Preparation for CRM in Government Entities: Understanding the Culture & Getting Buy In

By: Art Hall, President CRM Association Atlanta Chapter

Implementing a new CRM implies, almost by definition, changing the culture of the way business is done. This constitutes a unique challenge in government entities where standard processes and ways of doing business are cemented in place. Understanding the basis for the political and practical issues surrounding cultural change in government entities, can be critical to a successful CRM implementation.

Two areas that must be conquered in the quest for successful cultural change prior to CRM are as follows:

• Established Iron Clad Policies and Procedures designed to keep the organization afloat during times of change
• Established Old Time Employees – set up to “guard” the established system

On the surface, conquering these two factors does not appear to be a daunting task. You would think that you could simply approach the leadership, sell them on the benefits of CRM and roll out the new policies that are required. Eventually, that is exactly what will be done, but if certain issues are not addressed first, the roll out will be a colossal failure.

Why? The reason is that government is by necessity structured differently from corporate culture, and these differences, when not understood and addressed, create confusion at the very root of the implementation. The actual “foot soldiers” of your army will rebel, turn back to the old way of doing things, and pronounce CRM a waste of time and money. And they will be correct, because if CRM cannot affect the necessary changes in the organization, there will truly be no benefit. So, it’s important to have a clear understanding to what the issues really are.

The uniqueness of government structure at any level lies in the fact that the leadership, or administration is only in place for a specified period of time. Typically, when that administration changes it brings wholesale changes in the philosophy of doing business at the top of the organization. In fact, as elected officials shift after an election there is, by necessity, a brief period of “chaos” at the top of the organization, while the new officials “get their feet wet”, so to speak. However, the day to day operations continue without a ripple. How can this be? Because loyal employees continue to do the same thing they have always done, refusing to change regardless of what is happening in the ranks above them.

It is this steadfast dedication to “what we’ve always done”, that actually keeps our governments afloat during these periods of frequent change. In fact, radical as it may sound, you could almost say that it is the ranks of middle management in government that run the organization. They typically are the longtime employees who know the history of the organization, know why and how things are done a particular way, and know where all the bodies are buried. If it were not for these loyal old timers, that survive from one administration to another, it would be very difficult for our governments to continue their day to day functions during the transition between administrations.

Clearly it is important for these middle managers to hold tight the reins of the business until the new administration is in place and has a good understanding of the functional and business aspects unique to running each government. Once the understanding is there, however, middle management must be open to change in order for the organization to grow and improve. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for managers who have efficiently run their own shop over time, to cooperate with decisions made by the new leadership.

There is justifiably a feeling of distrust for the ability of the new leadership to make decisions. In addition, there is the fear that decisions are being made in a vacuum, without a clear understanding of the true purpose and function of each group and department. Again, many times, these concerns are well justified. These managers have seen administrations come and go, and have seen their policies, procedures and change initiatives come and go with them.

It is alarming, however, that even if the project is well thought out and justified, middle management has the power to bring it to a standstill through passive aggressive behavior. Many times managers do not feel that they are in a position to give honest input or share their concerns with upper management. They may even feel that they are not heard, so they say nothing and do nothing. They appear to cooperate, but in fact, they do not. They convey negative messages to the employees who know and trust them, and have worked for them for years. It is easy for distrust of upper management to be passed on to employees from a supervisor or middle manager who has been there for a long period of time. Change can effectively be stopped with a simple statement of this nature, “Don’t worry, this is not really going to happen. We survived the last administration without changing. Eventually, these clowns will be gone too.” The effect is that everyone in the lower ranks is smiling and nodding, but nothing is really getting done. The project can be at a stand still for a significant period of time, without the administrative leadership really knowing it.

In addition, there are the normal human issues that come with any change in any organization. Fear sets in. Middle managers and employees alike become afraid for their jobs, so they withhold information that is vital to project success. They fear losing their jobs or being unable to accomplish their new duties if they do keep their jobs, so rumors start. Productivity is reduced. Valuable employees find opportunities elsewhere. In the end, the project is slowed down to a snail’s pace, the budget is overrun and end users are unhappy. In a word, it’s a nightmare.

