8 Keys To Implementing A Change Management Plan For Your Sales Force

In a recent blog post we discussed how the biggest obstacle to Resource Planning is implementing the changes.  Once you have determined your optimal sales force size, the last step in the process always proves to be the heaviest lift.  Change is usually disruptive, whether you are adding or cutting headcount.  Having a Change Management Plan in place will mitigate many of the common pitfalls to implementing the changes to your sales force.

Below are 8 steps to consider when crafting your Change Management Plan:

1. Create a leading change design team—Who must be involved in helping you move your organization in a new direction? What areas, teams or individuals should be involved in designing the change?
2. Document the case for change—What are the forces causing the change and what is the impact of these forces on the organization's future success? Why is there a need for change? What departments, units, teams, or individuals are affected and to what degree? Do the forces causing change suggest a modest, incremental or transformational change? What are the consequences to the organization of not responding effectively to these forces?
3. Develop a preliminary vision for the change—What is the change that needs to occur? What do we need to accomplish or achieve as a result of the change? What problem are we trying to solve? What will the outcomes of the change look like?
4. Define the impacts on those affected by the change—What are the potential pros and cons of the change for the organization, departments, units, teams, and individuals? Who benefits and who loses? Are customers or other stakeholders affected and to what extent?
5. Create your preliminary strategy and action plan—How will you raise awareness of the need for change? How will the losses be reduced, eliminated, or managed? How will employees and other stakeholders be involved in developing the change vision and strategy? What actions will build commitment to the change? How will the benefits from the change be realized? What actions need to occur, when should they occur, and who should take the lead in taking them? What is the implementation timeline?
6. Identify measures of success—How will the success of the planned change be evaluated? What are the key indicators or measures of success? What benchmarks along the way will be used to help track the progress the organization is making?
7. Develop your communication strategy—Who needs to be kept informed of the change vision and strategy? What are the methods for communicating with these key stakeholders? What is the ideal frequency of the communications about the change and the progress being made?
8. Develop your training strategy—What is your plan for building change leadership skills and knowledge in leaders, managers, supervisors, employees, and (if appropriate) customers, suppliers, and other key stakeholders? What is your timeline for training in relation to the change implementation strategy?

Key Takeaway - The Change Management Formula states that Effectiveness = Quality x Adoption.  In other words the effectiveness of your implementation equals the quality of the solution being implemented times the success of your effort to adopt the new solution.  Having a solid Change Management Plan in place is half the battle.

Thanks to George de los Reyes / Sales Benchmark Index
http://www.salesbenchmarkindex.com//bid/76497/8-keys-to-implementing-a-change-management-plan-for-your-sales-force?source=Blog_Email_[8%20Keys%20to%20Implementi]

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