How to prepare for change (and build for success)

Any major change, such as implementing a new technology or a service offering, doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking for any firm, no matter the size. It requires proper planning, effective communication, and an aligned vision across your entire team—core elements of change management and enablement.

At the heart of change management/enablement are humans—emphasizing that transformation is driven by people on all organizational levels. As such, proper change management demands clarity on why changes are being made, what the company’s trying to achieve, and expectations of all those involved. Simply put, it’s about bringing everyone along on the journey to achieve a unified front that drives success.

If you desire to be a change-ready firm, this guide provides a blueprint for sound change management. It also offers tips and tricks to help ensure people at all levels are part of your change movement.

Change management fundamentals

In simplest terms, change management is an enabling framework for managing the people side of change. This is the core principle behind the Prosci ADKAR model¹, which outlines fundamental change management elements—Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement.

This supports effective change management by:

Providing the structure and direction required to plan effectively for change.
Diagnosing problems and gaps along the way.
Identifying corrective actions.
Elevating success of change-based initiatives.

It’s also important to recognize that both change management and change enablement have their own unique meaning. Terminology is key here, especially when you consider the human element:

Change management: Management that is top down.
Change enablement: Recognizes that transformation and effective change is driven by people at all levels.

While firm leadership may drive change initially, it’s critical to involve all team members broadly for effective change implementation and long-term success.

Organizations with excellent change management are 7 times more likely to achieve project objectives.²

Understand common roadblocks

Before planning begins, be aware of the most common challenges. Change is hard and can be time-consuming, so plan well and be prepared for some pushback. Top roadblocks include:

User resistance: Moving into the new and unfamiliar is challenging for many, so be prepared for pushback from your team. The key here is to set goals and objectives and stick with them—all while keeping communications open and project milestones visible.
Unclear goals: A solid, clear plan that includes goals, objectives, and major milestones offers visibility into the bigger vision. And where there’s visibility, there tends to be a sense of relief and support of change.
Lack of training: Throwing your untrained team in the deep end and expecting them to swim won’t work. Detailed training and education on any initiative is critical. Make sure you’ve lined up training so all team members understand the objectives of the service (including client expectations and value), how to support it, and how to deliver it.

Harness the power of technology to fuel change enablement

Advanced technology supports workflow automation. And automation is the name of the game when it comes to implementing successful change because it significantly improves workflow for staff (AKA: makes their jobs easier by eliminating manual, repetitive tasks).

Remember, change enablement recognizes that transformation and effective change is driven by people at all levels. Simply translated: team members may be incentivized to change when automation is a key value proposition.

Engage leadership on all levels: Users appreciate the power and efficiency that comes with a new, advanced platform—more so if there’s clarity on vision and processes. Engage team members at all levels early on so they’re aware of changes as they come up, especially when it can streamline workflow.
Communicate vision: The vision for change should be well known across roles and departments. Provide details on what’s different and why the change is occurring. Also make sure the vision stays front of mind throughout the change rollout process. A shared vision means shared accountability.
Set the transition for success: Set your team up for success by offering training, guides, and other learning opportunities.

Automation and change enablement

Where there’s automation, there’s standardization of processes, immense time savings, and workflow transparency. These are all positive outcomes for both the firm and the clients. For example, automation can:

Reinforce new processes: Change feels much lighter when processes are automated and durable. This means less heavy lifting for the firm and a smoother transition for clients.
Save time: Eliminating manual, repetitive tasks via automation translates to big time savings. That’s time that can be put toward supporting client advisory needs, strengthening the client-staff bond, and ensuring a rich client experience overall.
Promote transparency: Detailed audit trails and real-time access ensures that everyone knows what’s happening at all times.

“Before BILL, when we were working manually, the max a junior accountant could handle was probably 5 clients comfortably. Now, they can each manage between 7 and 9 clients.” (Jennifer Klos, Supervisor Staff Accountant, AP, Creative Planning Business Services)

Best practices for change enablement

Change is not easy. It requires thorough planning and good communication end to end. Suggested guidelines like these will help ensure a successful implementation of larger-scale change.

Define and communicate your why: Let the entire team know why adoption of new technology is necessary via consistent and frequent communications. Ensure you have the full message ready to relay. For example, consider a new tech implementation: Is the new system needed because you’re launching a new service? Are you replacing an outdated system? What are the value props?
Tap into internal talent: You likely have tech enthusiasts at all levels in your firm. Take advantage of their expertise by having them assist with evaluation, planning, and communications efforts. You may also want to engage these users in the criteria and review process to ensure ongoing enhancements are identified and applied over time.
Set and monitor progress to goals: Make sure to identify goals and timelines. This supports a structured, systematic approach to review and a sound way to measure success.
Train: Identify time and budget for training, and create a training schedule. This will boost staff confidence and support a positive launch. Also include day-to-day users in the criteria and review process as they are hands on and will have valuable insights. As your team gets into the system, questions will arise about features, functionality, and best practices. Explore certification options for the software to build more experience.
Partner with the software provider: Your software provider will have a treasure trove of resources to support your team as they ascend the learning curve. Lean into your partner for support and give team members access to valuable resources like demos, case studies, templates, checklists, and videos that educate on the product, how to implement it, and how to onboard clients.
Rollout to clients: Once your team is up to speed, it’s time to rollout the new tech to your clients. A well-trained and experienced team will make this a smooth transition for clients, as well as offer experts to answer questions as they come up.
Gather feedback: Ask for input at all levels. This includes team members and clients. Change can be difficult, so checking in and aggregating honest feedback will help you enhance and optimize over time.
Evaluate: Be sure to document major milestones as you move forward as well as progress to goals. And then communicate these successes to your entire team. This also includes reevaluation. For example, are there unnecessary friction points? Can service delivery be improved for clients? Is the team working as efficiently as possible given process automation?
Build a culture of continuous learning: Practice makes perfect. Be sure to document what works and what doesn’t so you can continually optimize workflow. It’s also important to foster a culture that invites and anticipates change, stokes interest, and promotes year-round learning.

Summary

Change is the one constant that we know is, well, constant. Being able to manage change with confidence is critical in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing landscape. This is especially true with larger-scale changes like introducing new technologies.

It’s time to get comfortable and confident with change. And the tips and best practices outlined in this guide are a great place to start. From upfront planning that includes defining your vision and communicating firm-wide to training and internal policy guides, it’s all part of mastering change management and evolving into a change-ready firm.

For more information on BILL or any of the insights provided in this guide, request a demo.

For BILL customers, contact your BILL account manager. If you would like an introduction to your account manager, send us an an email and we will connect you.

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^{1 https://www.prosci.com/methodology/adkar}

^{2 https://www.prosci.com/change-management}