<aside> 🌟 Launching your WeSpire platform is an exciting time. You’ll start seeing the results of your hard work creating content, planning communications, and strategizing for successful engagement!

Here are some lessons learned regarding launch from the WeSpire Customer Success team. Give this article a review and don't let these things catch you by surprise.

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1. Know what to do with glitches and bugs

Users find them. Admins like you find them. WeSpire may notify you about them when we find them. When you find a bug, you and any of your audience members can submit it to [email protected].

To expedite fixes, follow best practices laid out here: Submitting a Bug or Feature Request

2. Users will be confused and have product suggestions

Every website is confusing to someone. WeSpire's product process incorporates user feedback as a core input. While some aspects of the platform will not change rapidly, our engineers prioritize work based on the greatest need and potential value gained. When your users reach out to you with product suggestions, email them to <companyname>@wespire.com. If they have direct feedback for our team, have them email [email protected].

3. Typos and other configuration errors will be found

Your users will find typos and other minor errors as they use the platform. Content errors are in your power to fix with the tools in the Management Panel and WeSpire is happy to provide best practice advice. If there are typos or errors with teams, WeSpire will make changes.

4. Reaction to content or communications will surprise you

Many people in your audience will not engage with the program in the way you expect. Be open to feedback and have a flexible process to intake and strategically react.

5. Remember the fundamental rules of digital communications

Set reasonable expectations for engagement with your communications. 20% is a very healthy open rate for most emails. So you will have to send your message more than once and say things in different ways to achieve higher overall engagement. And, in the end, a large portion of your activity will come from a small number of highly engaged users.

Learn more about writing effective email communications and how to measure success: Guide to Effective Communications

6. Anti-phishing and email deliverability will be an ongoing issue

Chances are, you have trained your employees to be wary of external emails. Some of your conscientious employees will be skeptical of communications from WeSpire. Make sure your internal support team is aware that WeSpire messages are from a reliable source.

7. HRIS Data will be bad / Your audience will be hard to define

Users will experience login errors because their IDs don't match between SSO and HRIS. Users in the audience will not be listed in the file. Users outside the audience will be listed in the file. Users new to the company will not be listed in the file. The HRIS file can be updated and re-uploaded when necessary to fix known issues. Please allow 3 business days when sending a new file. Click here for more information about HRIS files and how they are used: ‣

8. Success will be defined differently (and have different metrics) over the course of the program

A big splash at launch doesn't immediately lead to a sustained growth rate. Don’t be discouraged by a big spike at launch followed by a slow, steady trend.

Stakeholders will care about different metrics at launch as they do mid-year and then again at the end of a cycle. Remain focused on impact and measurement.