Gap Analysis: Intersect Investments (continued)

Intersect Services is attempting to convert to a customer intimacy model to increase sales and productivity while enhancing long term relationships with the current and potential customers. Resistance to this transformation has already led to the termination of one EVP. "Resistance to change is an emotional/behavioral response to real or imagined threats to an established work routine" (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2004). Lyn Chen clearly resists this change because of her past successes using the more contact, less time concept. Her resistance is hindering clear, accurate communication within the organization. This is egging on a high turnover rate in the sales dept that is running up costs. Although the sales team has received training to implement the new customer intimacy model, the sales department employees are not implementing the model. Potential customers are choosing other agencies because the sales reps are not supporting the type of relationship based interaction the customers’ desire. The main challenge is to provide a broad set of products and services to consumer and small business customers using a model of customer intimacy that will build long term relationships based upon trust and value to the customer.

In this scenario, the lack of effective two-way communication is the origin for the many of the problems within IIS. If Janet Angelo, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales, intends to meet the 12 month period of performance, her plan must make two-way communication imperative to keep all Intersect Investment employees informed. A sense of security and involvement among the sales team employees will decrease the turnover rate. This is Lyn Chen responsibility to ensure that the men and women in her department are continuously informed of the company’s current situation.

The "unfreezing" stage of the organization cannot be completed unless Janet creates the motivation to change. In so doing, IIS employees are encouraged to replace old behaviors and attitudes with those desired by Frank Jeffers. Senior leadership can begin the unfreezing process by disconfirming the usefulness or appropriateness of employees’ present behaviors or attitudes. In other words, employees need to become dissatisfied with the old way of doing things (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2004). Benchmarking is a technique that can help Janet unfreeze IIS by providing information about other companies within the industry.

Intersect Investments has a great deal to accomplish in 12 months. There are several obstacles in almost every department. Acting and observing must be promoted to ensure that IIS is proceeding correctly. Resolutions can create additional setbacks. IIS must retain situational awareness; senior leadership must be actively participating in the transformation by welcoming feedback from the rank and file employees allowing for an offensive stature. IIS will first attend to the various problems with the sales staff, and how to increase customer intimacy.

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