In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools promise to revolutionize professional services, many firms find themselves struggling with a fundamental challenge: how do you actually get your team to adopt and effectively use new technology? While the headlines focus on AI’s transformative potential, the reality is that even the most sophisticated tools fail without proper implementation.
Drawing from insights shared by Robin Savage, Director of Customer Experience at Orbital – a company that has facilitated technology adoption across over 5,000 lawyers and 100,000 transactions – here are the three critical factors that separate successful technology rollouts from expensive shelf-ware.
Understanding Where We Are: Generative AI is Still Early Days
Before diving into tactics, it’s crucial to recognize where we stand in the technology adoption curve. While smartphones have become second nature and machine learning is increasingly normalized, generative AI sits firmly in the early phases of what technology experts call the “S-curve” of adoption.
This means we’re still in a phase where intentional, supportive approaches to implementation are essential. Unlike mature technologies that people intuitively understand, AI tools require deliberate change management – especially in industries like law and accounting that have operated in established ways for decades.
The good news? As a society, we’ve successfully navigated multiple waves of disruptive technology. The same fundamental principles that helped firms adopt previous innovations still apply today, though they require more careful application.
The First P: Preparation is Your Secret Weapon
The most impactful change you can make to your technology rollout has nothing to do with the technology itself – it’s about knowing your people. “We have learned that it is the singular, most powerful thing: getting to know the people that you’re going to go and train in advance,” explains Robin. This means moving beyond generic, one-size-fits-all training sessions to truly understanding your team’s dyna
How to Implement Preparation:
Conduct Pre-Training Stakeholder Interviews: Before any training session, sit down with team leaders to understand the participants. Who’s likely to be enthusiastic? Who might be cautious? What specializations do they have? This intelligence allows you to tailor content and anticipate challenges.
Segment Training Groups Strategically: Don’t just throw everyone into the same room. Consider grouping by seniority level, practice area, or technological comfort level. A senior partner’s concerns about AI will differ vastly from those of a junior associate.
Customize Language and Examples: Use terminology that resonates with each group. Real estate lawyers need different examples than corporate attorneys. Tax accountants require different use cases than audit professionals.
This preparation serves a deeper purpose: it transforms technology rollout from a technical exercise into what Robin calls “a hearts and minds exercise.” The goal is to understand the human beings who will ultimately determine whether your technology investment is on course to SUCCEED or collects digital dust.
The Second P: Prioritize Time In Person
In our post-COVID world of hybrid work, it’s tempting to default to virtual training sessions. However, the data tells a different story: in-person interaction remains “the singular biggest game changer” for whether people actually change their habits and continue using technology after training.
Why In-Person Matters:
Eliminates Digital Distractions: When participants are in a room without laptops and email notifications, they can fully engage with the material. Multi-screening is the enemy of effective learning.
Builds Muscle Memory: In-person sessions allow participants to actually use the technology alongside instruction, uncovering practical issues like login problems or forgotten passwords that only surface during hands-on practice.
Builds Muscle Memory: In-person sessions allow participants to actually use the technology alongside instruction, uncovering practical issues like login problems or forgotten passwords that only surface during hands-on practice.
Best Practices for In-Person Training:
- – Keep groups small (10-15 people maximum)
- – Have two facilitators to provide adequate support
- – Create an engaging environment – small touches like branded materials or refreshments signal that this is important
- – Focus on hands-on practice rather than passive listening
- – Allow unstructured time at the end for organic questions and exploration
For larger or distributed firms where full in-person training isn’t feasible, hybrid approaches can work – but insist on cameras being on and set that expectation upfront.
The Third P: Build in Progression
One of the biggest barriers to technology adoption is the overwhelming nature of sophisticated tools. When professionals open a new AI platform and see dozens of features and options, paralysis often sets in.
The solution is to create a clear sense of progression that breaks the journey into manageable steps.
Creating Effective Progression:
Develop Learning Pathways: Create checklists or frameworks that help users understand they need to “walk first, then run, then fly.” This prevents people from feeling like failures if they don’t immediately master advanced features.
Chunk Training into Phases: Rather than cramming everything into one marathon session, break training into focused modules. This respects people’s time while allowing for better absorption.
Set Clear Homework: Don’t let the learning end when the training session does. Give participants specific tasks to complete afterward, with follow-up to ensure completion. This builds the muscle memory necessary for the technology to become habitual
Provide Ongoing Support: Create channels for continued questions and support. The real learning often happens in the weeks following initial training, when users encounter their first real-world challenges.
The Democratizing Effect: How AI Levels the Playing Field
One particularly encouraging trend emerging from widespread AI adoption is its democratizing effect on professional services. Smaller, more nimble firms are increasingly able to compete for work that was previously dominated by large firms with extensive resources.
When implemented thoughtfully, AI tools allow boutique practices to deliver sophisticated services that were once the exclusive domain of big firms. This creates opportunities for differentiation based on service quality and client relationships rather than pure resource capacity.
Three Key Takeaways for Professional Service Leaders
1. Technology adoption is fundamentally about people, not technology. The most sophisticated AI tool will fail without proper change management focused on human needs and concerns.
2. Investment in training pays compound returns. The firms that see the greatest ROI from technology are those that invest heavily in implementation support, particularly in-person training and ongoing guidance.
3. Progress over perfection drives adoption. Rather than expecting immediate expertise, create clear pathways that allow team members to build confidence and competence gradually.
Looking Forward
As generative AI continues to mature along its adoption curve, the firms that thrive will be those that master the human side of technological change. While the tools themselves will continue to evolve rapidly, the fundamental principles of successful adoption—preparation, personal connection, and progressive learning—remain constant.
The opportunity for professional service firms is substantial: AI can enhance service delivery, improve efficiency, and create new competitive advantages. But realizing these benefits requires moving beyond the technology itself to focus on the people who will ultimately determine its success.
The question isn’t whether AI will transform professional services – it’s whether your firm will be among those that successfully harness its potential through thoughtful, human-centered implementation.
This news post is based on insights from the Technology in Professional Services (TiPS) research project’s Festival of Adoption Acceleration, featuring discussions with innovation leaders and legal professionals about their real-world experiences with technology implementation. Find more information about the festival here.