6 tips for a successful Read&Write launch
After you’ve announced Read&Write to your organization, what’s next?
Our customers have done some great things to successfully launch Read&Write in their company. Here, we share ideas that’ll help you do the same.
1. Host a Read&Write demo day
To make sure no one misses out on discovering the support Read&Write can offer, invite everyone to a demo day. This can be in person, or online.
Demo videos are a great way to get employees interested in new software. In fact, people are 4x more likely to watch a video about a product, rather than read about it.
To help, we’ve created this Read&Write demo video.
By inviting colleagues to watch a recorded demo, you’re giving them another way to learn about your new software.
Help them to set time aside with a dedicated demo day. That way, all staff will be free to discover how Read&Write can be used throughout the working day.
Don’t forget about all the great resources available to help you announce the software.
2. Add Read&Write to your onboarding process
Let your employees know that Read&Write is available to support them, right from day 1. Add the following information into your employee’s onboarding pack:
- Information about Read&Write, including what the software offers. Directing employees to this introductory page to Read&Write can help
- Details on the benefits of Read&Write, including how it supports people in many different ways. Directing employees to this use case page can help them to see how others are using the software
- Instructions on how to get Read&Write. If possible, allow employees to download Read&Write straight away. Instant and discreet access is beneficial considering many people don’t feel comfortable disclosing that they need additional support
- A link to the Texthelp Academy for Read&Write, with resources to help them learn how to use and benefit from Read&Write’s features
At Texthelp, we provide this information during our employee onboarding process. It actively encourages every new employee to download and explore the tools on offer.
In fact, our friends at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust believe incorporating Read&Write into the induction process has been crucial to their success;
We realised early on that making Read&Write part of the induction process was important. In fact, it’s a key part of our success story. New recruits are introduced to Read&Write at monthly induction events, and within personal induction periods. We’ve been noticing the benefits ever since.
3. Give Read&Write a physical presence in your organization
Consistency is key in keeping Read&Write in your employee’s minds. Giving Read&Write a physical presence can help remind them that Read&Write is available to support them. And this can be done whether your staff work in the office, or remotely.
In the office
Host a physical launch event to create enthusiasm around your new software.
Announce a launch date to your employees, and drive awareness during the event with Read&Write merchandise - which we’ve created for you:
- Set this video up on the big screen and play it at regular intervals, so employees can understand what the software, and your event, is all about: https://youtu.be/z72FbOJnlsQ
- Line your corridors with these posters, or put them up around your event space (such as your company canteen or tea break area). Download the posters
- Hand this flyer to your curious colleagues, which includes information about Read&Write and how to use it. Download the flyer.
One of our customers did exactly this. Their usage increased from 70 users to 1,400!
Remote spaces
Creating a physical presence digitally can also lead to success!
This can be achieved through:
- Using your intranet to feature Read&Write. Feel free to embed this video to explain what Read&Write is. And include information on how your employees can get access
- Sending regular reminders about the software via email, or your online chat spaces. Use the resources in your communication plan to help you
- Providing constant tips on how to use Read&Write - this can be done daily, weekly or monthly! We’ve given you some ideas below - feel free to copy, paste and share!
10 tips for integrating Read&Write for Work into your workflow
- Have you tried the Text-to-speech function? Hearing text read aloud reinforces understanding, increases focus and improves retention. When we hear our written work read, it helps to amplify any errors and make corrections.
- Read&Write's Text-to-speech function helps us to process information much more efficiently. It also allows us to multitask and take notes at the same time. Try it for yourself and let us know what you think!
- Need to process large documents quickly? Use the Highlights feature within Read&Write to group and summarize content within your document. With four colors you can optimize into four different themes and then pull this content out into a separate document.
- Did you know that Screen Masking within Read&Write lets us apply a color tint to our screens? This helps reduce screen glare and alleviates eye strain. It’s also helpful to those with Dyslexia or Dyspraxia where black text on a white background can be difficult to read.
