Operator’s Resistance to New Technology: Forklift Cameras

When working with retail customers, we often hear that they want the added benefits of camera systems, however, they express concerns that their operators don’t want them and won’t use them. We get it, new technology can be intimidating. It took a while for everyone to trust their back-up cameras on their car, right? 

This is common because employees tend to resist change and prefer sticking to their routines, doing things the same way they always have. In other cases, employees might be hesitant to embrace camera systems because they’re aware of the recording and surveillance capabilities and potential consequences for their behavior. Ultimately losing their ability to waste time and goof-off. 

Here are some strategies to overcome this resistance and gain your team’s support: 

• Address Their Concerns: Hear what their hesitations are and let your team know that the primary purpose of these cameras is safety, not to spy on them. Camera systems are in place to enhance the safety of the workplace and its employees. 

• Protecting Your Team: Highlight how the cameras can play a crucial role in establishing innocence in accidents and preventing false claims. If an accident occurs, the camera footage can serve as a valuable tool in determining what happened. 

• Capturing Accidents for Your Protection: Explain that camera systems are designed to capture accidents and incidents. In the unfortunate event that an employee is injured, the footage can serve as crucial evidence for insurance and legal purposes. 

• Reducing Physical Strain: Emphasize that camera systems can alleviate physical demands, such as neck strain and back pain by providing a visual aid that eliminates some need for manual, repetitive actions. This makes their job easier. 

• Offer Training: Adjusting to using a new camera system can take some time. Offer a quick training session to show operators how to utilize the new equipment. Demonstrate how this new tool can help make their jobs easier. 

• Offer incentives: With the improvement in visibility and efficiency your company will gain, cost savings are inevitable. Offer your operators performance bonuses, PTO, or prizes based on the execution of their added efficiency. 

By highlighting these benefits and addressing your team’s concerns, you can gradually win them over on the advantages of camera systems, fostering a safer and more efficient work environment. 

But my operators break everything! 

Our products are built for durability. We offer the most rugged recording system available, housed in die-cast metal. The recorder is even resistant to heavy vibrations. We provide tailored systems for a wide range of tough environments, including extreme heat, cold, grime, oil, salt-water and weather-resistant options.  

Also, if your operators break everything, wouldn’t you like a solution to increase accountability? You’d be surprised how a recording system can significantly reduce product damage and how suddenly your operators start behaving. This is not intended to micromanage employees, but to increase safety and productivity. 

The cameras are also specifically designed not to get hit. Our engineers intentionally identify areas on the equipment that are commonly hit and ensure that the cameras are strategically placed to avoid damage. If one of our team members asks for photos of your truck before quoting, it is often to see where the most damage is occurring. 

Overcoming employee resistance to camera systems might be your biggest headache in the purchase decision and implementation. Remember when you got your first back-up camera in your new car? It likely took a few weeks to get used to it and a few more weeks to trust it. But now? You probably rely on it and can’t imagine driving without it! Change can be difficult, so we’ll help you push through the roadblocks.