September 23, 2025

Years ago, I worked with a company whose executive sponsor told me his measure of success for a software conversion was simple: his phone wouldn’t ring with employee complaints.

You can guess what happened next. His phone rang…a lot. The project kicked off strong, slowly unraveled, then stalled.  Eventually they backed out of the conversion entirely, retreating back to their old system. It was painful to watch, not because either software wasn’t capable, but because the change wasn’t managed with the right mindset.

That experience reinforced something I’ve seen again and again in large and important projects: success depends far less on the process playing out perfectly and without incident – than on how people are led through the transition. Too often, leadership makes a big announcement, celebrates the early wins, and then grows quiet when the process gets complex or messy in the middle. But the middle is where the real work happens; where teams need encouragement, coaching, and reminders of why the change matters.

Change management isn’t a one-time pep talk; it’s a marathon of communication, empathy, and persistence. It’s about setting a vision, walking beside your people when it gets hard, and coaching them to the finish line so the company actually realizes the return on its investment.

This week, our team at October Research is releasing a special report on emerging trends and tools in title and settlement software. It’s an exciting time!  The next generation of systems holds tremendous promise.  AND as companies prepare to move from legacy platforms into these new solutions, I hope directed change management is also at the top of their plans.

Otherwise, those visions of sugar plums that dance in the early stages of a project can quickly melt away, leaving only the bitter taste of wasted time, money and effort. With the right leadership, though, the payoff is very real – new tools, yes sure, but also stronger teams who know how to weather change together.  Who can expertly execute vision.  Who learn to press through temporary setbacks in the name of ultimate benefits.

I hope you’ll grab your copy of the report, read through it, and keep it close by as a companion when you’re selecting and implementing your next system. It’s a resource designed to help you ask the critical questions, make informed choices, and to support the kind of planning and leadership that carries those early visions of sugar plums all the way through, until they become the real gifts of efficiency and a positive return on investment.

Until Next Time,

Mary Schuster
Chief Knowledge Officer
October Research, LLC