7 Steps for Managing Change

7 Steps for Managing Change

What It Means

In today’s ever-shifting market, most organizations are in a constant state of change. They have to be just to stay in the game. And to win at the game, your organization will need a structured and effective way to manage the change process.

Why It Matters

·         Customers continue to expect faster, more reliable, more innovative and often cheaper products and services.

·         Competitors are changing and developing; maintaining status quo will eventually erode your advantage.

·         Process redesign, service enhancements, reorganizations, mergers & acquisitions, and a host of other business decisions require change management.

·         Associate (Employees) are human and it’s human nature to resist change.

·         Change done right can create a better bottom line, increase customer retention, and improve associate satisfaction.

·         A well-thought-out approach can make change easier to implement and more likely to last.

“Change is happening every day in today’s business.” Jack Welch

7 Steps for Managing Change

It’s said that there are only three guarantees in the life of a business:

·         First, that change will happen

·         Second, most people will naturally resist change

·         Third, that the larger the change, the more structured the approach will need to be to ensure that the new direction will last.

I will present the “Change Acceleration Process” model you can use to evaluate how well the project or initiative is progressing and where attention is required. To start, there’s a little research you will need to do to understand how much acceptance or resistance to change you’re likely to encounter.

Your Starting Point

There are six questions you should address before you get started with your plan. Take some time to really think about these, and write down your answers. These will help you as you begin your change journey.

1.       Have change efforts in your organization generally succeeded or failed in the past?

2.       Is there a history of multiple programs that didn’t last but washed out over time?

3.       Do senior leaders voice their support regarding change efforts? Provide specific examples.

4.       Is a vision of the future well-articulated so associates know what the future means for them?

5.       Are solutions put in place to eliminate or reduce errors during a change?

6.       Does the current change process take into consideration where power is gained and lost? Give specific examples.

Quick Wins for Managing Change

As you prepare for, or take over, implementing a change in your organization, you can gain some quick wins by looking at past efforts and assessing how these can inform your present initiatives. Complete the following activities and write down your answers to the questions.

·         Collect your organization’s goals, culture and values, whether those are written down in mission and value statements or simply unwritten behaviors.

·         Does the change you’re about to kick off or take over match the direction in which the company is already headed?

·         Are the new behaviors you want people to adopt in line with the organization’s culture?

·         The past provides hints for what works and what doesn’t in organizations, so find out about lessons learned from previous change initiatives in your organization.

·         Were similar efforts successful or is there a history of big change initiatives that never got fully implemented?

·         Did those change become the “new normal”?

·         Are associates burned out on change (Change Saturation)?

·         Have lots of major changes like an acquisition, multiple leadership replacements and new operating platforms occurred in recent months?

·         Has your organization been known for making changes often and not sticking with them?

·         Are other substantial efforts going on at the same time?

·         Will you be competing for resources?

·         Can you combine any efforts to ease the burdens on the organization?

What’s in it for Me?

It’s never too soon to formulate the, “What’s in it for me?” or “WIIFM” question, as you’ll quickly be required to articulate why the change is necessary and what the value is at a variety of levels.

As you craft your WIIFM statements, ask (and answer) the following questions using the steps that follow to guide you:

Why is this change good for the organization?

·         First, define the “organization.” Is it your function, location, division, or the entire corporation/institution?

·         Second, can you communicate all information available or are some parts of the change currently on a “need to know” basis?

·         Third, how is the change intended to effect the organization?

Ø  Financially, such as bottom-line income, revenue growth, or reduction in losses

Ø  In response to legal or compliance requirements, such as mandates, new regulations or proactively addressing gaps

Ø  Operationally, such as capacity, capability, consistency, and quality

Ø  Public Relations, will the changes make the organization better in the eyes of existing or prospective customers, its community, and in the industry?

·         And fourth, why does the intended effect matter? If capacity is increased, what are the potential benefits?

Why is this change good for the customer?

·         It’s important to clearly articulate who the customer is. Is the customer internal or external? Is there a particular segment of the customer base that the change is targeting?

·         If the change succeeds, only include what the customer will experience as a result of it. Will their service experience be faster? Will the reliability of what they count on from your organization be better? Will the product or service be better or cheaper? Will they get more or less? Which is better?

·         From the eyes of the customer, why does that new experience matter?

Why is the change good for associates/employees/team members?

·         Not every change affects every associate. What part of the workforce is this change most relevant to?

·         Consider the Organizational WIIFM to start ascertaining associate benefits, for example:

Ø  If the organization’s benefit is revenue growth related, is it about more job postings and opportunities for associates?

Ø  If capability increases, will new training offer the chance to obtain more skills?

Ø  If compliance policies are improved, will it help associates avoid doing things that could get them in trouble?

·         Take it to the last step, from the eyes of the associate, why does this matter?

Why is the change good for you?

·         As the leader of the change, you are being watched. Honesty and candor go a long way and the “voice” the organization hears regarding your WIIFM, needs to be your own.

·         Find your passion. To make a major initiative or project succeed, it’s not just a job. Consider where you get your energy to walk in everyday to create and deliver on a new course for the future. That is likely part of your WIIFM.

·         When the change is completed, where do you see yourself? If successful, will you have better customer relationships? Will you be managing the new processes with fewer headaches? Will you be re-locating to lead the next, even bigger challenge?

Setting a Baseline for Change

One of the most important tools is the “7 Steps Progress Graph.” It provides a baseline and metrics to evaluate progress in a variety of areas. When you begin the initiative, do an honest baseline of how effective the organization is in preparation, implementation, and sustainability. It’s likely that you’ll have zeros in many areas of the program, if it is new. Key steps in this assessment are below:

1.      Leading Change – Are senior leaders publicly supporting your effort?

2.      Creating a Shared Need – Do your associates understand and agree with why the change is needed?

3.      Shaping a Vision – Has the vision of what the future looks like been clearly communicated and understood?

4.      Mobilizing Commitment – Are the communications for the change effort well planned and executed? Is there a ground swell of support?

