If system updates keep catching people off guard, leaders aren’t setting the pace.
Make it a non-event:
1. Publish the calendar.
Quarterly change windows visible to Sales, Ops, and Finance. No surprise Tuesdays.
2. Explain the “why.”
Translate tech to business impact: “prevents login lockouts at open,” “avoids checkout errors during promos.”
3. Stage in rings.
Pilot on a small group (one location, one team) → expand → companywide. Rollback plan printed, not implied.
4. Freeze the right hours.
Protect peak periods (lunch rush, month-end close). Patch after hours with on-call coverage and a timed smoke test before open.
5. Test restores, not just backups.
If you can’t restore a laptop, database, or POS on the clock, you don’t have a safety net.
6. Own exceptions.
Legacy gear lags (manufacturing PCs, label printers, scanners). Track exceptions by owner and date. Mitigate until patched.
7. Coordinate vendors.
ERP, CRM, ecommerce, payments—get maintenance windows and incident terms in writing. Align your window to theirs.
8. Staff the floor.
Super users on deck the morning after. Short scripts for front desk/CSRs. Fast escalation path.
9. Measure it.
Next-day report: login success rate, app launch times, error rates, payments authorization success rate, tickets by location. Share the win—or the fix.
10. Close the loop.
Ask managers what still felt rough. Capture, adjust, move on.
Updates keep the business running when it counts.
Change is constant. Disruption doesn’t have to be.
When is your next patch window—and who owns the pilot, the rollback, and the morning-after check?
This content was originally posted on LinkedIn.