Embracing Culture Change

Using centralised and shared devices. Barbara has been with the business for 30 years and is a major fee earner; try telling her she can’t have her own printer… this is always the fear! However, go to Barbara with the truth, the hard facts, and how can somebody who watched the business grow t be negative about improving the tools she’s given to do her work?

It starts with the approach to change. Who sponsors or champions the project? Or, who has an input in what goes where? i.e. involve key influencers or create a steering group. Always involve a good mix of personnel, and get the awkward (stalwarts) people to work with the modern positive thinkers. And you know what, if Barbara really needs a printer, give her one that duplexes, has a low cost of ownership, and is ideal for her business requirement, in line with the company-wide print strategy.

The most successful MPS projects are the ones which help employees prepare for culture change early in the process:

• - Communicate effectively and tell people what you’re doing early
• - Office Posters
• - Intranet message boards
• - Canteen notice board
• - Group email bulletins
• - Explain the benefits to the users
• - Faster more productive technology
• - Greater business functionality
• - User efficiency
• - Improved reliability
• - Superior print quality
• - Promote the benefits to the company
• - Lower cost of ownership
• - Greater document security
• - Improved document workflow
• - Systems Integration
• - Environmental policy (green initiatives)

But importantly please remember, don’t over-promise and under-deliver, and let people have their say! Either by email, open forum or cleverly a questionnaire asking specific questions selectively picked by you (internal project manager) this way you offer ownership, but in a controlled manner.

Finally, delivery, implementation and training, ensure minimal disruption and maximise user buy-in.

If possible install in the evening or over a weekend, and have all the testing done and dusted during the trial period. Have IT and professional services teams on hand at the same time, to troubleshoot before the chaos on Monday morning. The more information you can provide the users beforehand, can be the difference between success and failure:

• - Quick reference guides
• - Wallcharts
• - Pin codes or passwords
• - Training groups and times
• - Simple communication

What could possibly go wrong