Can You Trail Service Changes Better Than Instagram?

Instagram users encountered this on their homepage, Thursday 21 April 2016.

It appears the huge userbase – as represented in this pictured moment one hour after posting by 757 commenters – seemed universally unhappy. Despite all those ‘hearts’.

Users wanted only pictures they choose flow through their feed. Not those selected by the app, regardless whether by personnel or algorithm.

The tension surrounding free services for pushed adverts trade-off fiercely blazed once more.

My experience of account management meant my scrolling discovery made me wince. The number of times I’ve seen ‘delivery’ want to alter how they wish to interact with customers. Pretty much every time it’s explained to the salesteam uproar ensues.

The update is not viewed as an improvement. Positioning the new way as progress is perceived as tricky. The proposed method of informing the clients is seen as inadequate. The fear of vast, precious sales time being lost to handling the fallout from disgruntled customers.

I’ve often felt surprise from how solution salesforces that seek to sell change are so resistant to it themselves.

Still, taking the Instagram example, you can’t say you couldn’t see it coming. They’re pitching it as a natural evolution. And they offer a timeline (albeit vague). Along with a remedy, should you dislike the intrusions you receive (although many complain about such refining).

So you could say there’s a three-point plan.

• trail the idea at its simplest ahead of time
• outline the release plan
• highlight refinement options

Could your next similar upgrade follow suit?