What is an Example of Change Management? View Real-world Examples

Introduction

Change is an inevitable facet of any organization’s evolution. Nevertheless, effectively navigating change can prove to be a formidable challenge, particularly when a well-defined strategy is absent. Achieving successful change management entails a delicate balance of interpersonal acumen, a deep comprehension of processes, and a critical need for software solutions to streamline and support the change management process. 

In this article, we will explore real-world examples of change management and how they have been successfully implemented. By understanding these examples, you can gain insights into effective strategies for managing change within your organization.

Key Takeaways

  • Real-world examples of successful change management implementation
  • Insights into effective strategies for managing change within organizations
  • Importance of people skills, process understanding, and technical knowledge in successful change management
  • Examples of successful change in different industries
  • Best practices for driving successful transformations within your organization

Implementing Change Initiatives: General Electric’s Transformation

When it comes to successful change management, there are few stories as inspiring and enlightening as the transformation of General Electric.

In 1981, General Electric faced significant market pressure and needed to overhaul its business to remain competitive. Under the leadership of their CEO, they embraced digital transformation and implemented new strategies to drive growth. This process involved a significant change initiative that impacted the entire organization and required strong leadership to drive successful implementation.

Element

Description

Key focus Digital transformation
Year 1981
Business leaders CEO of General Electric
Outcome Successful change management

One of the key factors in General Electric’s successful transformation was the willingness to embrace change and take risks. This is a core aspect of effective change management, where organizations must be prepared to take bold steps to drive transformation.

However, it’s important to note that successful change management is not just about taking risks. It also necessitates a strategic approach, clear communication, and a focus on the needs of the organization and its employees, supported by technology solutions to facilitate these crucial aspects of change management.

By studying General Electric’s transformation, you can gain valuable insights into effective change management strategies and the importance of strong leadership in driving successful change initiatives.

Overcoming Resistance to Change: Google’s Approach

Resistance to change is a natural human instinct, but it can be detrimental to the success of change efforts. Companies like Google have developed various change management techniques to mitigate this resistance and effectively implement change.

“If you’re not a little bit uncomfortable with your bold choices, you’re probably not being bold enough.” – Jen Fitzpatrick, VP of Engineering at Google

Google’s approach to change management involves developing the skills necessary to embrace change and creating a culture that supports it. This is achieved through a combination of education, communication, and employee involvement. By involving employees in the change process, they feel more invested and are more likely to embrace new initiatives.

One of the most effective techniques employed by Google is to break down change efforts into smaller, more manageable steps. This not only makes it easier for employees to adapt to new processes but also increases their likelihood of embracing new technology, ultimately reducing the feeling of overwhelm that often accompanies significant changes.

Another technique used by companies like Google is to foster a culture of experimentation and innovation. This encourages employees to explore new ideas and approaches, which can lead to breakthroughs in technology or processes. By giving employees the freedom to experiment, they are more likely to embrace new changes and less likely to resist them.

Developing the skills necessary to embrace change is also a key part of Google’s approach. By providing training and support, employees are better equipped to handle the challenges that come with change. This can include providing resources for learning new technologies or processes and fostering a growth mindset that values continuous learning.

In summary, companies like Google have developed effective change management techniques to overcome resistance to change. By developing the skills necessary to embrace change, breaking down change efforts into smaller steps, and fostering a culture of experimentation, companies can successfully implement change and drive growth.

Enterprise Change Management: Effective Transformation at Drivetime

Organizational change can be a daunting task, but success is achievable with the right approach. Drivetime provides an excellent example of how enterprise change management can lead to successful organizational change.

By adopting an enterprise-wide approach to change management, Drivetime was able to navigate the change process smoothly and achieve their desired outcomes, including successful technology adoption. This approach involved aligning the change process with work processes and implementing new business processes and technology solutions to support the change.

Change Process

Work Processes

New Business Processes

Clear and comprehensive communication of the change process to all employees. Alignment of work processes with the change process for seamless adoption Identification of new business processes to support the change and ensure success.
Regular updates on the progress of the change process to keep everyone informed. Training and development programs to support the acquisition of new skills necessary for the change process. Implementation of a feedback system to identify areas of improvement and make necessary adjustments.

This approach allowed DriveTime to achieve successful organizational change while minimizing disruption to their day-to-day operations. By adopting an enterprise-wide approach to change management, your organization can also achieve successful transformation while ensuring the continuity of your work processes and the implementation of new business processes to support the change.

Implementing change in the workplace can be challenging, but by adopting enterprise change management strategies and best practices, you can drive successful organizational change while minimizing disruption and ensuring continued success.

Digital Adoption and Workflow Automation: Enhancing Customer Experience at The Greenbrier Companies

You can enhance customer experience by embracing digital adoption and workflow automation, just like The Greenbrier Companies did. By implementing a digital adoption platform and automating workflow processes, The Greenbrier Companies optimized their operations and provided an excellent customer experience.

The digital change allowed The Greenbrier Companies to increase efficiency and reduce errors, making customer interactions enjoyable and effortless. The automation of feedback gathering, customer service, and order processing resulted in a quicker and more accurate service for customers.

Potential Outcomes:

Before Automation

After Automation

Order Processing Time 2 days 4 hours
Customer Satisfaction Score 3.8/5 4.6/5

As you can see, the implementation of digital adoption and workflow automation can lead to a significant increase in customer satisfaction scores. Similar to The Greenbrier Companies example, by streamlining processes, the company was able to provide a more consistent and reliable customer experience, resulting in happier customers and repeat business.

When considering implementing digital adoption and workflow automation, it is essential to keep in mind the ultimate goal of enhancing customer experience. By optimizing internal processes, you can increase efficiency, reduce error rates, and ultimately provide a more enjoyable experience for your customers.

Key Takeaways from Real-World Change Management Success Stories

Nice work! You have reached the end of this article on real-world examples of successful change management. By exploring the diverse approaches adopted by companies like General Electric, Google, DriveTime, and The Greenbrier Companies, you now have a better understanding of the strategies and techniques used to drive successful change initiatives.

What’s next for you?

As a business leader, you can apply these learnings to develop an effective change management strategy for your organization. It’s essential to keep in mind that change management is an ongoing process that requires continuous efforts to adapt, adopt, and optimize new practices and processes.

Continuing your learning journey

As you journey toward optimizing your organization’s change management efforts, Vivantio is here to support you every step of the way. With a legacy of expertise and a commitment to excellence, we stand ready to be your steadfast partner in achieving successful change initiatives. Unleash the full potential of your change management strategies with Vivantio, and elevate your organizational capabilities. Empower your organization today by reaching out to our dedicated team, or take the first step toward transformation by requesting a custom demo. Your path to change management mastery starts here.

Share This Story!

Dark blue background with Vivantio icon in the top left, title 'Examples of Change Management' in white letters, and a line of white paper airplanes with a light blue one deviating from the path.
By Categories: BlogTags: 6.7 min read
cover for the B2B customer service optimization guide , which includes actionable insights, customer service management platforms, and benefits of customer satisfaction enhancement.

FREE GUIDE

Get the roadmap that puts your customer service at the center of your company’s business strategy.