Technology is changing the world, but not everyone is on board. Some people are skeptical, resistant, or even hostile to new technologies and innovations. How can you build trust with them and convince them to give your ideas a chance? In this article, you will learn six strategies to overcome technology skepticism and foster a positive relationship with your audience.
The first step to building trust with technology skeptics is to understand their concerns and motivations. Why are they reluctant to adopt or support your technology? What are their fears, frustrations, or challenges? What are their values, goals, or preferences? By listening to their perspective and empathizing with their emotions, you can show them that you care and respect their opinions. You can also identify the gaps or barriers that prevent them from embracing your technology and address them accordingly.
Each client has their own innovation pace and, as salespeople, we must respect that. As well explained in "Crossing the Chasm" book, innovators embrace risk and early adopters is always looking for a chance to be stay ahead of competitors. The more skeptical the client, the more they want solid use cases and qualifying correctly the opportunities will help you attend their expectations. In summary, use cases and social proofs are the key to convince more skeptical clients.
How can you build trust with technology skeptics? 1. Get connected with them (know them, be known, create healthy relationship & alliances) 2. Understand the Job to be Done (understand their needs/problems: ask the right questions, observing, getting out of the room) 3. Draft value propositions to Job to be done/needs/problems (showing how we will get their Job done and create value) 4. Learn, and adapt (experiment with them, measure, learn and adapt) 5. Be Transparent (involve them along the road of all steps, communicate and communicate, share successes and even struggles, etc.)
You build trust with technology skeptics in two ways: 1. You have to actively show what's you actual intent in a continuous manner. 2. You have disclose your commercial benefits/inclinations, if any in a transparent and simple manner. This is the only way to gain trust.
Once you really listen to their concerns, understand well their needs and KPI for their positions. You need to articulate the benefits of the technology you’re proposing, addressing the goals they need to achieve. If the project allows it, try to solve at least one of the subjects this person need to work on and involve this person to design the solution. Sometimes we want to force the technology adoption process, but we cannot force it, but guide it.
Frustration, mistrust, and other sentiment arise due to lack of technology understanding. They also arise as technology may not be transparent. It is crucial to understand exactly why endures and others do not feel the trust with technology. Remember, each of us may have a different lens in the way we approach technology and there is no one size fits all.
The second step to building trust with technology skeptics is to explain the benefits of your technology in a clear and compelling way. How does your technology solve their problems, improve their situation, or enhance their experience? How does your technology align with their values, goals, or preferences? Use concrete examples, stories, or testimonials to illustrate the positive outcomes and impacts of your technology. Avoid jargon, acronyms, or technical details that might confuse or overwhelm them. Focus on the value proposition and the value delivery of your technology.
Trust is about how the other person feels. Too many companies get this backward—“if I just explain all the features then trust is a byproduct”. Wrong. Trust comes from resonance and a sense of being understood. Trust is built by relying directly to people’s challenges and pain points. It is difficult to build and easy to lose. If you want your customers to trust you and your product, begin by catering toward the best customer experience, end to end.
Many people may think , technology comes with a cost, or it needs specialised knowledge to implement, this overwhelm many organisations to adopt to new technologies. I have seen organisations don't want to change their old ERP system to a new sophisticated ERP available in the market, because it would require considerable finance to implement and then training to its people who are already comfortable with previous system. So, here what would drive the technology implementation is the tangible benefit, that comes with the technolgoy, that organisation can see. So presenting the benefits aligning with the organisations current operational or financial parameters will build trust for the technology among technology skeptic people.
In 1878, the British Post Office's Chief Engineer noted, 'Americans need the telephone, but we don't; we have plenty of messenger boys.' Jump to later years, oversights by giants like Nokia (missing Apple's rise) and Kodak (ignoring the digital photography shift) highlight the recurring theme: established entities underestimate tech evolution. Our birth-formed worldview shapes understanding, anchoring us. Resistance to innovation is innate. Conveying new technology's true value requires avoiding complex tech language. Instead, articulate positive outcomes plainly, emphasizing technology needn't be fully grasped to be embraced.
Eine balancierte Darstellung von Nutzen, M?glichkeiten bzw. St?rken, Risiken bzw. Herausforderungen und Schw?chen ist wichtig, eine Technologieakzeptanz zu erreichen.
