Data-Backed Change Readiness Assessment for Commercial Strategy Execution
Problem
A medical device company had conceptualized a large proposed shift in their commercial model to accelerate topline growth and improve profitability driven by persisting healthcare margin pressures and emerging new growth opportunities. As they finalized developing the model and preparing to launch the changes, they sought to understand the anticipated business impacts that might result from the various people, processes, and technology changes. The new model involved holistic changes to the use of partners, distributors, and internal resources resulting in disruption to workflows across all parties. The goal was to maximize adoption to the new commercial operations model and achieve targeted revenue growth, while minimizing negative responses to the change in their marketplace
Approach
Excelerate conducted detailed qualitative and quantitative research designed to assess change and business readiness without speaking directly of the potentially disruptive and sensitive change. The scope of the research was to inform the program workstreams, including processes and technology. Excelerate conducted data analysis on survey results to uncover insights and guide change management strategies. Excelerate further partnered with the client’s public relations (PR) firm on communications best practices as part of change management strategies. To document the approach, Excelerate built a Change Playbook, which included an overview of the change (vision & strategy), change & communication plan (audience target, change readiness, comms plan, behavior change mechanisms, governance structure), and a change management roadmap (sequencing of change and communications).
Results
To best secure employee trust and buy-in, Excelerate recommended the client take a higher involvement approach, essentially making employees part of the change, increasing visibility and leveraging them as change champions. Based on its research and analysis, Excelerate further recommended a phased rollout rather than a single launch to reduce associated risks. By taking a data-driven approach to assess impacts of change, Excelerate helped the client prioritize where to make investments in change management and communications to optimize business outcomes and minimize risk of employee disengagement and attrition.