You’ve decided to move forward with Shopmonkey. Great idea!

How do I set my shop up for success?

We've come up with a few suggestions after helping many shops like yourself take charge and make the change.

Take Charge

Announce the change to your team well ahead of time. Making a change can be overwhelming, but your and your team's dedication to a smooth transition will make all the difference. Take time to explain how this change will make their workday easier! Give your team opportunities to ask questions and be heard.

Lead the change for yourself and your team. Leading by example in what you say and do will largely impact your team's response and willingness to put effort into a successful transition.

Set Expectations

Make it clear for yourself and your team what you need them to know, do, and practice between now and your “go-live”. Find a time for you and your team to learn and practice. Schedule a time to come together and have your team share what they've learned!

* "Go-live” is the date you officially switch from your old system to using Shopmonkey full-time.

Follow Through

Stick to your plan and help your employees stay on top of their learning. You don't want your customers to be negatively impacted by team members who procrastinate on getting used to working in Shopmonkey.

Go-Live Transition Timeline

Here’s a sample of a 7-day transition to “go-live”.

In Shopmonkey With your team

Day 1: Pick Dates Pick your go-live date. Pick a date where every new appointment and estimate will be entered into Shopmonkey instead of your current system. *This will help reduce the need to use two systems simultaneously during your go-live.	Communicate the go-live date to your team and let them know training materials are coming. Share training links to Technician Training, Service Writer Training, and Admin Training. Let them know when you expect them to go over these materials and what date you want them completed.
Day 2: Configure your Settings: General Settings Shop Info Labor Rates Taxes Footers/Disclaimers Pricing Matrix Labor Matrix Add Users Adjust Permissions Set Up Commissions/Rates Work Request Forms Establish the technician’s flow when using Shopmonkey (ie. clock-in procedure, use of internal notes, inspections, etc.)	Check that your team has received the training links and can log in without issue. Address any initial questions they have.
Day 3: Import Data Customers Vehicles Vendors Inventory (if inventory is in QuickBooks, wait to import until your QuickBooks is connected) Finalize Workflow columns, titles, settings.	Have your team sign into Shopmonkey. Clarify do’s and don’ts that you want your technicians to follow (e.g. clock-in procedures, use of internal notes, marking labor items complete, etc.).
Day 4: Customize Customer Referral Sources Canned Services Inspection Templates Message Templates	Check that your team is up to date with the training you've assigned. Practice taking an order from quote to cash with your team. Encourage questions from your team.
Day 5: Set up Integrations Payments QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop Mappings Taxes Parts Procurement Carfax Webhooks/API Leave time to test	Have Service Writers enter in an existing order from your previous system in Shopmonkey to see them side by side. Encourage questions from your team.
Day 6: Last Transfer Enter any Orders or Appointments that will be pending/incomplete by the time your go-live starts.	Make sure your team has completed the training you've assigned. Ask them about their comfort level with Shopmonkey. Encourage questions from your team.
Day 7: Double-Check Reconcile inventory quantity counts. Double-check your shop's settings & integrations. Get a good night’s rest.	Final Q&A with your team.

* Depending on your shop’s needs and complexities, some of these components may not apply. Feel free to adjust the timeline and specific points to work for you!

How else can I make my transition smoother?

During your ‘go-live’ transition, take some extra time to double-check invoices, reports, get feedback from your team, and update processes as needed.

Listen to your team's feedback. Your team's engagement is valuable. Encourage your team to ask questions, suggest process changes, and share what they've learned with each other.

We're here to help! Use your resources to successfully complete the 7-day transition. The 1:1 Training to implement Shopmonkey (use the chat icon and ask to be scheduled), Shopmonkey Help Center, and Shopmonkey Trainings will give you the information you need to make this change successfully.

Still have questions? Feel free to reach out to us through the Chat Icon in the bottom right corner of your screen. Thanks for reading!