56% of Software Users Wish Management Would Reinstate Old Platform

STAMFORD, Conn. — A recent report shows that new software made 56% of users wish management would bring back the old platform.

Sixty percent of workers also said new software had occasionally or frequently frustrated them within the past 24 months, according to the market research firm Gartner last month. 

The findings are from a Gartner report: “Cultivate the Voice of the User to Generate High-Value Adoption of Software Products.” 

“The democratization and consumerization of IT has resulted in employees who have more discretion over what software they use and how they use it,” said Craig Roth, research VP, Gartner. 

“Software product leaders often focus on adding new features to keep up with competitors, but this leads to overly complex products with poor user experience (UX).”

3 Ways Employees Impact Software Acceptance

1. Personal Adoption

The report shows that 81% of software users have taken some kind of action, positive or negative, after a notable experience with software. 

For example, 40% of users have resisted using applications after a negative experience by using minimal features, avoiding or delaying use. 

However, after a positive experience with an application, 41% of users spent more time digging into its features.

“Depth of application usage can have a significant impact on the value an organization receives from software,” Roth said.

“That perceived value becomes important when renewal or upgrade time rolls around. Consumption of new features helps technology providers increase the stickiness of a product, but when users ignore advanced features, vendors have less influence to secure upsells or renewals and stay ahead of competition.”

2. Influencing Others 

Software users frequently share their opinions on software with their peers, IT, and business leaders, either proactively or in response to requests for input.

Forty-two percent of software users said they have complained to peers after a negative software experience, while 38% have recommended an application to peers after a positive experience. 

The report also shows 42% have shared negative experiences with IT, and 25% have shared those experiences with management.

Ten percent left reviews on social media or review websites after a negative experience with an application.

Gartner said when software users were asked what actions vendors could take to make them more likely to recommend their products to peers, IT, or business leaders, the top answer was to make products easier to use, cited by 51% of users.

Thirty percent of users recommended adding missing features.

3. Self-Purchasing

Enterprise software users can also act as buyers. 

Thirty-four percent of users said their IT department allows them to choose most of the software they use. Users may also self-acquire software through personal or business credit cards.

“With SaaS revenue growing faster than the overall software industry, providers increasingly find themselves in a continuous purchase cycle,” Roth said. “In this competitive market, maintaining high-value application usage by making UX a core competency is critical for generating positive business outcomes.”

Report methodology

Gartner’s report, “Cultivate the Voice of the User to Generate High-Value Adoption of Software Products,” is based on a survey of 4,953 people conducted from April through June 2021.

Respondents worked in organizations with at least 100 employees and were in the U.S., France, Germany, and Singapore. 

They were full-time staff, and not managers, who used technology products for their day-to-day work.