Challenge: Ford of Canada aimed to bring a digital program to standardize the websites of their dealers, which had been successfully implemented in the US, to the Canadian market. The objective was to ensure a consistent, high-quality digital presence across all dealerships, enhancing both the dealer and customer experience. Introducing this digital program required a robust change management strategy to ensure smooth adoption by the Canadian dealers. The program’s success hinged on effective training and ongoing support to facilitate the transition and foster continuous improvement.
Solution: Working closely with a team of strategy and training professionals, I led the development and execution of a coach-led change management strategy to ensure the initiative’s success. This strategy was informed by previous positive experiences with Ford coaches and their success in promoting change within dealerships. Recognizing the effectiveness of coach-supported initiatives, we designed our approach around empowering a group of digitally savvy coaches to facilitate the implementation at dealerships across Canada.
Key Actions:
- Change Management Strategy Development:
- Conducted a thorough analysis of the existing digital landscape of Canadian Ford dealers.
- Identified potential resistance points and developed mitigation strategies.
- Collaborated with key stakeholders to align on goals and expectations.
- Coach Training Program:
- Designed a comprehensive three-day training program for a selected group of coaches.
- Training covered the new digital platform, change management techniques, and effective coaching methods.
- Facilitated interactive sessions to ensure coaches could confidently support dealers.
- Implementation Support:
- Provided ongoing support to coaches as they implemented the program across dealerships.
- Conducted follow-up sessions to address any challenges and share best practices.
- Monitored the progress and impact of the program, making adjustments as needed.
Outcomes:
- Enhanced Digital Presence:
- Achieved a standardized, high-quality digital presence across all participating dealerships.
- Improved user experience and customer satisfaction with dealer websites.
- Successful Adoption:
- High adoption rate among dealerships, with minimal resistance.
- Coaches reported increased confidence in their ability to support digital initiatives.
- Ongoing Improvement:
- Established a feedback loop to continuously improve the program based on dealer input.
- Provided resources and support for ongoing development and adaptation to new digital trends.
Key Takeaways: The project helped enhance Ford of Canada’s digital footprint for their dealership network, creating a more cohesive experience across Ford dealers. The support from the trained coaches ensured that each dealership fully understood the initiative and how to implement it effectively. This led to a more consistent and improved digital presence across the network, benefiting both the dealerships and their customers. The structured training and ongoing support provided the necessary tools and confidence for the coaches to drive the initiative’s success, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptation to digital trends with dealers who are more traditional and less digitally savvy.