Easier Said Than Done: What it Takes to Move Teams Toward Smarter Work Order Creation

There’s a common assumption that adoption begins with implementing new technology. More often, it starts with convincing people that the old “good enough” way they’ve relied on for years is finally worth letting go.

That’s especially true when it comes to AI-assisted work order creation. Facilities leaders know it’s important to make it easier to report issues accurately and consistently. But turning on a new capability doesn’t automatically change the way people work. Teams need to understand why technology is worth using, trust that it will save them time, and believe that it will make their jobs easier. The organizations seeing the best results simply make the better way feel obvious.

Here are four ways to do just that.

Acknowledge that change is hard

Most frontline teams aren’t trying to create perfect work orders. They want to solve a problem and move on. If the current process gets a technician on site, they don’t see a reason to change it. Even when a better process is available, it’s competing with habits built over years.

For facilities leaders, this means the journey starts with recognizing that behavior won’t change on its own. But when people see that the new way makes things easier, faster, and smoother, they’re more receptive.

So the first step is simple: If adoption is still low, it likely means teams aren’t comfortable yet — they’re sticking with what is familiar and easy for them.

Connect the dots to their day-to-day reality

When work orders lack detail or are miscategorized, the impact creates a domino effect.

A vague issue gets submitted. It’s routed to the wrong provider. The technician arrives without the right parts or context. A second visit is scheduled. Time is lost, costs increase, and store teams are left waiting.

Teams experience this in their day-to-day operations, and it compounds over time. Extra follow-ups. Repeat explanations. Delays that pull them away from more strategic work.

One retailer saw this play out in a very specific way. In a business where lighting is critical to customer experience, there was no clear option for bulk light bulb orders, so store teams submitted them as standard work orders. Those requests were routinely misrouted and cancelled about eight times per month, creating unnecessary escalations and delays. Once clearer guidance with the help of AI-guided work order entry was introduced, cancellations dropped to just one per month, and the process became far easier for store teams to manage.

The challenge is that consequences are often invisible when a work order is created. From the employee’s perspective, the task is done as soon as it’s submitted.

That’s why it helps to connect the dots. When teams understand how a few missing details lead to repeat visits and delays, the value of doing it right the first time becomes more tangible. It shifts the conversation from “yet another step” to “less rework later.”

Create an open line of communication

Consistent use improves when employees feel like they are part of the process and it’s working with them.

One of the most effective ways to do that is to make it easier for teams to describe what’s happening in their own words. Most employees are not facilities experts. They may not know the right trade, asset type, or category. Asking them to get those details exactly right often leads to frustration.

Instead, focus on reducing the effort required to report an issue. Let people start with a simple description — or in some cases, just a photo — then guide them toward the right outcome. This removes the pressure to “get it right” and lowers the barrier to trying a new approach.

It also helps to be explicit about what’s in it for them. Less back-and-forth. Fewer follow-up questions. Faster resolutions. These are the things that matter most to the people doing the work.

Finally, keep feedback channels open. When employees run into problems or have questions, whether it’s confusion, extra steps, or missed fields, they need a way to share that. Confidence improves when leaders treat that feedback as an integral part of the adoption process.

Understand that trust is key

At the end of the day, successful adoption comes down to trust.

Teams are often asked to document issues outside their expertise. If the process requires them to make too many decisions — selecting the right category, choosing the correct asset, or interpreting technical terms — they’re more likely to fall back on what feels safe and familiar.

AI-assisted work order creation helps remove that burden. Instead of asking employees to know the right answer, it’s there to help guide them to it.

Trust builds when employees see that the system consistently leads to the right outcome. Give teams a chance to test it in low-pressure situations first, so they can build confidence before relying on it every day. When their input results in accurate routing, fewer follow-ups, and faster fixes, confidence grows.

In practice, that trust often comes down to something surprisingly basic: less time spent figuring things out.

Team members at one, large multi-location restaurant often found themselves digging through lengthy work order histories to piece together what had happened, what had changed, and what needed attention next. For employees returning from time away or trying to get up to speed quickly, that process could be time-consuming and frustrating.

With AI Work Order Summary, detailed notes were condensed into a concise overview, making it easier to understand key actions, updates, and outcomes at a glance. The value wasn’t just saving time — it was reducing the effort required to understand what mattered and what to do next. As Robbie Schaffner, Regional Manager at Bloomin’ Brands, put it: “It made a world of difference after being out for a week.”

When employees can describe a problem naturally and trust the system to handle the details — and do so knowing the same operational and compliance rules still apply (i.e., AI is not overriding any existing rules) — the new way of working feels obvious.

Bottom line: Comfort drives behavior

If something feels unfamiliar or takes more effort, teams fall back on what they know. As soon as they see it fits naturally into how they already work and helps them move faster, behavior starts to shift.

That’s when change stops feeling “easier said than done” and just starts to feel natural.