- Screen Masking within Read&Write helps provide privacy and security by hiding highly sensitive information from others while working in open spaces. That’s because you can tint your entire screen, and add a reading pane to view only a small amount of information at any one time. This feature also makes it easy to read large amounts of not content, without losing your place!
- Did you know that using Read&Write’s Dictation feature can help you get your thoughts down 3x faster? Not only will you increase your input speed and accuracy but also reduce mistakes. Watch as your words appear on the screen as you talk!
- As the name states, Read&Write’s Prediction feature predicts the word that is being typed and the word most likely to follow. Not only does it reduce the number of keystrokes but also helps to get your thoughts down quickly. It also provides support if you can’t find the words you’re searching for in the moment.
- Did you know that the Audio Maker in Read&Write allows you to turn digital text files into audio MP3 files? It’s a helpful feature for anyone who prefers to listen to information on the go.
- I’m sure we could all use some assistance in our working day, especially during busier times. Read&Write’s Check it feature offers proofreading support, so we can feel extra confident in our work. It’s a high powered spelling and grammar checker. It goes a step further than the typical spell checker looking at sentence structure and word selection.
- Is English your second language? Or are you communicating with someone who speaks a language other than English? Make use of the translation tool in Read&Write. It can translate text to over 70 languages and have 30 of those languages spoken back in the native tongue.
4. Appoint a Read&Write Champion, or two!
A Read&Write Champion is someone who will become your company’s dedicated Read&Write for Work expert. They’ll receive training that will help them to answer their colleagues' questions with their newly-found expert knowledge of the software. They'll inspire usage by sharing the benefits and helping their colleagues to make best use of the software.
5. Host monthly meetings with tech advocates
Make it easy for your colleagues to gain support when it comes to accessing and using the software. Host drop in days with your company’s tech advocates - this could be your Read&Write Champion/s or your Accessibility team, for example. Let your staff know the time and place to drop in and chat about Read&Write, or to gain a quick demo. These sessions could also be targeted to managers to help them understand how Read&Write can support their team.
Print these flyers ahead of the session, so your colleagues can leave with the information they need to know.
6. Use your community to spread the word
Get those at different levels of your organization involved in encouraging employees to try Read&Write. From your leaders across different regions, to your Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Ask your tech advocates to set up or attend meetings with them to let them know how they can play a part in your success. Provide them with the resources to share Read&Write.
For our customer, Ernst & Young, ERGs are a key part of the process.
“ERGs are key in the process because individuals within the ERGs will share their own experiences with tools that work well for them. Read&Write is consistently brought up in our neurodiversity community as something that may be helpful. Many people in the group will guide others to the EY app store to download the software.” - Kevin Grogg, Assistive Technologies Service Owner at Ernst & Young
Do you have an Enterprise license - with access to Free for Family?
If so, this extra tip is for you!
7. Host a dedicated Free for Family launch!
After your Read&Write launch, and when your colleagues have had time to digest the new software, it’s time to share Free for Family.
You could do this by communicating online, or hosting another physical launch event.
- Use this email template to let your colleagues know that Read&Write is available to their family for free. If you’re hosting an event, add a note about this to your email. Include the event date, and let your colleagues know who will be available on the day to answer their questions. Download the template
- Place posters around your departments, corridors, and event space to capture attention. Or share as a flyer over email. Download poster 1. Download poster 2.
- Make use of your internal chat spaces to create a buzz around this valuable perk. Use these visuals to help. Download social card 1. Download social card 2.
One of our customers used the Back to School period as a prime time to inform their staff about this perk. This time period can often be stressful for students as they get ready to progress to the next stage in their education journey. It can also be an expensive time for parents & carers. With free access to Read&Write, students benefit from support with literacy and study skills
If your company doesn’t have an Enterprise license, find out more about our Enterprise subscription and how you can upgrade.