Change Management
This is often considered one of the most challenging parts. You have chosen your vendor, implementation is underway from a technical standpoint but an area of contention is often people’s genuine fear of change. I frequently hear of friction between program owners and those whom need to be involved in new processes, a response is often ‘”that’s not part of my job.” Perhaps such a task was not to date, but any new technology and as businesses in digital continue to evolve, there is a need to adapt traditional roles with new KPIs in line with refreshed business objectives.
In introducing the PIM system in phases to reduce potential disruptions and allow for smoother adoption. This approach provides users with the opportunity to adapt gradually, while the implementation team can tackle issues on a smaller scale before the system is fully deployed across the organization.
The resistance to adopt new technologies is common, however there are ways in which you can slowly encourage utilisation through better upfront education that something new is coming and it is ultimately there to help make their roles easier, more successful and supporting business objectives by establishing and maintaining open, consistent communication channels throughout the entire implementation process:
“For a PIM project to execute successfully a cross functional team of all stakeholders needs to have representation. Not only for the project implementation, but to work with internal teams to advise on processes which have changed. Why certain decisions about workflows for example have been taken.”
Chris Kennedy Principal Sales Engineer EMEA at Salsify
Regular progress updates and feedback sessions will help address concerns, keep stakeholders engaged, and ensure that everyone is aware of the ongoing improvements and benefits of the PIM system.
Top down engagements for many organisations are a crucial part:
"Extensive change management is needed to build and kick off the programs, but also to continue to evolve and grow. You need champions of the program across the business who you can go to for continuous support and to encourage buy in across the teams more broadly. Clear and direct support of the program from the top down is crucial to reduce churn and prevent revisiting previously made decisions."
Nichole Tracy Sr. Director, Global Digital Experience, Stanley, Black & Decker
An external strategic partner or advisor can be valuable in navigating change management challenges by applying a structured approach and drawing on experience from past projects. They can supply experts in change management who are skilled in handling the human side of change, smoothing the transition, and ensuring the PIM implementation is in harmony with the company’s culture and strategic goals. There are many areas to consider as you work though the change management involved in the roll out. Considering the roll out a comprehensive training program that caters to the unique needs of various user groups within the organization. This training should be continuous, with regular updates to reflect system changes and new features, ensuring that both existing users and newcomers stay up to date and confident in using the PIM system.
Laura Hélie, Global Ecommerce Data Lead, Nestlé shares that “The key to maintain the involvement is metrics, sharp action plans with owner and regular communication touchpoints. We have indeed built a business case to justify investments and had to measure the size of the prize.”
