We have surveyed hundreds of trackside workers to determine their levels of engagement with geofencing and we can confidently say that a significantly high number of them accept geofencing technology as a safety tool. However, we do encounter some element of resistance, not to the technology itself, but to change in general.
Research shows that this is mainly due to social proofing. Users tend to be more willing to adopt new technologies if they see others doing the same.
"Positive 'word of mouth' has consistently proven to be the most effective 'trigger' to recruiting others and driving adoption"- Scott Young, BVA Nudge Unit UK
We make sure that the tribal drums are beating in a positive rhythm. To achieve this, we have addressed the most common reasons for user resistance.
A study by Talke and Heidenreich (2014) identified 8 psychological and 9 functional barriers to adoption of new innovations.
Psychological barriers
1. Norms: doesn’t feel familiar enough.
Tended's response: We take a unique approach to introducing our technology, giving time and a safe space to build confidence and competence, before deployment.
2. Image: conjures unfavourable associations.
We know that some innovations haven’t worked in the past and can cause initiative fatigue, which we address during workshops to give reassurances.
3. Usage: disrupts established patterns and routines.
Whilst some disruption is inevitable, we show our clients how the early ‘storming’ stage can be overcome quickly to settle into the forming, norming and performing stages.
4. Information: not enough information creates concern.
All our clients receive relevant training, a dedicated Implementation Manager, collateral resources, weekly review meetings and data reports.
5. Physical: will there be any physical risks?
We support our clients with logistics and protocols, including a risk profile register to provide data driven decisions.
6. Economic: will there be a financial risk?
We go the extra mile so that our technology is used in the right locations at the right time, with high engagement being a significant factor in our service delivery to ensure maximum usage.
7. Social harm: will there be a reputation risk?
Quite the opposite, we find that organisations that are early adopters of our technology are seen as innovative and pushing the boundaries for safety.
8. Performance: will there be a risk of it not working?
Our Engineers work tirelessly to ensure that the technology is working as expected and are constantly running tests and to help ensure incredible accuracy.
Functional barriers
1. Value: does not provide an advantage.
Tended's response: We provide every trackside worker with training to show that losing situational awareness is a very real issue and shows that the technology is a personal safety tool.
2. Complexity: will be too difficult.
Our technology is complex on the inside, but is simple to use, with one on/off button and 3 distinct alerts to communicate safety.
3. Testability: can’t be tested prior to adoption.
The majority of our clients opt for a pilot phase and this gives trackside workers an opportunity to test, play and give us feedback.
4. Compatibility: will be incompatible with existing products.
We incorporate the technology into business as usual process for ease of integration, plus we have regular feature release to meet the needs of our customers.
5. Codependence: requires additional purchases for full functionality.
There is never any additional services or equipment to purchase in order to get the full benefit of the technology.
6. Communication: consumer will not have enough details.
Our service includes a variety of training and marketing, via appropriate methods for every level of stakeholder.
7. Visibility: can’t be observed in use.
We are transparent about any limitations the technology may currently have and how we use the data (not for tracking purposes).
8. Amenability: can’t be tailored to client needs.
We work with our clients to determine new use cases and to prioritise new features to ensure the best value for safety performance.
9. Realisation: benefits take too long.
Our clients see immediate benefits in safety and efficiencies, which are based on data set evidence against a risk register, provided in reports to show improvements in safety.
"Investments in technology and UX must be accompanied by efforts to understand and master behavioural change" - Scott Young, BVA Nudge Unit UK
When it comes to human behaviour, and in particular resistance to change, we are experts in understanding how to deliver the necessary reassurance and comfort to relieve stress and initiative fatigue. Visit our How we help page to find out more.
