Platforms don’t run themselves; people do. Every implementation is a journey, and along the way it helps to keep the original vision in focus. That’s where change management comes in: making sure a great platform becomes one people genuinely embrace.
We sat down with Vivianne Courte-Rathwell, Senior Manager at Sourcing Champions, who takes on the role of change manager in our S2P digitalization projects, to talk about what that looks like in practice.
Our Philosophy
People aren’t always rational agents, and the sheer scale of an implementation can shape how we experience a project or transformation. At Sourcing Champions, we build every S2P digitalization project around that honest truth.
“We’re shaped by our emotions, our expectations, and our relationships with one another.” says Vivianne. “That’s not a bad thing by any means. If anything, it’s beautiful, because it’s what makes us human. But it does mean those realities have to be the starting point of any project.”
That’s why Sourcing Champions goes beyond good communication. Clarity, transparency, and strong stakeholder management are an essential foundation, but they work best when paired with the principles of behavioural psychology.
“Every decision, whether it follows the ideal process or not, happens for a reason. It’s the change manager’s job to understand that reason.” says Vivianne. “Change management means keeping teams accountable.”
Our Approach and Expertise
Sourcing Champions treats change management as a dedicated, concrete program, led by a dedicated change manager and grounded in proven methodology and behavioural expertise.
Discover our change management program
“Listening is where it starts. It tells us how much a change will really affect people, and that’s how we know how to tailor our approach.” says Vivianne. “As a boutique consultancy, flexibility is Sourcing Champions’ strength, and above all, our goal is our clients’ lasting results.”
As a boutique consultancy, this is one of our key strengths: we listen closely, stay hands-on, and work as an extension of your team. Along this line, we also recognize that not all change carries the same impact, so we tailor our change management approach to fit the level of impact. Our project managers embed change management into every stage of the project.
Our goal is to stand alongside our clients throughout the journey, keeping the agreed vision at the heart of the work and building capability that lasts.
Embedding Change Management from the Start
The vision for the transformation is set at the very beginning, during the design phase, and we stay with you throughout the cycle to help keep it on course. Change management ensures communication is strong, the project team is well informed, and any concerns, such as those around time management, are addressed early.
One key topic is defining the scope and boundaries of decision-making: who approves what. Decision-making is a fundamentally human business practice, so setting up the right approval flows is essential. Every flow also comes with a human side, shaped by how people perceive their roles and responsibilities. We help navigate that, so everyone feels confident and comfortable in the process.
Of course, challenges can arise during any transformation, but we anticipate them from the outset. When they do, we approach it by working closely with your internal teams to resolve them together.
Building Lasting Capability
At its core, digital implementation is organizational change. It’s not only about achieving the objectives of the transformation, but also about building new skills in your organization. Doing both means embracing a new platform as the start of a new way of working.
At the beginning, we set the client up for success with dedicated change management resources. We identify key stakeholders early, clarify roles, and establish shared objectives, so the right people understand the purpose of the change and are ready to champion it.
As the project progresses, we gradually hand over more ownership. The client’s communication team rolls out messaging in a way that fits their organization, and the client manages the project, with our guidance at the key moments. Steering committees and working sessions build ownership and trust, while our adoption support helps users embed new processes into daily operations and secure early wins.
Towards the end, we build further independence through a train-the-trainer approach, as the client’s team takes over training and internal champions emerge to lead ongoing change. After go-live, our hypercare and coaching keep experts closely engaged to stabilize operations and reinforce user confidence. The result is an organization that has reached its transformation goals and developed the capabilities to carry them forward.
Conclusion
A successful S2P implementation isn’t measured only by a platform going live, but by how well people adopt it and carry it forward. By starting from the human side of change, listening closely, and tailoring our approach to each organization, we help clients turn a new platform into a new way of working.
From the first design sessions to hypercare after go-live, Sourcing Champions stands alongside your team, keeping the original vision in focus while gradually handing over ownership. The result is an organization that understands why the change matters, feels confident in its new processes, and has the skills to keep improving long after we step back.
“A platform strenght is measure by how people use it. Our goal is to make sure they’re ready to own it.” says Vivianne.
