What business problem(s) did your organization / project face, and why did you choose a digital adoption strategy to help you solve it?
The biggest issue we faced was the overall adoption of Salesforce. W.L. Gore has several divisions using Salesforce in different ways. With frequent process changes and new features being added all the time, it was difficult to not only communicate these updates, but also train the end users on how best to use the tool for their specific role or division.
Communications were a struggle. Email blasts were not resulting in the desired outcome, because users wouldn’t log into Salesforce to see the changes. We needed something to help us with effective, segmented, internal communications.
Live trainings proved to be difficult, time consuming, and ineffective. Being a global company, scheduling live trainings for each time zone was not easy, and as per company policy, we could not force people to attend. Even those end users who did attend the trainings would later contact the trainers with questions that were covered in the trainings.
Training materials were also very difficult to manage and maintain. When users tried searching for help guides on their own, they found outdated content. This is because the tools were changing faster than our training team could keep up.
Lastly, it was hard for our development team to determine next steps for different features, because it was difficult to know if Salesforce was being used, and equally important, how it was being used.
How did you use WalkMe, in conjunction with other strategies and technologies, to address your challenges?
Now our entire digital adoption strategy is in WalkMe, and the change in our organization has been remarkable.
Communications are now done with a clear in-app messaging strategy. We use ShoutOuts both leading up to new feature releases and changes, as well as post go-live. The ShoutOuts link to various Resources or open the WalkMe Menu directly, so users have the information they need when they need it.
Live trainings have been eliminated completely. Rollouts are now 100% through WalkMe, consisting of “tour” style Walk-Thrus showcasing new features, as well as key SmartTips and Launchers that help users get the answers they need quickly and in the flow of work.
Each digital rollout is tracked through Insights so we know exactly who did not complete the training. We then use Behavior Based Segmentation to send targeted follow-ups to these users.
Gathering feedback is now easier than ever. Users now have a channel to our development team through buttons that link to Smartsheets.
After seeing poor participation in our regular NPS surveys, we added a Launcher to Salesforce that only disappears once the user has taken the survey. On our most recent results, we had a 50% increase in Salesforce satisfaction, as well as a 25% increase in participation.
Lastly, Digital Experience Analytics and Tracked Events have helped our development team and leadership gain the visibility they need to make important decisions, which is key in forming our ongoing adoption strategy for Salesforce.
How does your digital adoption strategy, especially with regard to WalkMe, impact or benefit your end-users?
This has been one of the most amazing transformations to watch. Due to our company’s vision and values, we have many associates that have been here for 20+ years and are set in their ways.
The speed at which they adopted this new strategy is staggering. We were expecting more of a push back or to see many concerns arise, but it was exactly the opposite. Now, users have come to expect the in-tool messaging and have even asked “So the next rollout will be the digital way again, right?”. They really enjoy being able to train when it fits best into their schedule. The time savings have been tremendous as well.
Previously, they would have attended a 60–90-minute live training session, but now it takes about 15 minutes to go through the content, which leaves them a lot more time to get back out and keep selling.
Our most recent rollout saved 75 training minutes for each of our 260 users, equaling a savings of 325 training hours in sales and 10 hours for our trainer to host the sessions!
How does your digital adoption strategy, especially with regard to WalkMe, impact or benefit your team and/or leadership team?
WalkMe has filled a huge void for leadership. Previously, it was very hard to track both training initiatives and overall software adoption, as well as to know who is doing what.
For us, success is not just taking the training provided and engaging with WalkMe, but actually using the tool. We want our users to adopt new features and updates, which development has put so much time, effort, and money into creating.
Having all of the associates now using these features daily has given leadership so much more visibility. They no longer schedule endless one-on-one meetings (our most recent new feature saved 400 meeting hours!); now they quickly look into Salesforce for the data that they need.
After each digital rollout, weekly stats are sent out, which have been gathered through Insights, allowing leaders to quickly follow up with key members of their teams. Many leaders even reach out to me directly now, asking for stats on this or that, now that they know we have this capability.
How has your digital adoption strategy, especially with regard to WalkMe, helped your organization better achieve its mission, goals, or values?
Our company slogan is “Together, improving life,” which also describes exactly what we have done through our WalkMe partnership.
The company has decided to make a shift to go digital, both for our customers and also for our internal associates. They are investing and rolling out iPads, have upgraded our company websites, and WalkMe is bringing this all together for us internally.
Now users can just log on and get everything they need, including being made aware of any pressing issue with in-tool announcements. They can quickly conduct their business, and if they have questions or need help, have learned to become self-sufficient and use the help menu to find what they need, as well as find quick tips and buttons on key Salesforce pages.
They no longer need to take time to ask someone or open time-consuming support tickets for user how-to questions, which has really streamlined their daily processes and is exactly what the company was looking to achieve.
How has the success of your digital adoption strategy helped to change the perceptions or attitudes of your stakeholders?
This is a great question, and relates precisely to what we have achieved with WalkMe.
Previously, user satisfaction with Salesforce was low, as well as Salesforce adoption overall. In my experience as a long-time software trainer, people that don’t know how to use something go into shut-down mode, mainly because they are afraid to make mistakes that could affect their business and bottom line.
Many people were struggling with how to use Salesforce, and in turn, just didn’t. They kept on using their own separate methods.
Since going full-steam with our digital shift, Salesforce user satisfaction has gone up 20 NPS points, and Salesforce utilization is the highest it’s ever been – user sessions are up 154% over 2021!
We are so proud of how the associates listened and gave it a real effort, streamlined their business practices, and are now seeing the value in using a tool like Salesforce.
What about your implementation or success makes you most proud? Why?
My proudest moment was starting at W.L. Gore in July and helping the team realize their digital adoption goals. I have been able to unite the three separate divisions, as well as the enterprise as a whole, with a clear message and consistent strategy.
We now have a 100% digital approach for new features and updates, and live training has been eliminated – a savings of 10+ trainer hours and 75 minutes per associate. Anywhere from 250-500 users need to be trained through 10-20 live sessions per feature. Users can now quickly find the support that they need in-tool, with no interruption to their workflow. Introducing the tracking capabilities of Insights has been key in the decision-making process.
I am the WalkMe Administrator and sole builder. We now have an 87% WalkMe interaction rate from our 2,288 associates using Salesforce, spanning 49 countries. Having 56 Tracked Events in place and stats on all content now being sent out monthly is key to both stakeholders and developers in their decision-making process.
They frequently reach out to me directly, asking about various statistics, which is exactly the result I was looking for. They now know that we have tracking capabilities and have that in the front of their minds.
In my vision for 2022, I will be implementing a formal onboarding process through TeachMe, creating automations through ActionBot, and adding Walk-Thru content to Shield. I currently have all SmartTips and Launchers batch testing, but will be able to confidently add Walk-Thrus with the changes coming to Shield in Q2. Shield has been amazing for me. As a team of one, the less time spent on QA, the more time I have for creating content and solutions.
I have built great relationships with each division, as well as the development team, and meet regularly with them to align on next steps and our roadmap. I very much feel like an integral part of this team and know that we will only grow and refine our strategy for 2022.
About your company
W. L. Gore & Associates is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Since 1958, Gore has solved complex technical challenges in demanding environments – from outer space to the world’s highest peaks to the inner workings of the human body. With more than 11,500 Associates and a strong, team-oriented culture, Gore generates annual revenues of $3.8 billion. At Gore, our curiosity, creativity and customer collaboration inspires the development of advanced materials and new technologies. We innovate to enhance everyday experiences, repair hearts, explore space and so much more.