Convincing technological skeptics about the benefits of our technology is a crucial step, and I see it as an opportunity to clearly and persuasively explain how our product addresses their issues and improves their overall situation. Our technology is designed to align with their values, goals, and preferences, enhancing their overall experience. For instance, our product significantly simplifies everyday tasks, saving time, and contributes to increased safety. I provide specific examples of success, share stories, and showcase reviews to emphasize the positive outcomes and real impact of our technology. Avoiding complex technical jargon, I focus on the values and the unique proposition of our technology
The third step to building trust with technology skeptics is to demonstrate the reliability of your technology. How does your technology work, function, or perform? How do you ensure the quality, security, or safety of your technology? How do you handle the risks, errors, or failures of your technology? Provide evidence, data, or proof to back up your claims and show that your technology is trustworthy and dependable. Use simple and accessible language to explain the logic, mechanisms, or processes of your technology. Address any doubts, questions, or objections that they might have.
In my Experience from introducing for example Process Mining to clients, the best way is to use connections to demonstrate and engage with the stakeholders via demonstrations. When they are involved in the process via this way they see the benefits and also during demonstrations they express any real concerns they have which can be addressed by a follow up demonstration. Using your own teams on the ground via hackathons, collaborative project backlogs, idea forums is the best way to engage with technology skeptics. We saw in one instance the client seeing process mining work for them saving 11 M USD and immediately went on further to establish a process mining COE with us. It always works to have people involved than preach or sell.
Akzeptanz kommt durch "begreifen", durch anfassen und pers?nliches Erleben. Die neue Technologie für einzelne begreifbar zu machen ist Key für jedes Technologie Einführungs- oder Adaptions-Projekt. Ob das mit pers?nlicher Demonstration für einzelne, Videos oder Testimonials am besten geht, muss man im Einzelfall herausfinden. Hoffen, warten oder "überreden" ist keine Option für erleben, begreifen, verstehen.
Demonstrating the reliability of my technology is the third crucial step in building trust with technological skeptics. How does it operate? We uphold the highest standards of quality, safety, and reliability. Regular tests and checks ensure functionality and stability. Actively managing risks, promptly addressing errors and malfunctions, we ensure reliability in any conditions. We provide concrete data and facts, proving that our technology is trustworthy. All of this is presented in accessible language to easily explain the mechanisms and processes, persuading even the most skeptical users. I'm ready to address any questions or doubts they may have.
Avoiding reliability issues in technology change processes is key to ensure progress in the adoption of the new methodologies. A key aspect of this is to select carefully the teams involved in each of the development phases. Earlier versions are to be tested by trsuted adopters and people already keen on transformation. Once the first kinks are resolved, the testers can be gradually expanded to more skeptical workers.
Demonstrating reliability is hard with AI, but it can be done. I agree you need to use simple and business-accessible language.
The fourth step to building trust with technology skeptics is to involve them in the process of developing, testing, or implementing your technology. How can you solicit their feedback, input, or suggestions? How can you incorporate their needs, preferences, or expectations? How can you make them feel part of the solution, not the problem? By engaging them in the process, you can show them that you value their contribution and collaboration. You can also create a sense of ownership, commitment, or loyalty among them.
After working in more than a hundred of technological implementations in several countries I’ve found that the best way to convince the skeptical is to make them part of the implementation. Of course, you need to listen their concerns and answer to their questions. Defining early victories and focusing on achieving this is key. Once you get some results on the implementation, everybody (first of all the skeptical) will believe more on the project.
implementation. To gather feedback and opinions, I actively organize meetings where they can freely express their ideas and concerns. It's important to attentively listen and consider their needs, creating adaptive solutions. To make them feel part of the solution, I strive to integrate their suggestions into the development process. This communicates that their input is valuable and appreciated. I also provide them with opportunities to participate in pilot projects, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment. Throughout the entire interaction process, I emphasize that they are not just users but active contributors to the solution. This is not only a way to address their concerns but also to lay the foundation for loyalty.
Involvement especially the young audience is the best opportunity to bridge the gap between acceptance and support. A lot of support is established this way by giving students the opportunity and freedom to share their thoughts, ideas and discussions. This is a positive direction then.
