Change management. We hear it all the time.

But what does it actually mean in regards to customer onboarding?

Change management is a strategic process. It's how we guide a customer through the technical, behavioural, and cultural shifts required to successfully adopt and extract value from a new software solution.

That was a mouthful. 😅

Basically, we need to focus on the individuals within the customer’s organisation who are resistant to change by deep diving into their current workflows.

The root cause of resistance often tracks back to a fundamental disconnect.

It’s prevalent when the end users differ from the buyers who made the purchasing decision. That’s why it’s so important to give clear understanding of "what's in it for me," for each persona.

In onboarding, you don’t just implement new software. You orchestrate organisational transformation.

Every new implementation of a B2B SaaS solution creates ripples across departments, processes, and individual workflows.

Without a strategic approach to managing this change, even the most sophisticated onboarding program will struggle to deliver value.

They say the only constant in life is change (… how exhausting). ↓

🧪 The Project: Change Management 101

We want to develop effective strategies to set customers up for success by thinking about change management before they do. There is an element of detective work needed.

This is world-class customer onboarding in action.

Step 1: Identify champions and challengers

Map out the stakeholder ecosystem before making any moves. Identify not only the executive sponsor, but also the end users, peripheral teams impacted, and any potential resistors.

This step is crucial because change is about the people not the processes.

Don’t be afraid to dig deeper to find these answers. Explain why you need the information and that it will lead to a smoother roll out and faster results.

Then identify influential voices from each affected department to assist you from inside the organisation. Champions will be your eyes and ears on the customer side. They will also partner closely with you to make sure communication is effective.

Step 2: Map the current workflows

Document how your customers currently work. Aim to uncover informal workflows and shortcuts as well as technical processes.

This builds trust and shows you're not just pushing your solution, but understanding their workflows in order to effectively implement the software.

It’s very helpful to show the customer your map so that they also understand the level of involvement in making changes to their processes.

It helps the customer visualise the ripple effects across different teams, which can aid alignment and communication for all involved.

Step 3: Create persona messaging

Tailor messaging to each stakeholder group. Focus on their specific priorities and pain points.

Be very clear on the value proposition for each persona. Document this messaging to keep your internal team aligned.

For example:

• Your narrative for end-users might emphasise how the solution will save them time in their daily tasks.

• For the buyer, the narrative could focus on ROI and strategic efficiencies.

The effort put into personalisation at this level will build trust and deliver faster results.

Step 4: Small wins and transitions

Achievable milestones that demonstrate immediate value are a huge morale boost for stakeholders.

It is more manageable for people to see a few steps ahead and feel like they can achieve them in a week than see the whole plan and know it will take months.

Aim to have a gradual transition from old workflows to new ones. There will be times when these workflows have to coexist.

Create a clear timeline to show when these transitions should take place. It is important to be flexible to avoid resistance. Lean on your champions to assist with these transitions.

Share the wins across the stakeholders when milestones are reached to highlight the positive momentum.

🤓 The Analysis

Change management is the foundation that determines whether your solution becomes a transformative success or another underutilised tool.

This project will help you get started with a strategic approach to change management. It is a big step towards world-class customer onboarding.

This process is most important for complex software products. However, you can take elements of the project and implement it for simpler products too.

What to expect if you try this project:

• Reduced internal customer friction

• Increase in adoption & engagement

• Improved executive sponsor satisfaction & early renewal indicators