Strong engagement and two-way communication enables successful retailer to adopt a new way of working

As part of a business-wide technology roadmap, this retailer chose Microsoft D365 as its new ERP system for select business units. With a goal to centralise systems, simplify processes and reduce manual interventions, it was clear that change management would play an integral role in ensuring the business and its people were ready, willing and capable to adopt this significant change to their ways of working.

Atturra was engaged for two releases of D365 into two separate and distinct business areas and were tasked with the design and delivery of change management and learning solutions that would support the adoption of the customised systems.

Going live in June 2021, this D365 Finance implementation took place during the pandemic, as such the change activities were all delivered remotely to a team that was working remotely. As Atturra learned during these times, engagement becomes even more crucial to bridge the gaps in current and future states and take audiences on the change journey. There was a real sense of everyone coming together to address the challenges of both the implementation and the external global factors of at working from home.

The client engaged Atturra’s Change Lead and Training lead to develop a robust and flexible change and training solution, that addressed the challenges of remote working and a complex and customised D365 Finance solution. Atturra’s Change Manager was also played a key advisory role with the Project Sponsor as well as a stand in replacement while the sponsor was on leave.

Regular and frequent team meetings were set up to create a collaborative environment with the BAs and the impacted team to enable a solid foundation of understanding of the future changes and address issues and concerns. This implementation also included the management of numerous interfaces with internal and external teams, so again, engagement and communication across the business were integral to ensuring everyone understood their changes and impacts and role in the future state.

High levels of support and were required during hypercare and additional challenges were encountered post go live with numerous workarounds in place for some time. Atturra developed additional as required information sessions and learning materials.

This D365 master data implementation was delivered in two phases. The impacted team was the same but there was different functionality with each phase.

Phase 1 stores and supplier master data went live in June 2021 and Phase 2 product, pricing, ranging and promotions went live March 2022.

This new, replacement system brought substantial change to business processes and ways of working for the core team. Atturra developed a comprehensive learning journey for the core team that started from very early on in the project, to manage resistance, address concerns and begin the ADKAR process. The range of learning and engagement activities covered the entire team, including; regular walkthroughs, demo’s, UAT, weekly play sessions and finally, end user training. Change capability uplift was also an integral part of the change plan, with the senior members of the team taking on additional change responsibilities to support the team ongoing.

The impacted team at the client is pivotal to the overall operating model for merchandise, so significant engagement with the broader team was required. It was imperative that other teams were aware of and managed their behaviours and expectations around this impacted team both pre and post go live. While the impacted audience is internal, there were also downstream affects to stores across the country. Cutover activities included critical tasks to be performed by the stores, so communications and engagement were key.

• Fostering a strong and trusting relationship with the Project Sponsor, benefited the project, the impacted audiences and the broader business, through advocacy, communications and visible leadership.
• The ability for the Atturra change team to be flexible and fluid in a changing project environment helped to maintain business confidence.
• Learning activities are broader than just classroom training. Atturra takes every opportunity to share knowledge and increase confidence with business users.

• Change strategy and execution
• Communications strategy and execution
• Learning strategy and execution
• Stakeholder engagement and management