Change management can include almost any change – from organizational change, software change, process change… change management is a structured approach used to prepare, support, and help employees, teams, departments and organizations execute change. It’s a way to ensure that the required change is executed smoothly and efficiently, with minimal disruptions. By following a change management checklist, contact center organizations can set themselves up for success and accelerate their growth.

So, what are some best practices in change management for contact centers?

Here’s a baseline change management checklist to help you best adopt change:

1. Define the change you wish to create and its purpose clearly.

What is the change that needs to be made? What are the goals of this change? Be as specific as possible.

2. Create a detailed plan of action.

Once you know what needs to change, it’s time to create a highly specific plan for how the change will be implemented.

3. Create a sense of urgency with a clear timeline.

No one likes wishy-washy actions so be sure to prepare a timeline, milestones and itemize who is responsible for what, providing a clear path to success.

4. Share the overall vision and objectives.

It’s not enough to share the change you wish to deploy, you have to share the overall reason for the change and its impact on the company, and its people. By sharing the grander vision and objectives you wish to achieve, you will get greater buy-in.

5. Communicate the change to all affected parties early and often.

Change can be difficult, so it’s important to over-communicate throughout the process. Keep everyone updated on the change, why it’s happening, and how it will impact them, again and again.

6. Get buy-in from all stakeholders with feedback and moments of interactivity.

Make sure that everyone who will be affected by the change is on board with it. Otherwise, you’ll likely face resistance. Create moments where they can provide input and feedback.

7. Implement the change.

Implementation depending on the change required will look different for every organization, but it’s important to have a solid plan in place and work with trusted providers to guide the process. Many projects fail at the implementation phase, so it’s critical to be properly prepared to execute.

8. Train employees on the new procedures.

Once the change has been implemented, it’s important to provide adequate training to all employees to ensure a smooth transition and avoid confusion for long-term success.

9. Monitor progress and performance.

After the change has been made, it’s important to monitor progress and performance to ensure that the change has the desired effect. If not, you may need to course correct.

10. Be prepared for bumps in the road.

Change is never easy, so it’s important to be prepared for bumps in the road. Have a plan for what to do when things don’t go as expected and be flexible enough to change the plan if and when necessary.

Change is inevitable. Plan for it.

It’s clear, proper change management is essential to ensuring a smooth transition and achieving desired results. First and foremost, change is inevitable – so it’s important to have a plan in place to deal with it. Secondly, change can be an opportunity for growth – so don’t be afraid to embrace it. Finally, change is best approached with a team effort – so get everyone on board and working together.

If you keep these things in mind, change won’t negatively affect your contact center operations. What are you waiting for? What changes are you planning to implement?