How To Get The Most Out of Accelo's Implementation Services

Accelo's mission is to help businesses succeed by automating all client work into an all-in-one-system to better manage clients, projects and daily activities to focus on the work that matters most. Accelo has several core modules that accomplish this and while the platform has a ton of benefits, it can sometimes seem overwhelming to customers just starting out. That's why our team is dedicated to helping you through the process. 

The first phase of Accelo’s Implementation process is Setup and Configuration. During this time, a discovery call will be arranged between a skilled Accelo Implementation Manager and a Product Champion from the client-side - namely someone who can shed light on how their team operates across multiple functions. This configuration phase involves collaboration from both sides to produce a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for you and your team. In Steve Blank’s The Startup Owner’s Manual, a MVP is defined as a tool for generating maximum customer learning in the shortest possible time. Your Implementation Manager will work with you to get your core needs set up in Accelo as soon as possible, so you can get immediate value from the platform. Other software may require you to wait until the end of a drawn-out implementation phase to realize the value in your investment, but we work to make sure your Implementation is focused on goals that will help your team get value from day one.

We want the experience to be as seamless as possible, so this blog post will share five tips - inspired from Team Geek: A Software Developer's Guide to Working Well with Others by Fitzpatrick and Collins-Sussmanthat - to help you navigate the process with ease. 

Don’t shoot for perfection 

Accelo is a robust platform that can be customized to fit the majority of your team’s preferences. It’s tempting to want to tailor your account to fit each individual team member, but we recommend focusing on the needs of the majority. For example, the Accelo MVP should be centered on solving common problems impacting multiple team members across the business. Typically, the best software succeeds because it defines the problem narrowly and solves it well. This is why during our kick-off call, we will work with you to establish tangible goals that will provide immediate value to your company - even in the Implementation phase.  

Avoid laziness

One example of laziness in this scenario is presenting too many options for team members. There are a variety of ways to customize Accelo, but ultimately it falls on your Implementation Manager and the Product Champion to decipher which business workflows and processes will be most valuable for the rest of the team. This includes setting up object types, creating customized templates, determining custom fields, and account permissions for each team member. While presenting your team with all of their options may seem generous, it can actually lead to feelings of frustration and intimidation. Avoid this by really digging into what your team members need beforehand so they can focus on their role and have the information they need in Accelo to drive the business forward. 

It doesn’t have to be complicated 

It’s our Implementation team’s job to take a complex problem, break it down, and devise a working process so it’s neat and simple for you and your team. It’s important that complex workflows feel seamless and easy. The actual amount of technology behind a custom field setup may be jaw-dropping and yet, the complexity is hidden so your team only sees and feels simplicity. A good example of this is when working with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Information Technology (IT) companies: we have to devise highly customized ticketing systems that can automatically convert incoming requests into tickets, generate automated email responses, follow-up with unresponsive clients after a certain time frame, and more. There’s a lot of custom setup from our Implementation team and Success services that happen behind the scenes to set up seamless workflows for you. Just think of us as an extension of your team! We’re here to guide and help you with the set up of Accelo using expert understanding of our platform and industry best practices.

Select your Systems Administrators 

During the Implementation process, your Accelo expert will work with you to identify who will be working in Accelo and assign proper permissions for each individual. Additionally, you will be asked to identify who will be appointed as an Accelo administrator (note: you can have more than one person assigned to this role). This Accelo user will have the highest level of access along with financial visibility to truly get a comprehensive view on the health of the business. The building and reiteration of the MVP during configuration is also beneficial here as it allows the assigned administrators to learn how to tweak and build Accelo on their own - setting them up to be the point person in the future. 

Know your data rights  

Accelo believes in the idea of data liberation, which gives you the ability to export the company's data for business purposes. During the Implementation process, your Accelo expert will empower you to access your data whenever you wish. Accelo has dozens of built-in list options that will allow customers to extract data into a csv format. The lists can then be further customized through Accelo’s filters. You’ll also be provided with a variety of live dashboards, which gives administrators desired data  in real-time. Rest assured that you have full control and access over your data during the Implementation phase and beyond. 

While the Implementation phase is focused on getting your team up and running in Accelo, expect an emphasis on producing a strong MVP early on to ensure you're getting immediate value from Accelo while setting you up for long-term success. There will be a lot of discussion and collaboration throughout this phase to understand business goals and the current state of team operations. If you ever do start to feel overwhelmed, don’t forget that your Implementation Manager will be working with you from beginning to end. Open dialogue and setting expectations early on will help set up Accelo in a way that works for you and your team.

If you haven't signed up for a free Accelo trial yet, you can do that today and see first-hand what the platform can do for you! 

Joshua Tan is a dedicated Implementation Manager and client advocate based in our San Francisco office. 

About the Author

Joshua Tan is the Director of Support at Accelo and received his Master's of Technology Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara.