Our Work.

One of the best-known retail brands in the world decided it was time to standardize their product creation processes, from design to manufacturing. They turned to Emerson for help.

The Emerson team provided transition management, training and communication strategy, and planning for the Product Lifecycle Management system. We stood up and provided a “war room” for post-go-live support. We developed the entire infrastructure of the change, including end-to-end process mapping, change agent and super-user mobilization, leadership engagement, and a training curriculum for the U.S. and in Asia—all leading to a successful launch.

A major healthcare organization was launching a professional services procurement system that would impact all 28 of its suppliers and potentially touch 5,000 employees. The new technology would replace outdated, non-integrated systems, and inconsistent, manual processes. They asked Emerson to build communication and training for this important new tool.

The focus of our project was to improve understanding, confidence, and usage, while decreasing user dissatisfaction. We then conducted an executive team workshop to craft a message to describe the vision for employees. We developed a manager toolkit that business leaders could share with their teams, the end users. The toolkit addressed challenges and solutions, where to go for help, and upcoming training.

We also developed three role-based support guides focused on the end-to-end process and interactions needed to successfully transact business. We also conducted train-the-trainer sessions for our client’s training team. Leadership was thrilled with the results.

One executive remarked, “This is how change management should be done.”

Emerson worked with one of the country’s biggest clothing retailers define a new HR operating model while improving business processes. We gathered a group of HR representatives and helped them document existing processes. We then held visioning sessions with the larger group of HR stakeholders (50 people) to vet the findings from the subgroup. We worked with stakeholders to refine and agree on the major processes within the new framework.

These processes became the baseline for the new HR organization and a key factor in selecting the optimal HR operating model.

A major food and beverage conglomerate had gone through a merger and was in the process of an enterprise-wide systems implementation. People were feeling overwhelmed, confused, and divided. Leadership engaged Emerson to help them motivate employees to work together, so they could thrive, rather than survive, through the changes.

We began by conducting one-on-one interviews and focus groups with executives and employees to understand the challenges, motivations and assumptions that contributed to the environment. We led participants through activities that changed the way they thought about key business problems. They learned how information could help alleviate confusion and discussed the personal benefits of effective teams.

At the end of the workshop, we provided a robust summary of their work, which included documentation of their frustrations, revelations, and to-dos. Team members reported that they were grateful to be heard and motivated to participate in the change.

The support site of a major network storage and data management company contained a wealth of information for its partners, distributors and service providers. But the site was hard to navigate and discouraging to users. Partners would rather call the company for answers than use the self-service reference material on the site. Leadership asked Emerson to help encourage people to use the site as it was intended.

We created simple YouTube-style videos to promote and teach the features of the site. The two-to-five-minute interactive demos helped people navigate and find information. Each demo guided the user through one feature of the site, such as looking up the status of a bug fix or ordering new parts.

The videos were interactive and provided real training, not just exposure. The program exceeded our client’s expectations and improved site traffic and user experience.

With over 11,000 SAP users, a large pharmaceutical company had a challenge on its hands. Historically, they had focused on excellent training for users on major releases and upgrades. But they had few resources to support and enable new employees, or to address the ongoing needs of existing employees. The good news? Their business technology solutions group created a new organization focused on user effectiveness. Their leader asked Emerson to develop both short-term and long-term strategies for the group.

In addition to helping define the company’s approach to large-scale organizational transformation, Emerson delivered quick-win SAP training and performance support solutions for two key business units. The project created a scalable model to replicate, helping enterprise SAP users stay sharp and effective.

A major international hotel and hospitality company wanted to surpass other premier lifestyle hotel brands. The solution was a rebrand from top to bottom, including updated lobbies, modern rooms, the latest technology and employees who understood the needs of today’s high-end traveler.

It also meant getting employees up to speed on the ways the new brand served its customers.

Emerson partnered with our client’s change professionals to pilot the new program in select hotels. This included new standards for cultural knowledge, style and area expertise. We diagnosed readiness for managers and introduced a peer-to-peer feedback tool for employees.

Walk in to one of their hotels today and you will be met by ambassadors steeped in new behaviors and values that reflect the best this premier brand has to offer.

The world’s first and largest accounting and finance staffing firm, with over 400 locations worldwide, was number one in the world and they wanted to stay there. They realized that many of their leading competitors had moved to mobile platforms and more efficient systems, so they launched a significant process and systems transformation. Salesforce would be the CRM system for their 12,000 employees across the globe. All client-facing employees would use tablets, freeing them office-based interactions. They asked Emerson to diagnose their readiness for the change and then develop and execute a change management plan.

We assessed impacts and developed custom solutions, including communications and stakeholder engagement to make the transition a success. Our team also built skills within the organization to create internal capability for future changes.

A major oil and gas company was reviewing its terminal stock control function, including operators’ ability to comply with Global Standards and handle SAP. They needed help determining the headcount required to support operations.

Emerson provided the resource planning tools and support to create the terminal vs. headquarter operating plan.

A large U.S. government agency had redesigned business processes as part of a comprehensive IT implementation: the Virtual Case File project. They needed their employees to use the new processes quickly and effectively. Emerson designed and facilitated tactical change management workshops, training 2,000 agents from all 56 field offices in a six-week period.

Participants rated the project highly, stating that it was one of the most effective and best organized implementation efforts in the organization.

A major oil and gas company was determined to deliver a consistent tool for shift turnovers during 24/7 operations at their seven wholly owned refineries.

We worked with them to build a five-step process and identify critical behaviors to make this change stick. The solution helped the company achieve clear and concise communication and capture data on shift status, from one operator to another.

A major oil and gas company needed to replace its loss prevention system. The project included teaching and reinforcing the processes and tools necessary to ensure proper loss prevention.

Emerson helped design and develop instructor-led and eLearning courses, as well as train-the-trainer and other implementation support.

A major pharmaceutical company was embarking on an ambitious change: they wanted to provide infrastructure to scale their business, ensure quality across suppliers, create robust processes and deliver with excellence. Part of the solution was implementation of Oracle’s Product Lifecycle Management.

They also knew they needed improved change agility, so they would be ready to exploit the inevitable wave of changes in the coming years. They asked Emerson to help.

We started with assessment, diagnosis, and detailed planning. Leadership worked with us to distill strong change messages; the process got rave reviews from participants. We assessed impacts, then identified and institutionalized new behaviors and habits. We did this for both the transition and the steady state. We used the principles of familiarity, control, and success to make sure the changed behaviors “stuck” with employees.

We also aligned all new processes, behaviors and training with culture, so our client could use the power of its culture to create momentum.

A specialty foods producer wanted to improve their sales process, particularly for their premiere brand. They launched a sexy million-dollar ad campaign that included a variety of pop icons like Levi Johnston, Snooki and Charlie Brown. To gain the success they hoped for, however, they knew they needed an aligned sales team to tell the same story.

They hired Emerson to help.

Before we began our work, the sales team had pushed this brand to their grocery clients by focusing on health benefits and the fact that this company is the biggest grower/supplier of nuts in the world. We reframed their story to be about limited shelf space, small margins and the ROI that would result by adding even just one bin of long-shelf-life pistachios on the floor.

The sales team also leaned toward “wonderful results” as part of their message but, instead, we had them focus on the “squeeze” – the challenge for profit in a tight market.

The result? Our message frame was incorporated into their sales pitch. To ensure continued success, we followed up and with sales training to ensure all future sales pitches were aligned around the common story.

A major clothing retailer decided to reinvent roles for store employees, hoping to realize cost savings through reduced management headcount and more efficient operational processes. After redefining roles for all retail employees — from sales associates to district managers — they needed to train existing and new employees to perform those roles.

Emerson worked with the company’s learning and development team to analyze existing training, design appropriate methodologies for each level, and develop training that was modular, user-friendly and sustainable.

The result was a program comprising four, level-specific programs covering topics from new hire on-boarding to operational processes to leadership skills development.

A major clothing retailer is always trying to create a better shopping experience for its customers. They introduced hand-held mobile point-of-sale devices so associates could meet any customer need, right on the sales floor.

Emerson developed an instructor-led solution that was delivered to employees by HQ staff. The program included a video, a graphic-novel-style learner guide, and realistic in-store scenarios for practice with the new tools.

Our solutions connected with their young workforce and the store team was successful from the very first day.

A pioneer in network storage and data management needed to upgrade its own IT package. Its 4,000-strong sales force needed the latest tools at their fingertips to stay on top of the competition.

Change is always hard – especially for ERP solutions in fast-paced environments. That’s why this NASDQ 100 Company turned to us.

Our work included mapping business processes, developing change leaders, fostering global sponsorship and creating culturally attuned communications – all to prepare those who fuel the company’s sales to use their new tool and retain their competitive edge.

A major wholesale supply company was in the midst of incredible changes. Within the same year, they acquired their major competitor, dissolved their relationship with their former parent company and started deployment of SAP across their business.

They turned to Emerson to lead the SAP change.

Our team helped determine how the organization would be impacted, designed communication and executive sponsorship to mitigate those impacts and created business readiness teams. We also facilitated ongoing dialogue between the project team, the integrator and the business.

We forged a partnership with human resources, IT and other departments — creating a stronger project, surfacing data governance issues and ensuring a series of successful deployments.

In light of economic conditions, a Big 5 professional services firm needed to transform its face-to-face industry conferences to a more cost-effective virtual development experience. The virtual institute aims to equip practitioners to deliver industry insight to clients.

Emerson and the firm created a sustainable, flexible and innovative design that could be used across various industry groups. The design focused on leading-edge learning solutions and tools that will force interactivity and break the mold of “death by PowerPoint” webinars and “click after click” e-learning modules.

The resulting program is a four-week learning experience that accommodates a variety of learning styles by offering synchronous and asynchronous training. It also uses many learning modalities, including virtual classroom sessions, discussion boards, virtual panel discussions, and a client simulation activity. Virtual classroom sessions (one to two hours in length) bring all participants together twice each week in either plenary sessions or in small virtual teams of five to six teammates with the support of a coach.

After nine years of working together and nearly 400 projects, Emerson has become a trusted partner to one of the Big 4 professional services firms. We’ve created a series of in-person learning programs to support their business objectives.

Emerson built a one-day workshop to standardize a common methodology for delivering data security solutions. We developed a week-long program for new hires with a client simulation broken into three tracks: financial statement and internal controls audit, finance operations and controls transformation, and internal audit transformation activities.

We refreshed an identity and access management workshop and a simulation program teaching basic project management skills to new audit managers. Another one of our favorite projects was building a simulation teaching basic project management skills to new audit managers.