The good news is, that with awareness and proper planning, these issues can be wholly avoided and not only will the implementation of CRM go smoothly, but CRM will truly become an indispensable tool in the day to day operations of the organization. The critical strategy to success is to get buy in at all levels and generate excitement for the project. If this is handled properly, you will ensure success and break through the cultural barriers which impede change and hinder the project. As we consider this strategy, we will use Turnkey Solutions’ PLACE (Plan, Listen, Analyze, Create, Execute) Methodology to customize the approach for each impacted individual, group and organization.

Your strategy really needs to be planned and implemented before the project begins. The first step is to determine which individuals and groups will be impacted, and then to PLAN how you will approach them to get buy in. You will find that sincerely LISTENing to their concerns, will help you to gain their respect and trust. Engage them, one on one and in groups, in discussions of the issues around the project and what they feel the solution should be. They will be able to give you the solution to every issue they bring up, because they are actually doing the job, and understand the nuances of it. Carefully record every issue and solution, so that you can ANALYZE them and make decisions regarding how each issue impacts your strategy and how you plan to address it in the implementation. You are then ready to CREATE a presentation customized to each group that needs to buy in. This presentation should summarize their concerns and itemize their solutions. The purpose of the presentation is to prove to them that you are not only listening, but that they are partners with you in making the organization better. Once you have created your presentations, you are ready to EXECUTE. As you present to each group or individual, ensure that they presentation is interactive. You should welcome input, and be willing to make improvement and corrections. At the end of each presentation you should have an understanding of where the group or individual stands. They will either wholeheartedly support what you are doing, or they will have additional concerns, which will need to be addressed individually.

The bottom line, in all cases, is communicate, communicate, communicate. You should begin with the leadership, to ensure that you have their support, and communicate down from there to every level of the organization. Leadership presentations are most successful when they are done individually and customized to that individual’s organization and function. Be sure to include the WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) for that individual and group. They should come away with a clear and honest understanding of what specific positive impact CRM will have on their organization, as well as what they should NOT expect from the new CRM (this will avoid criticism later).

Once the leadership is on board, and excited about the upcoming CRM project, you should begin the process of training them in the art of change management. A common misconception is that change management is a methodology that applies to a specific change made in an organization. In fact, the most important aspect of change management has to do with training management to take the organization through change, period. Any change. Managers and supervisors must learn to recognize obstacles to change in their group or department and how to overcome them. The skill to take the organization through change is critical to each manager involved in the CRM implementation.

Finally, you are ready to present your project to the middle level managers and the employees who actually perform the work. Typically, these meetings can be held in a group format, though, you should be sensitive to particularly resistant managers, and get their buy in before meeting with their group.

These meetings should be informational, fun, casual and non-threatening. It is a good idea to include food, such as a lunch-and-learn, or even a picnic. The agenda should include a short informational piece and a casual and frank discussion or issues and concerns. They should also include some fun items related to the project, such as trivia contests with prizes for the most knowledgeable individual.

In addition, group communication should take place regularly and on every level once the project starts. Accurate and timely information is the best antidote for rumors. You should plan the most effective methods to communicate with each group, including emails, group voice mails, newsletters, bulletin boards, and even a web presence.

As you begin to communicate at every level to get buy in for the implementation of CRM, you will find that you reap a wonderful reward as a by-product of your efforts. By the end of your implementation, you will have a cohesive team, committed to the overall success of the group, as well as the project. You will have broken down territorial barriers and have instilled trust between the administrative leadership and middle management. You will find that you have created a positive, comprehensive implementation experience and made a permanent positive impact to the culture of your organization.

About the Author:
Art Hall, a Manager with Alvarez & Marsal Business Consulting in Atlanta and the President CRM Association Atlanta Chapter, was recognized as the 2007 1to1 Customer Champion by Peppers & Rogers Group.