5.      Making Change Last – Are there protocols in place to prevent mistakes that can happen with the change? Are there safeguards, preferably electronic or physical, to make sure that three is no way to revert to old behaviors?

6.      Monitoring Progress – Are there effective measurements that indicate how much the customer or business cares about the intended impact of the change?

7.      Changing Systems and Structures – Is the organization’s structure aligned to support the change in the following ways:

·         Are the right people hired for the new activities?

·         Are systems set up to make the change easy to accept?

·         Is training developed to set up associates for success?

5 Best Practices to Ensure Your Call Script Gets You An Appointment

5 Best Practices to Ensure Your Call Script Gets You An Appointment

A successful sales process is a crucial element of enrolling new business. Challenger’s process is easier since these are “hot” leads and they have already expressed interest. You are not making “cold” calls. These best practices though should help us in getting more clients and generating revenue.

How do I actually get that successful appointment? is the issue.

Walk for a bit in the shoes of your prospective customers.

No matter who they really are, one thing is certain: they are busy. Even if they pick up the phone, their time may be limited. So instead of listening to your call, they may prefer to hurry to attend their own schedules and responsibilities. If you can’t immediately present how Challenger can benefit them, then don’t expect they’ll be willing to continue talking to you.

It should then come as no surprise that, if you fail to grab your prospects’ attention, they will be leery of taking meetings with you. It happens all too often then that educators aren’t comfortable demonstrating the value of their offering for their prospects during the precious first moments of contact.

Having your script well-thought-out in advance will certainly help. In any case, you will be prepared for the times when resistance does happen.

How a call script improves your sales process

There are several reasons why devising a sales call script can help you to be more effective in your efforts.

First of all, it will let you keep your conversation organized, so you can hit all the key points of the call. In this way you can focus on the key factors, without having to worry what you need to say next. As a result, you’ll be able to stay focused on what matters most, i.e., getting the lead’s agreement to make an appointment with you.

So in other words, having everything organized and well-thought-out in advance will help you to be more confident and persuasive during your call.

Remember that your call script is a living document; you’ll have to keep adjusting it, so it can evolve over time and gradually bring better results.

With that in mind, let’s now focus on some of the top practices to make sure your call script helps you land that appointment.

Rule #1: Introduce yourself and ask if the person can talk

We know you want this meeting but never forget your manners. Being unmannerly can be a real put-off. Always say who you are, what your reason is for calling and check if this is the right moment for talking. Say: “Is this a good time to talk?”

Don’t panic if the timing is not right, just try to reschedule for a more convenient time. And, then follow-up as you promised. Remember the old adage, “Good things come to those who wait…” and don’t rush or pressure your prospects.

Rule #2: Have that hook ready

I already mentioned how important it is to immediately grab the attention of your prospects. And yes, it works.

A successful sales process or negotiation always starts by looking at the customers and what they need and want, rather than just what you’re selling or what you aim to get from your prospects.

Make sure that you can explain in less than 15 seconds what value Challenger provides and prove that giving you that appointment will benefit your prospect. Do it in a way that will draw and keep your lead’s interest. It’s not as easy as it sounds to do, so always take time to prepare and test what you are saying in advance.

Having ‘the hook’ section included in your call script is essential when training as it ensures that every team member is on the same page.

Rule #3: Accept rejection as a part of sales process

Of course, even if you have the best hook prepared, your prospects can still be uninterested. They may not need what you offer, or they could simply lack the time or willingness to make an appointment with you. Perhaps they already made a decision on another school. That is why it is critical to follow the Challenger Manual and follow up right after they expressed interest.

Rejection hurts, but it’s a part of the sales game. It can be difficult not to take it personally, especially if you’ve invested a lot of time and effort to prepare. As the saying goes: every rejection brings you closer to a ‘yes’.

Rule #4: Offer a choice of times when setting an appointment

When your prospect agrees to arrange an appointment, try to ensure that they are happy with the day and hour you offer them to meet. This is especially important, if the meeting will have to involve multiple decision makers.

Go the extra mile to get them the right timeslot, as this will help to prevent cancellations or potential no-shows. Offer your prospects a choice of meeting times to cater to their availability. Of course, do that within reason and avoid leaving it open-ended. For instance, you could ask your prospects which day of the week would work best for them and then suggest the best slot accordingly.

Rule #5: Confirm appointment details and schedule

Be sure to ask if there is another decision maker (Mom, Dad, grandparents) who should be involved. Always book a tour regardless but bear in mind this may result in a subsequent tour and more delay.

Once you agree on a time and date for the next call, send a meeting request or a calendar invite to confirm the details. Do it as soon as possible to avoid your appointment getting forgotten or buried among all the lead’s other agenda items.

Done? Congrats!

But it’s not yet the time to sit back and relax. You may perhaps want to arrange a courtesy call or schedule an email to confirm that your prospect is still able to attend. You could do it at some moment closer to the appointment day, so you remind your prospect about your meeting. This could also potentially save you disappointment in case your prospect forgets and never shows up.

Conclusion

Getting an appointment is crucial if you’re serious about enrolling more prospects. It’s easier said than done, though.

To maximize your chances, make sure you prepare in advance and be ready to immediately demonstrate the value of your offering for your leads. Every second counts, so having it well-thought-out script is crucial!

Remember that your call script is a living document, so test what works and refine your ideas as you go along.