“We only just went live on a new HR system”

HR Director · HR and payroll software

When an HR Director has only just gone live on a new system, they're protecting a team that's tired of change, and that's a fair thing to protect. Don't push past it. Name the rollout pain first, then ask what would make another change worth their team's time.

What the buyer says

We only went live on our new HR system last year. The last thing my team wants is another platform to learn.

How to handle it

Listen

Hear what the rollout cost them. "The last thing my team wants" is about the people, not the product. It tells you change fatigue is the real objection.

Acknowledge

Recognise that a system rollout is hard work, and that asking a team to learn another platform so soon is a real cost.

Explore

Ask what the new system does well and where it still falls short. Ask what the team still does by hand or in spreadsheets, and what they'd stop doing first if they could.

Respond

If there's a gap the new system doesn't cover, position yourself as filling it, not replacing what they've just built. Keep the first step small, and be honest about what learning your platform would ask of the team.

Say this
“That makes sense. A rollout takes a lot out of a team, and you don't want to put them through it again.”

Say this
“What does the new system do well, and where does it still fall short?”

Say this
“What would have to be true for a change to be worth your team's time this year?”

Variations

HR Operations Manager: “We're still bedding in the last system. Ask me next year.”
People Partner: “Our managers have only just learned the new tool.”

Questions people ask

How do you respond when an HR leader says they've just implemented a new HR system?

Acknowledge the work the rollout took, then ask where the new system still falls short and what the team does by hand. If there's a real gap, position your product as filling it alongside what they've built, with a small first step.

Is it worth selling to a company that has just bought a new HR system?

Often, yes, but not as a replacement. A new core system usually leaves gaps, and the team knows exactly where they are. Ask about those gaps rather than the system itself.