The term “change management” refers to the structured approach of preparing and supporting individuals, teams, and organizations to adopt new technologies, processes, and ways of working. Managed change is change that delivers real benefits and guarantees user adoption of new systems or processes. Cloud for Good believes passionately in the power of effective change management to create long-term success with technology, and we take great care in ensuring our clients understand its importance.
Why Change Management Matters
Change, however, can often be met with resistance; sometimes, change is rejected outright. Organizations undergoing, or considering, the adoption of new technology may feel that they already have the necessary internal resources to manage that change and may not see the need for additional external support. Cloud for Good knows change can be hard, but our experience across over 3,000 Salesforce implementations tells us that effective change management is not only worth the time and investment but that it is critical for long-term success with technology.
Below are some common objections to embracing change management, and how Cloud for Good can help the resistant understand its importance.
Cost + Time
In our experience, clients save time and resources avoiding rework or adoption problems when they prioritize change management throughout the project.
While technology has the potential to immediately affect organizational success for the better, it’s important to remember that a rushed or improperly supported implementation can set the organization back and incur additional costs and delays that could have been avoided. Think of technology as not only an investment but also as a foundation; taking the time to fortify the foundation and training staff to tend to the system will pay off in the long run.
Perception of Need
If you have had the good fortune of previously implementing technology successfully, you might not fully understand the need for change management given your experience. It’s important to remember that every project and solution is distinct. No two implementations are ever the same; the users, technology, and/or business processes are unlikely to be the same as in previous engagements.
Cloud for Good combines deep Salesforce expertise and experience with change management best practices to ensure success. Accordingly, our consultants provide you with insights on the best paths forward.
Expertise
In the past, Cloud for Good has worked with clients who have had strong internal resourcing, but they came to us because they lacked the Salesforce-specific expertise and/or capacity to implement their project. In these instances, Cloud for Good takes great care to assess client resourcing and then align on options to partner together in change management (e.g., developing a detailed communications plan that the client then implements).
Basic Resistance
In other cases, clients may resist the very idea of change management itself, believing that their employees will be able to adapt to changes without any additional support. This particular resistance to change can lead to dire consequences if the end-users are unable, or unwilling, to learn new technology and/or new business processes that the broader organization requires.
To avoid this, Cloud for Good creates a change management plan outlining activities to strengthen user adoption and provide user support, including several different types of training (e.g., formal, documentation, in-app guidance, etc.) and communications planning for different user personas. Instances such as these require a malleable approach modified to meet the specific needs of users, ensuring that everyone buys into the new technology and is equipped with the necessary skills once go-live comes around.
See Change Management in Action
Cloud for Good’s change management methodology incorporates a right-sized approach for each client’s needs. In other words, we partner with you to design and execute a change management plan that ensures that your users are involved, informed, and feel their input is heard throughout the project. Key activities include:
Detailed communications and training plans that empower staff to own the new technology. Cloud for Good creates a detailed communications plan with campaigns directed at multiple audiences, and bolsters training programs with decks, guides, and scripts for trainers. These steps have led to well-defined success metrics and a rock-solid plan to gather user feedback on a continual basis.
Establishing governance strategies that serve as an important part of the oversight and decision-making processes for technical transformations. Cloud for Good has experience working with a number of different governance structures that support the implementation and long-term strategy for Salesforce systems.
Supporting technical user adoption systems that play a key role in long-term system success. Cloud for Good has experience implementing tools that embed hands-on walkthroughs and videos in the Salesforce system for an integrated training approach. Coupled with intentional communications, training sessions, and decision-making, technical tools can support the long-term adoption of existing and future staff.
Change management is an invaluable, though oft-overlooked, aspect of success with technology. With effective change management, organizations can improve the results and outcomes of technology projects, increase the focus and effectiveness of users, and minimize risks.
To learn more about how change management precipitates technology success, contact Cloud for Good today.
