In this chapter we will discuss why it is important to sell the idea of change to the rest of the organization. So far we have introduced you to BPI concepts and new tech- nologies that can help enable successful BPI projects; but more importantly, the pre- vious chapters have prepared you to analyze and plan for a potential BPI project in your organization.
The ideas discussed up to this point all belong to the first step, research, in our BPI project methodology (see Chapter 1). The next step is sell, that is, the sales phase of the project. At this point you should have a good idea whether you should go ahead with a BPI project, as well as what type of project to expect and the high-level associated costs and resource requirements. Assuming you are ready to pursue your BPI project, the final task in the initial preparation is to sell the importance and valid- ity of the project to the people who will be involved (see Exhibit 6.1). The following list breaks down your target audiences and the sales message you will deliver to each of them:
Target Audience Sales message
Top Decision Makers All significant projects need an executive sponsor to show the rest of the
organization that the project has top management support. In addition, this person, or persons, should have the power to allocate the necessary money and resources that you will need for the project.
Project Team The cohesiveness and drive exhibited by
the members of the project team will, in many ways, set the energy level for the team; it will also project to the rest of the organization that this is an important initiative with motivated people behind it.
Before you dive into details of the project, make sure you thoroughly sell
Target Audience Sales message
Project Team (cont.) each person on the high-level goals of the project: how it will improve important tasks related to budgeting and reporting and what the rewards of a successful project will be for everyone.
Other Related Parties Other people in the organization will, at different times during the project (especially in large projects), be interviewed by the project team and asked to contribute their knowledge, share documentation they have, and so on. If, at an early stage, you do a good job at selling them on the benefits (in particular, benefits to the individual person) of the BPI activities that will take place, you are less likely to encounter typical resistance to change, such as:
• Uncooperative attitudes
• Concealing information
• Negative talk about the project
Project Team
Other Employees Sponsor
Targeted Sales Pitch
Targeted Sales Pitch
Targeted Sales Pitch
You Executive
EXHIBIT 6.1 Selling the BPI Project
HOW TO SELL A BPI PROJECT
In the beginning of this chapter, we answered whyit is important to sell the BPI pro- ject to the various audiences in the organization. Now, in Exhibits 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3, we demonstrate howto give your sales pitch. Top management, the project team, and the members of the organization each need a customized version of your sales pitch for maximum effect and support.
Small BPI projects (such as changing the chart of accounts) clearly require a lot less involvement from the organization and less preparation to sell the project to de- cision makers. However, as soon as it is clear that you are confronting a midsized
Key Elements of Sales
Main Goals Main Concerns Pitch
Cost control Wasted time and resources on Cost-benefit analysis Corporate profitability failed project ROI analysis Improved decision Lost focus on other key Executive PowerPoint
making as a result of business activities presentation, with
BPI reasoning for project,
goals, main project information (dates, main activities, cost, etc.)
EXHIBIT 6.2 Selling to Top Decision Makers
Key Elements of Sales
Main Goals Main Concerns Pitch
Improved personal work Lose face as a result of Present BPI goals and tasks (e.g., automated unsuccessful project describe how the budgeting and reporting Job security organization will
processes) Workload during peak benefit.
Improved work experience project activities Provide estimates of time
and career opportunities and resource requirements.
with BPI project and Create and present personal
best practices research to team members
Rewards as result of based on project
successful project involvement and duration.
Reduce potential risks to team by defining as clearly as possible the scope of the project.
EXHIBIT 6.3 Selling to the Project Team
or large project, proper preparation to effectively sell the idea and benefits of a BPI project can easily mean the difference between no project (because you did not get approval), a failed project (because you didn’t get access to enough time and re- sources during the project), and a highly successful project.
Another important tip is to carefully plan the timing of your sales pitch. Obvi- ously you want to avoid busy periods such as month-, quarter-, and year-end closings, during the budget process, and the like. The best time to target is following a period when the old processes for which you are suggesting improvement have been utilized.
Then it will be fresh in people’s minds that these processes are manual, slow, error- prone, or ineffective in some other way.
Key Elements of Sales
Main Goals Main Concerns Pitch
Improved personal work Job security Present the project concisely tasks (e.g., less data Wasted time (extra work) or distribute information entry, earlier reporting) Fear of the new and document; have personal
unknown (e.g., new conversation that software or routines) encourages them to assist/
cooperate with project team.
Emphasize that life will be better after BPI and that
job security will be higher.
Explain that they will be updated as to progress as the project moves forward.
EXHIBIT 6.4 Selling to the Rest of the Organization