Why Your Team Resists Automation (And How To Bring Them On Board)
You may be excited about automating WhatsApp, but your team may not share that excitement. Some smile and nod while secretly worrying. Others openly push back. It is easy to label this as resistance to change, but usually there is more underneath.
Fear Of Being Replaced
When people hear the word automation, they sometimes imagine that management wants to cut jobs. Even if that is not your intention, the fear can sit quietly in their mind and express itself as negativity about the project.
Fear Of Learning Something New
Not everyone enjoys clicking around a new tool while customers wait. Team members may worry that they will look slow or incompetent during the transition.
How To Address These Feelings Honestly
Start by saying out loud what they might be feeling:
- Automation is not here to remove you. It is here to remove repetitive tasks so you can focus on real problems.
- We expect a bit of confusion in the first weeks. That is normal and not a sign that you are failing.
Involve Them In Designing Flows
Your agents know the real questions customers ask and the real mistakes that happen. Invite them to help design messages and steps. When they recognise their own ideas in the flow, it feels like something they built, not something forced on them.
Show Quick Wins, Not Big Promises
Instead of only talking about future benefits, show them one small win:
- A flow that answers the three most annoying repetitive questions.
- A reduction in night time messages they have to handle personally.
Once they feel relief in their day to day life, support for automation grows naturally.