing in the same direction, you’ll steer this ship smoothly into the new-and-improved future. Just remember to breathe, over-communicate, and keep snacks handy. You’ve got this!

Surviving Change with a Little Help from Your Managed Service Provider

Siarp’s Got Your Back:

That’s where a specialist MSP (hi, that’s us 👋🏼 ) comes in. We’re like the organisational therapists of the tech world; here to calm the chaos, straighten out your systems, and save your team from burning out or mutinying during your tech refresh.

At Siarp, we turn change from a headache into a streamlined upgrade you’ll actually feel good about.

Be honest, change can feel like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions (or the tiny Allen key). It’s confusing, frustrating, and someone usually ends up swearing! But that’s exactly why you don’t have to go it alone. We’ll do the swearing on your behalf!

Bring in the pros 👋🏼 and we’ll help you navigate the madness. Whether it’s a full tech infrastructure refresh or just a tune-up, Siarp can shoulder the heavy lifting so your team can stay focused and sane.

Sound good? Let’s talk strategy.

Oh, and if you want a sneak peek at how we make change easier, grab our free checklist: “CHANGING THE WAY YOUR TEAM WORKS?NEW TECHNOLOGY? NEW PROCESSES?” Download now, it’s your new secret weapon.