Blockbuster Video Memo - Blockbuster Video Change Management Strategy

With the introduction of the latest online video checkout/in-store pick-up system, the in-store experience of our most valuable customers will be streamlined, making it easier for them to stop in and pick up a video they rented online. This is going to accelerate rapidly as there are Apple iPhone, iPad and iTunes versions of the application free for download. Initial estimates are that it will increase rentals by at least 30% in the next two weeks alone! This is an amazing jump in technology for our company.

We're going to need to create an effective change management program to ensure this latest Blockbuster technology innovation reaches its full potential. The use of change management strategies can do more than just enable the accomplishment of goals, it can and does galvanize a culture to higher levels of achievement...

We have the potential to drastically change the Blockbuster culture, making it more customer-centric in the process. One of the leading thought leaders in the area of architecting successful change management strategies is Dr. John Kotter, who has created the most pragmatic change management model for purposes of ensuring success of this change for Blockbuster (Kotter, Schlesinger, 2008).
Kotter's Change Management Model is predicated on eight steps that build on each other, scaffolding a business' change management strategies over time. These eight steps include instilling or building a sense of urgency, building a coalition for the change, creating vision and supporting strategies, communicating the need for change, removing obstacles and creating quick wins (Kotter, Schlesinger, 2008)(Leban, Stone, 2008). These initial steps set the foundation…