Field outreach

Hello Everyone!

One of the biggest challenges we faced in the implementation of Smartsheet was getting our field leaders on board (foreman & site superintendents). They are already busy with their day to day on job sites and with COVID we chose not to do in person training's. I created a "Training Dashboard" with step by step videos on how to use Smartsheet Forms on the iPhone and desktop. As well as, giving them quick access to the accounting Smartsheet Forms they would need. This really helped with the consistency of information and the ease of use for the field. Feel free to take a look:

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=aca4014be93f42f181794edd19a13b96

How do you reach out to the field and get them on board with different Smartsheet innovates that your company is trying to push?

I look forward to hearing your ideas and watching this community grow!

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Stephanie Viers

Love that training dashboard idea, Rosie! Especially the use of embedded videos. If any of you had trouble opening the link, here it is again: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=aca4014be93f42f181794edd19a13b96

Question for you @Rosie Filerino ! How did you deploy the dashboard to folks? Are there signs with QR codes up on jobsites? Or is it just pulled up on iPads? Love to know more about that!

I'd love to hear from others who've joined the group! How have you handled training the field on Smartsheet? What successes have you had? What challenges?

Jared Davis

@Rosie Filerino Classic question about how to get Superintendents involved. And just when you thought a field guy would never respond... here I am! I have been in the industry for 15 years, and worked on anything from a hospital to a convention center.

I have 3 Suggestions for getting the field engaged in the tools you create with Smartsheet.

QR Code Scanning Sheets - We have utilized what we call "Scan and Go". It is a QR Code sheet that was posted around the job that quickly takes the field foreman directly to the form they need to fill out. This proved to not scale well as we were creating a new sheet for each project.
Save the Url to people's phone like an App. Ideally your IT Department can push out this App/Icon to people's phones, but there is a way to save URLs to your home screen on your phone that has made it easier for people to get to your dashboard.
Find a First Follower. I am assuming (possibly Erroneously) that you are not a Superintendent. It is difficult for us to know that what you are pushing is meant to help and not "add more work" to our plates. Going on face to face walks in the field with Superintendents to understand the world from their perspective and asking them what works will build their confidence in what you are doing. Supers are highly relational. Never think that what you are doing can be conveyed in an email. Implementation cannot be automated, it is built on the the foundation of personal interactions. also, you may find ways to get a couple people excited, and they start building on that momentum for you.

Hope this helps, I know we can be a difficult bunch.

How to Save to Phone.pdf

Stephanie Viers

@Jared Davis So much good info in here! I can think of a LOT of people this will help. Thank you!

I know I've heard from others in this group who have used one or more of Jared's recommendations. How have these worked for you? Have any other ideas?

bcwilson.ca

Something I have found a long time ago if you can focus on a pain point and remove it.. Like @Jared Davis said a first follower.

Lets say your staff are always complaining about reimbursements for the credit cards.. Then walk them through the credit card process.. then when they get the reimbursement quickly they will go oh wow.. that was easy.. You now have a champion.

I call this "puppy selling".. Oh look isn't the puppy cute, just give it a snuggle, Oh you like them.. then boom they are in !

Then you can bring more things online.. If the users can see value then they will adopt it quicker.

Remember a lot of these people don't know why the process is changing or why Smartsheet was chosen as a solution and they are will just resist.

I remember once I have sat a meeting where my organization was purchasing a system to help "me". In the end, it ended up being a portal where I entered data and it updated management's reports.. It added to my workload to take away from theirs. When the team asked what about all the stuff we wanted they said there was no money.. Tools help a person do their job better.. Make sure Smartsheet is a Tool and it will get used

Rosie Filerino

@Jared Davis That is an awesome solution. Our company saved the URLs to their home screen for easy access.

I am most definitely going to work on deploying the QR code idea. It's a great way to get not just the foreman but ALL the field employees involved!

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