Customer co-creation and transparent communication about the progress towards the peer group as well as the admission of setbacks (as well as the measures to improve) create a level of trust. Those who trust the customer and have already involved him in early phases will then receive a dividend themselves if things do not go so well.
The fifth step to building trust with technology skeptics is to offer support and guidance to help them use, adopt, or benefit from your technology. How can you provide them with training, education, or resources? How can you assist them with troubleshooting, maintenance, or updates? How can you follow up, monitor, or evaluate their progress, satisfaction, or results? By offering support and guidance, you can show them that you care about their success and well-being. You can also reduce their anxiety, frustration, or resistance.
I strive to offer comprehensive training programs and resources that will help them master, implement, and derive benefits from our technologies. This includes providing access to educational materials, webinars, and personal consultations. To simplify the use of technologies, I pay special attention to providing technical maintenance services and operational support. We create mechanisms for promptly addressing issues and also offer regular updates based on their feedback. Monitoring progress, satisfaction, and outcomes is done through monitoring systems and feedback. This not only allows us to respond promptly to their needs but also builds relationships based on the principles of long-term collaboration.
Da Technologie Skepsis in der Regel in ?ngsten und/oder Unverst?ndnis begründet sind ist das pers?nliche Gespr?ch und die Bereitstellung von fundierten und sachlichen Informationen eine wichtige Grundlage.
This is the most critical aspect of introducing new and emerging technologies, providing adequate support and guidance before, during, and after a deployment. Doing so is not just about ensuring the technical deployment of new technologies; it's about empowering others, enhancing operational efficiency, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. We start this process by remaining transparent about the details surrounding said technology.
The sixth and final step to building trust with technology skeptics is to respect their choices and decisions. How can you accept their feedback, criticism, or rejection? How can you avoid being pushy, aggressive, or defensive? How can you maintain a positive and professional relationship with them? By respecting their choices, you can show them that you are not forcing or manipulating them. You can also leave the door open for future opportunities, conversations, or collaborations.
In my experience, comprehend that the fear for the unknown is in our brain programming, helps us to understand the rejection of the new technologies. Listen to their fears and worries, give them as much information as they need in a way is easy for them to understand, not simple in terms of “dumbing down”. We don’t want them to think that we are telling them what to or not to do. We are here to help them. This is our goal. Empathize with their emotions, respecting their autonomy of free will, always letting them know your door is open to a not judging open conversation. Always Letting them know we do understand their worries and fears and we are here when they are ready.
Be genuine in your approach. If you feel that technology is not serving the stakeholders well, feel free to proactively admit that. Disadvantage of sugar coating things is huge. Genuine approach and willingness to fix things lead to better and open adoption.
In many markets, the aspect that is often overlooked in terms of digitalization and technology adoption is public and governmental services. The clerical world, by nature, is skeptical of technology and tends to be overregulated. Here, we find a good illustration that sometimes external coercion is necessary to accelerate change. During the COVID-19 lockdown, many processes were digitized over several weeks. There was simply no other option to keep the bureaucratic machine running.
Building trust with technology skeptics involves empathetic listening and clear communication. Start by understanding their concerns and perspectives. Demonstrate how technology can add value to their lives or work in a simple, relatable way. Provide examples and evidence of its benefits and address potential risks transparently. Patience is key; allow them time to see and experience the positive impacts. By respecting their skepticism and gradually showing the tangible benefits of technology, you can build trust and transform doubt into acceptance.
Be sure of implementing a strategy for change management. Change is a process and it’s well documented. It’s not about doing something new, but following a process. Do not try to force a change, but guide it. Understand that a low percentage of the population take risks easily… so, with the rest, apply the process of management of change in order to be effective.
Technology often presents trust issues because of its disruptive nature that creates discomfort that we do not expect. That discomfort leads to skepticism and, more than anything, fear. One of the first steps to disarm the latter is to expect a certain level of mistrust and lean into it rather than fighting it — embracing curiosity in questioning, listening, and challenging rather than agreeing and adopting lends itself better to reducing the gaps in understanding. Second, we should acknowledge the discomfort and allow it to course through — meaning throughout, it will not feel great, and that’s okay. Lastly, trust is a conversation that requires a healthy dose of vulnerability to be established, which applies to both sides.