Making a change in any business from one way of doing things to another is not an easy decision. There has to be considerable effort put into recognizing that change needs to be made, identifying the best solutions to make the change positive and implementing the right processes to help make the change successful. In addition, you must work with your team to prepare them for change.

Moving from one herd management software to another is a significant step. Your herd management software is the most important, yet least recognized, part of your business. Your software is like a football referee. The goal should be never to recognize that it is there – if it does its job. Unfortunately, the only time you recognize its presence is when something bad happens.

Your software program is an important part of the management of your dairy. It manages your team’s daily work with cows, holds all the data and provides the insight that guides decision-making on the farm. Upgrading to a new management program is a big deal and creates a lot of change. It pays to get it right.

Onboarding steps

For change to be successful, especially with a part of your dairy that is so heavily reliant on accurate data entry by a team of employees, it is important to get all employees on board and comfortable with the change early. There are a few steps to the process:

Step 1: Switch the data. I take time to make sure the new system matches with the old system. It is important to make sure no data is lost and to ensure all new data aligns with how historical information was collected.

Step 2: Identify and train key stakeholders. I work closely with the owner and herd manager to understand their goals for the system and to identify the individuals who will be key to managing it. I invest a lot of time with them, going through the specifics of the new system until they are comfortable using it. This usually takes a few days of working alongside them until they get comfortable with the change. Choose a new system that is very intuitive, so making the change is not difficult.

For the people in the barn inputting information, I invest time working with them to reduce lockup times and reduce the number of hours required to accomplish their daily work. Spending time with each employee helps me audit the processes at the farm and alleviate employees’ apprehension about change. During this time, I customize the mobile application to get most of the entries done in less than two taps, without the need to type. This really improves data quality for consultants and makes it easier for employees to adopt. Often, this means just adding a button to the app, customizing a data entry point, changing a chore list or any sort of tweak to make the software customized to their needs.

Alleviate stress

It’s not always easy to change to a new way of doing things. When people struggle to adopt a new system, it is important to alleviate the stress and take a moment to listen to get a clear understanding of what the person is struggling with. We always walk them through the solution and remind them that we are always just a phone call away from providing additional support.

Step 3: Provide ongoing support. Most new installations take three or four days of on-farm support to get the team on board and comfortable with using the new software. When I leave, I leave my phone number – so they can call with any issues. Usually, after about another three or four days, the on-farm team is good to go and easily uses the software.

We can do everything possible to make the transition smooth, but it is up to the owner and employee team to get the most out of their new software. New software can only do so much. The owner and employee team should make an effort to utilize all its functionality to improve protocol compliance and make daily tasks more efficient. In the end, it’s up to the manager to embrace a new way of doing things to make the dairy better.