The challenge of change is nothing new. Socrates shared his philosophy for successful transformation more than 2,400 years ago when he wrote, “The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Today, Socrates’ words are more applicable than ever, especially for organizations grappling with migrating from an outdated contact center infrastructure. Change management starts with executive teams and their vision.

Don’t Underestimate Change
Change is change—regardless of its scale. Even a simple change requires effort and planning for successful adoption. A common assumption is that change will naturally be embraced by those it impacts. Rather, it’s human nature to feel comfortable in how things have always been done and to be reluctant to adopt something new. This assumption often leads to wasted time and resources, along with not seeing the numbers you hoped to achieve from the change.

Think Beyond Plugging In and Turning On
When it comes to replacing outdated technology, making a successful change requires more than a deployment that stays on schedule and under budget. In fact, deployment is just the starting point.

Without a focus on long-term adoption, an organization will likely experience a status quo regression that requires unlearning old behaviors, processes, and systems—and then relearning and reinforcing new methods and processes again and again.

Regardless of which vendor you choose, adopting a new customer experience technology or platform is a significant change that requires a thoughtful change strategy if you hope to improve business outcomes. This is different than a project plan that is focused primarily on deployment. To successfully move forward, a change strategy can help you identify and prioritize pain points and barriers that hinder your ability to reach your objectives.

Start at the Top
Because change can be daunting, individuals within your organization will likely turn to leadership for answers and direction. Active and visible executive support and guidance is critical. Executive teams should work together to embrace change and encourage individuals by modeling desired behaviors. They should also offer a convincing case for change, along with a clear roadmap for achieving it that drives leadership-team alignment.

Choose a Provider, Not a Vendor
As technology advances and customer expectations continue to rise, it’s not enough to be a vendor that sells products and disappears after deployment. At Genesys, we believe the service and support we provide our customers is as important as our technology. We’re committed to enabling you to achieve your desired outcomes and offer three levels of change management awareness and guidance to help you move forward. Find out about Genesys PureSuccess offers and how they can help facilitate your ongoing success.

The following infographic provides a closer look at the importance of a thoughtful change strategy and how it can guide your transformation and help you obtain the business outcomes you hope to achieve.