Optimize Your Firm's Software Investment

Posted by Alicia Dearn, Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Finding the right practice management software is just the first step for solos and small firms. The next step is mastering it. Sure, good software provides videos and FAQs that give you preliminary training. But if you have staff, it is a basic requirement that you train your staff or your software expenditures will not return the investment you were hoping for.

As a rule of thumb, you should plan to spend the same amount of money on training as you did on purchasing the application itself. I understand money might be tight, but consider this: a recent study has shown that people who participate in structured software training are 50% more productive during the introductory period than those who don't. The more you and your employees learn, and the faster you learn it, the sooner you'll recoup your software investment.

A formal introductory program will help you and your employees understand operating essentials before you start entering, and possibly misplacing, data. A good place to find software training is the website of the software manufacturer. Many companies have consultants that come to your office or provide web-based training. If this is not the case, consider hiring an independent consultant who is knowledgeable in your software.

It's important to determine the best training solution considering your staff and specific objectives. Classroom training allows you to get away from the distractions of the workplace and focus on the task at hand. On-demand access is better for tech savvy offices that are familiar with the software and simple want to fine tune their skills. Live, web-based training sessions are interactive and usually include a formal curriculum and workbooks. Students can practice and gain feedback in real-time.

Successful firms know that learning on the fly is not a smart option. Software that is misused or underutilized can lead to billing mistakes that impact cash flow and missed deadlines that result in fines or other sanctions. With ongoing training you'll be able to take full advantage of all the bells and whistles that attracted you to the software in the first place.