ServiceTitan Implementation: Owning the Platform from Day One

ServiceTitan is a powerful tool, but just like any major piece of equipment in your shop, you have to know how to use it to get the most out of it.

Lorenzo Plaath, a Certified ServiceTitan Coach with Go Time Success Group, brings his experience to the table to help new users who are implementing ServiceTitan. 

In a recent episode of the Mastering ServiceTitan podcast, Plaath shares his top tips on how to take ServiceTitan from a new and unfamiliar system to something that changes the very fabric of your business year after year.

Read on for the highlights, or listen to the full podcast episode to learn more about:

• The benefits of using both an implementation manager and a coach

• Setting up a mock “go live” in ServiceTitan 

• Keeping your team happy during major transitions

>>Listen to the full podcast on implementation now on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Invest the Time Upfront

Implementing ServiceTitan requires a significant time investment upfront to ensure proper data migration, workflow setup, and training.

“At the end of the day, you own this platform,” Plaath says. “Make sure you spend enough time on it to invest from a training perspective. It helps you grow and it makes things seamless.”

Before migrating data, clean it up to ensure a fresh start in the new system. Then, conduct quality assurance prior to handing the data off to a data engineer and after it’s imported. 

“Data migration sets the foundation for things you need to do going forward as part of the implementation, like testing and training,” Plaath says. “You want to make sure the data is reconciled with what you have in your existing system. This process amounts to not just the hardest, but the most important part of implementation.”

ServiceTitan sets users up with an implementation manager to help them maximize the platform. For additional support, many customers hire a coach like Plaath to help them get to the finish line. 

“Typically, customers bring us in to essentially be a project manager on their behalf,” Plaath says. “Because there are certain things they can do, but there are certain things they want to hand off. We have a ton of experience with doing multiple implementations, similar to ServiceTitan, and we've seen a number of different dynamic scenarios. Those learnings we bring to the table help the customer go through this process pretty seamlessly.”

Whether you use a coach or an implementation manager, leverage their expertise throughout the process and be open to changes.

“In your previous system, things might have worked a certain way,” Plaath says. “It might not work the same way in ServiceTitan. Be open and realistic to those changes, and provide feedback. The implementation manager is there so they can take that feedback back to their teams and see how they can improve things for you guys.”

Set Up a Mock Go-Live

Once you have data migrated and standard operating procedures in place, test the system before an official go-live. 

“Have the dispatchers schedule calls on a dispatch board,” Plaath says. “Once those are scheduled, let the technicians ‘work’ the jobs. It’s not physically working, but understanding what they can do on the mobile side. Close the jobs, and see what it looks like once the invoice is created.

“Once you see that they can work through that process successfully, create a document with checkboxes for every step of the way. Have them tick boxes off, documenting where it’s successful and where it’s not successful,” Plaath adds. 

Plaath recommends getting your team all together in a “war room” for the mock go-live, so everyone can learn from the entire process. 

Keep Employees Happy

If employees are resistant to change, hear them out to learn their concerns. Then, explain how the new system will benefit them. For example, the system automates upsell opportunities and allows a technician to present them in a professional manner. 

“This platform really helps you grow, but it's important that you invest the time upfront,” Plaath says. “Do your team the justice because you don't want to have people walk out because of the implementation that goes wrong. Invest in them, invest in the product, and invest in time with it to make sure it's successful.”

Once the system officially goes live, reward your employees for their efforts.

“A lot of people put a lot of time into implementation,” Plaath says. “Celebrating goes a long way from a change management and adoption perspective. Make sure everyone’s happy.”