When it comes time to implement change at your dealership, more often than not, you will come up against some (or a lot of) resistance from your team. That’s where having the right people leading the change can make a big difference. It’s important to include a diverse group of stakeholders who can provide different perspectives and expertise.
Here are some key groups that you should consider involving in your change management A-team:
Senior Management
These are the leaders of your organization. They can provide support and guidance throughout the process.
Your Employees
These are your front-line: employees of your business. They can provide valuable insights into their daily operations, their daily tasks, and their daily processes. They can also help you identify what is and isn’t working. Involve them in the process to ensure that they get to give their buy-in and participation.
Your Customers
Your customers can provide valuable feedback on what changes they would like to see: what they like about your dealership and what they don’t like about your dealership. When you solicit feedback from your customers, it can help you make informed decisions about the changes that you want to make or the changes you are currently making.
Industry Experts
These experts can include consultants or advisors who can provide specialized knowledge and experience.
They can help you identify best practices and even potential pitfalls to avoid.
You Vendors and Suppliers
Your vendors and suppliers. These two can also provide valuable insights into your change management process. They have experience working with other businesses in your industry and they can share their knowledge and expertise about what they’ve seen work and perhaps some of the pitfalls that they’ve seen other dealerships experience.
It’s important that you involve a diverse group of stakeholders so that you can ensure the changes that you’re making have an effective and sustainable outcome.
