Retailer undertakes internal restructuring as part of three-year strategic plan

A retail company sought to implement a new strategic plan through a process of organizational change.

The roles and responsibilities of critical posts were modified and tools and processes were incorporated in order to tackle adaptive challenges, ensuring the successful implementation of the new processes.

Context

Following three years of operational stabilization, the retailer began a process of change, seeking to increase returns. To achieve this aim, the company defined a three-year plan which included new instore and outstore processes, in order to reduce operational breaches with competitors and achieve its strategic objectives. This involved adjustments to its organization.

Matrix supported the company to ensure the successful implementation of the strategic plan, driving a process of change at a business level and throughout the organization.

Detected opportunities

An initial diagnosis of the organization on various key dimensions revealed at least three opportunities. Firstly, there were differences in roles and responsibilities for similar posts. Similarly ,while the new processes did not imply significant changes, it would be a challenge to ensure that collaborators adhered to the plan in the long term; and thirdly, it was necessary to achieve coordination between areas participating in the transformed processes.

Proposed actions

Based on this diagnosis, the Matrix team worked with the client on eight different fronts. The key initiatives included the standardization of roles and responsibilities for each post; the adjustment of tools to ensure adherence to the processes; the modification of incentives in critical roles and current training plans; the generation of a recognition plan; the adjustment of the rollout plan to follow the path of least resistance; and the creation of strong communication strategy, together with feedback opportunities.

Impact

On completion of the project, new organizational structures had been achieved for each of the formats impacted in the short term by the three-year plan, together with 40 post profiles for instore and out-store collaborators. Barriers between areas were eliminated and feedback in the organization was deepened.

Finally, a clear roadmap with specific actions was drawn up that will ensure that the new processes are implemented.