Haverstick implements and directs a change management strategy for a large Lawson ERP implementation for operations of both company-owned and franchise locations.
The Client
Regional restaurant organization with both company-owned and franchise locations.
The Challenge
The client needed a partner to lead the creation and execution of a comprehensive change management strategy around the Lawson ERP implementation. The client was moving from an old, highly customized system to Lawson.
The client’s goal was to make the change to the new application as smoothly as possible while making individuals feel involved and educated. Individuals in the company were highly resistant to change due to the length of time with the previous system and the adjustments that needed to be made for the change to Lawson.
The Haverstick Approach
Haverstick began by working with the identified functional area teams to understand the issues around the change including communication and cultural issues. A communication plan, series of workshop sessions, recognition programs, and team meetings were held to educate and promote the benefits of change associated with the implementation.
Haverstick continued as a change agent throughout the implementation and rollout providing the change management team assistance with on-going change activities, project issues, and as-needed seminars and workshops.
The Solution
After meeting with each of the functional area team leads and the client’s project management, the Haverstick Change Agent along with identified change management client resources, conducted an impact analysis for all users. This information, along with Haverstick’s Change Management Methodology, was used to create a communication plan to be implemented throughout the ERP project. Additionally, a series of change readiness and issue resolution workshops were scheduled and conducted to identify and remediate cultural and project related concerns.
Change Management highlights of this approach includes the following:
- Focus on communication themes and messages created from input of functional/project leaders from the executive level to the supervisory level of each functional area.
- Change management design strategy to encompass not only communication but user buy-in, issue management and resolution.
- Implementation of both structured and non-structured team meetings and workshops designed to educate on change, cultural and project-related issues.
- Monitoring of users and functional area leads to gauge areas of concern and to proactively resolve issues including stress-management.
- Constant communication and interaction with upper management to ensure that the goals were communicated and met.
The Result
Individuals within the organization received the messages and activities in a timely manner, which made the transition to the new system flow more smoothly. Individuals within the organization felt better prepared and as a result, training was more successful.
When stress levels related to the project increased, the change management plan and team provided users and team members an outlet to voice concerns or share information. This allowed the transition to be smoother and for proactive issue resolution.
The project team was able to better recognize leaders within the various project teams as individuals felt more comfortable speaking up and sharing information. This allowed the users to see that their needs were being recognized relating to the system and for the project team to identify those users that would be able to provide the best go-forward information.
The new system allows the users quicker access to needed information. The fear that their old system will crash and not be available has been resolved. The operations group now receives more accurate reports while the production area of the organization can better track materials and cost information. Office staff works more closely as a team as process-driven activities are the norm instead of transactional-based activities. A reduction in paper-based production has also taken place.
Culturally the organization has adopted a move forward attitude, looking to see what more the system and the organization can do to continue to be successful and profitable. Communication flow is greatly improved with individuals throughout the organization working together to adopt this forward-thinking methodology. | 
