Organizations collectively spend billions on software investments to increase employee productivity and scale innovation. However, many of these software investments fail, not because the technology is flawed but because employees do not have the proper training and are underprepared to leverage new solutions effectively.
This is not a new problem and it historically has impacted many types of businesses across industries. For example, a well-known case from the 1990s where a major candy manufacturer missed more than $100 million in holiday orders. It implemented new enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that had been thoroughly tested and was designed to improve processes but didn’t provide the proper training for employees to navigate it. Instead, the company provided basic documentation and limited training that left frontline employees confused and struggling when it mattered most.
Fast forward to today, and enterprise software testing is even more complex. Technology solution investment costs have never been higher, but, thankfully, there are better solutions available to help organizations prepare their workforces—starting with application simulations. These tools are vital to closing the gap between software implementation and employee adoption. They build employee confidence by learning to use new solutions in a low-stakes environment, ensuring users are confident from day one, minimizing disruption and accelerating ROI realization.
Bridging the Gap Between Enterprise-Level Software Investment and User-Level Adoption
Organizations invest billions in software, expecting to drive efficiency and productivity, but their actual ROI often falls short of these expectations simply because users aren’t prepared to apply what they’ve learned. Training through PDFs, Webinars, or classroom sessions may check the required boxes, but these rarely deliver when it comes to day-one readiness.
Today’s enterprise systems are too costly, complex, and critical to leave training to chance. Application simulation provides a low-stakes way for employees to practice, make mistakes, and build confidence without impacting production or real-world operations. This approach improves onboarding outcomes, reduces dependency on IT, and gives users a safe space to learn by doing. The result? Smoother transitions, faster ramp-up, and fewer support tickets post-launch.
But learning doesn’t end once the software goes live—this is where Digital Adoption Platforms (DAPs) come into play. DAPs deliver in-app, contextual guidance that reinforces workflows, helps users adopt new features, and supports ongoing enablement. Together, application simulation and DAPs form a complete adoption strategy—building confidence and readiness before rollout, and sustaining engagement and knowledge over time. This immersive learning approach accelerates adoption, minimizes errors, and ensures a smooth transition, ultimately maximizing software ROI.
Real-World Benefits of Application Simulation Training
The cost of unprepared employees extends far beyond IT tickets. When employees lack confidence with new tools, the impact is felt across the business. Project delays, reduced productivity, and missed revenue opportunities are often a result of disengaged or frustrated users. Application simulation addresses these challenges by accelerating time to proficiency and improving knowledge retention and employee experiences, as well as enabling self-paced learning. Employees become confident faster and stay engaged longer.
This is especially evident in large-scale, time-sensitive onboarding efforts. For example, a multinational company faced difficulties onboarding 15,000 seasonal employees during the high-demand tax season. Training delays—including two weeks for system setup and one week for training, slowed productivity—while temporary live system access posed data risks. Traditional video-based training took three to four hours for 10 key processes. By using an application simulation platform such as Mirror, the company eliminated the two-week setup delay, allowing employees to train in 1 hour and 20 minutes, reducing time to competency and ensuring a risk-free learning environment.
This kind of hands-on, no-risk training builds long-term engagement. In fact, IBM research shows that employees are 42 percent more likely to stay with companies that invest in skill development. Application simulations do more than prepare people to use new software—they build a skilled and motivated workforce that can take on new challenges with confidence.
The Future of Digital Adoption
Digital transformation isn’t just about acquiring new tools—it’s about ensuring these new tools are used effectively. By analyzing digital workflows and identifying adoption gaps, businesses can better tailor their training strategies and drive smarter investments.
Application simulation platforms help organizations reduce training costs, unlock underused capabilities, and enable their employees to thrive in the digital workplace. As a result, organizations see higher productivity, fewer errors, stronger adoption, and, ultimately, increased ROI from their technology spend.
The key takeaway is simple: Software alone does not deliver value. Empowered users do. The confectionery ERP failure still serves as a warning today. The best systems won’t deliver value if users aren’t ready.
Today’s leading organizations are closing that gap by providing employees with the tools, guidance, and confidence to succeed before go-live. Application simulation is key to help users learn faster, perform better, and unlock the full potential of software investments.
