Stop Struggling—Here Is How to Help your Employees Adapt to Change
Let’s face it—change is uncomfortable. Regardless of the industry or company size, no company is immune to the inevitable discomfort that comes with change. How you choose to manage the discomfort of making changes within your organization has a direct impact on workplace culture. Companies must adapt well to change to remain relevant.
Change isn’t solely about the success of the project, program or implementation. It is about preparing, equipping and supporting your team members, real people, to embrace the change. Taking care of your people will help to drive the success of the project.
What is Change Management (CM)?
According to Prosci.com, Change Management is:
“The discipline that guides how we prepare, equip and support individuals to successfully adopt change in order to drive organizational success and outcomes. Change Management provides a structured approach for supporting the individuals in your organization to move from their own current states to their own future states.”
When making a change within your organization, follow these best practices to ensure a successful project!
*5 Spots Left For The 2019 CXE Academy Starting In April
- Clear Communication
I believe that almost all issues that occur stem from some form of miscommunication. When implementing a customer service improvement program, clear communication to the leadership team is vital.
It is important to tell your team that you are not adding more work to their already busy day, but that we are essentially building upon the best practices of the organization and looking at each situation differently. We are asking them to flip the lens and take a walk in the customer’s shoes. Creation of your customer personas, or avatars, is a great way to teach your team to walk in the shoes of the customer. It allows employees to understand the customers wants and needs rather than just their demographics and socioeconomic status. Once we are able to walk in the shoes of the customer, your team is able to approach situations differently. This process is typically quite eye-opening for everyone involved. It helps employees realize that they are in the people business, regardless of their role.
*Related: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-power-of-creating-customer-avatars/
- Track Employee Engagement
Distribute anonymous surveys to your employees to get a temperature on how the new program is going. Be open to receiving feedback from the team on the status of the new implementation. You may have to adjust the pace according to the feedback that you receive.
- Celebrate Milestones Together
It is important to acknowledge the little victories along the way. Keep a clear vision of the end-goal, but recognize that small steps lead to big change when done consistently.
Successful implementation of a customer service program involves the employees. Managing people through change involves motivating your people to work together on planning and implementing the changes, and providing your team with clear goals. Although change is uncomfortable, the rewards are boundless when done well!
Must Watch Video – U R X
Make sure everyone on your team watches this two-minute video on URX. We have subconsciously sent the wrong message to all our employees, that it is about the technology. So our employees start using the technology as a crutch, thinking they have less importance, less of a role with the customer. They rely on the technology to provide the experience. We need to reverse that. Customer experience is 10% technology and you are 90%. We need to make sure every single person working in your business knows and understands one critical thing: U R X.
GET YOUR MASTERS IN CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
We are now accepting applications for the 2019 Customer eXperience Executive Academy (CXEA). Having worked with the top Customer Service organizations in the world, The DiJulius Group’s Customer eXperience Executive Academy (CXEA) gives you both theoretical and practical eXperience on how to elevate the levels of service at your company.
With the need for rapid growth of the Customer eXperience Executive in businesses today, the Customer eXperience Executive Academy uses the X Commandments Methodology, which covers all facets and responsibilities that fall under Customer eXperience. Unlike any other institution, the CXEA’s focus, strictly on the Customer eXperience, prepares leaders to champion change at any company, regardless of industry.
