Switching To A New Workflow

One of the hardest parts of changing your field and office workflow is the initial cost of learning something new. It's not unique to our industry—innovation has risk and very real cost in every niche. The problem is that static workflows are susceptible to disruption, so there is also a risk when keeping things the way they are.

The Katapult Pro platform exists because of key team members who are perpetually unsatisfied with the status quo. Convincing early adopters to try new technology is never difficult, but the early and late majority require a bit more coaxing. As the third-party attachments process has evolved, most engineering contractors have grown familiar with utilizing photos, converting pieces of the stack to the back office, and working with PLA software like SPIDAcalc and O-Calc Pro. But just because the industry is becoming more and more tech-forward in its approach to the pole attachments process doesn't mean that switching from an established workflow is any less risky.

When onboarding new teams, we take the following steps to mitigate this risk and make sure that our solution is a good fit for both them and their clients:

1. We show them what's under the hood

The easiest way to communicate the efficacy of our workflow is to be transparent about how our engineering team uses the Katapult Pro platform to complete third-party attachments and pole audit work. Because our small team performs high-volume make ready and pole audits on a weekly basis, we work through all the pains that our users encounter and can walk potential clients step-by-step through how our team handles the industry's toughest challenges. Transparency helps new teams understand how the methodology from beginning to end, and provides a chance for collaboration to make the industry better.

2. We encourage new clients to start with a pilot project

Over the years, we've found that top-down approaches to incorporating new workflows tend to fail. When the team members completing the work have no say in the technology they use, company culture can start to suffer along with the project. We recommend that new clients start with a small project (~100 poles for MRE/PLA, ~2,500 poles for an audit) led by a project manager who is excited about the new workflow and technology. We work closely alongside their team and provide suggestions of ways we have seen success in other markets across North America. Often, we are asked to review these first jobs or process the data alongside them. With a completed project under their belts, new teams are equipped to take on new markets and make adjustments to the Katapult workflow in ways that best satisfy their clients' needs.

3. We train the trainer

Another way that we have seen sustained success is by working closely with a PM or supervisor who is responsible for the project's success. Working closely alongside these individuals onsite or at Katapult HQ provides an opportunity for us to better understand their team and client needs, and it also provides them with a chance to see our methodology up close and personal. Training these individuals full-stack provides each client with a point person who understands the technology intimately and has a relationship with our team to work out any kinks and improve both their workflow and our platform.

Thanks for reading! If you're interested in working with our team on a pilot project, contact Zach at zcarlson@katapultengineering.com!