Reference no: EM133306565

Assignment:

What challenges to institutionalizing change are seen in the case shown below? What would be some ways that the company could more effectively "refreeze" around the new change?

As the Director of Organizational Development at Lucy and Linda's (an upscale women's clothing retailer), you asked one of your staff to conduct follow-up interviews on a survey exploring why a change to a new service style did not seem to be working out. The goal was for sales associates to take a more customer-focused, "consultative selling" approach that would replace the traditional "product-push" approach that some customers were found to dislike. Your staff member's notes on follow-up interviews with employees include the following items:

Assistant Manager on the roll-out six months ago: "It sounded like we should sort of consider the new way and use it where it makes sense. Here, we have fast turnaround sales....customers know what they want and like a quick encounter. We decided the new way wasn't going to work for us."

Sales Associate: "I was a bit unclear about what 'consultative' really meant. The training was OK I guess, but there's only so much you can get from a forty minute video you have to look at after you clock out and are on your own time."

Store Manager. "Oh, the consultative push? To be honest, I was waiting to hear more. We really didn't. Even the Regional Manager was unsure if we had to keep going with this one."

Experienced Sales Associate: "I'll try anything that works. But taking more time to make a sale? Hey, as far as I can see we still get compensated on a commission basis. Why would I want to take longer for what is likely going to be the same sized sale?