Developing a Communication and Change Management Strategy

A well-defined and executed communication strategy and internal change management are the foundation of any successful enablement program.

SAP recommends for buyer organization to create a dedicated trading partner enablement and a change management project plan, which is to cover activities and dependencies for all three sections:

• Communication strategy
• Trading partner non-compliance process
• Buyer internal change management

Should the buyer organization choose to forego allocating appropriate resources for a comprehensive change management plan, the adoption and process execution will not be successful.

The lack of a planned and executed change management strategy will lead to confusion amongst your end users as well as trading partners. The potential adoption pace would slow down significantly. Consequently, with no or delayed engagement of change management, the overall project value realization is at high risk.

Internal and external project communication is key to raise awareness of the overall changes to the procurement process with your trading partners. To outline a first concept for a communication strategy, the dedicated enablement lead might consider the following questions:

• What message is to be communicated towards trading partners?
• What is the compliance message?
• How and when will the change be communicated to trading partners?
• What is the message to non-compliant trading partners?

The table listed below is helpful to clarify the differences between a weak, moderate and strong compliance policy.

A clear, consistent and strong buyer compliance message is key factor and the groundwork for overall strategy. We recommend you design your communication with the EDICT method.

• Expectation – What do you expect trading partners to do?
• Deadline – When you expect them to do it by.
• Incentive – How do they benefit from the connection on SAP Business Network?
• Consequence – What happens if they don’t comply?
• Togetherness – Mutual benefit for buyer and trading partner (hard or soft).

Download the Project Notification Letter (PNL) to review the implementation of the EDICT methodology in the message template. The content should be adjusted by the enablement lead depending on project details, timeline, enablement methodology and scope for each trading partner.

The non-compliance process defines an escalation path. The buyer organization develops the internal process specifically for trading partners who do not wish to comply with the enablement process or refuse to accept the trading relationship with buyer organization on SAP Business Network.

The purpose of the escalation path if for buyer organization to:

• Pre-define internal communication path and resources to be involved.
• Follow an established internal escalation process.
• Follow up with non-compliant trading partners in a timely manner.
• Execute the pre-defined alternative options or consequences for non-compliant trading partners.

Independent of the buyer internal organization structure, the escalation path should be defined with a streamlined communication channel and coordinated by the enablement lead.

To successfully achieve the pre-defined business objectives, employees within the buyer organization are required to adopt the new tools and processes which serve their function within the business. It is equally important for the buyer organization to implement these changes with minimal disruption to the organization and trading partners.

The change management framework is be defined and further developed by the change manager to create:

• Awareness and understanding of change (internally and external to the buyer organization).
• Motivation to change.
• Know-how to support the change.
• Ability to implement the change (internally and externally).
• Support system while in change.
• Infrastructure to sustain change.

The change manager supports the buyer organization deployment team and post business go live:

• Drives project value realization.
• Reduce time to adopt the changes.
• Improve the performance of the organization.
• Strong sustainment of business as usual.

SAP Procurement and External Workforce – Change Management Guide