Using Kotter's 8-Step Model to Introduce Kiosk Technology
This paper presents a sample internal business email addressed to location managers announcing the adoption of in-store ordering kiosks, followed by a structured analysis of the communication strategy. The analysis explains why email was chosen as the appropriate channel and maps each phase of the rollout to Kotter's 8-step change model — from creating urgency and forming a coalition, to communicating a vision, removing obstacles, generating short-term wins, and anchoring the change in corporate culture. The paper also draws on customer relationship management (CRM) theory to frame how new technology can build customer loyalty and improve order accuracy.
- Email to Location Managers: Sample announcement email introducing kiosk ordering technology
- Why Email Was the Right Communication Channel: Rationale for using informal email to initiate change
- Forming a Coalition and Communicating the Vision: Steps 2–4 of Kotter's model applied to rollout
- Removing Obstacles and Creating Short-Term Wins: Steps 5–6: training, rewards, and performance targets
- Anchoring Change in Corporate Culture: Embedding kiosk adoption into long-term company values
- References: Cited sources on CRM and Kotter's change model
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper pairs a practical deliverable (a manager-facing email) with an analytical section, demonstrating applied understanding of change management theory rather than just summarizing it.
- The analysis maps each action in the email directly to a numbered step in Kotter's model, making the theoretical framework visible and traceable throughout the argument.
- The tone of the sample email is deliberately calibrated — informal and reassuring — and the analysis explains why that choice was intentional, showing awareness of audience and channel selection.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses theory-to-practice alignment: it introduces a real organizational scenario, produces an artifact (the email), and then retrospectively applies Kotter's 8-step framework as a lens. This technique shows that theoretical models can drive real communication decisions, not just describe them after the fact.
Structure breakdown
The paper is divided into two clearly labeled parts. The first is the email itself — a short, professional memo to store managers. The second is an analytical commentary that works through Kotter's steps sequentially, tying each step to specific elements of the email or the broader implementation plan. References are cited in APA format and appear at the end.
Email to Location Managers
Congratulations, and thank you for all of your hard work! We understand that as our stores become busier, your workload has increased. Some of you have been working longer hours, and we appreciate everything you do. After much deliberation, we have arrived at what we believe to be an ideal solution for managing the increase in customer orders and improving the overall customer service experience. We are pleased to announce the adoption of a new technology tool that will allow customers to place their orders at in-store kiosks. This will ensure that orders are accurate and will also alleviate the burden placed on personnel.
The role of technology in customer relations management is to establish new relationships and to "develop loyalty and retention among existing customers" (Viljoen, Bennett, Berndt, et al., 2005, p. 106). New technology will radically transform the ways customers experience our stores and the ways you interact with customers. We understand that many of you will have questions and concerns, so please feel free to email us. We will also hold several meetings for all store managers as we implement this important technological and process change. Of course, there will be a full training session as well.
This email is just the first step, as we want to keep all of you informed about the changes taking place. We look forward to seeing you at our first informational meeting next Tuesday.
Why Email Was the Right Communication Channel
Email is an effective channel for this message because it is informal and non-threatening. The goal here is simply to alert store managers of the intent to adopt new technology; no rules or regulations are being issued that would require a more formal mode of communication. The pitfalls of using informal communication include the need to follow up with more formal statements and the risk of misunderstanding. Careful wording of the email helps address both concerns.
This approach is designed to initiate the change model introduced by Kotter Inc. (2018), which begins with creating a sense of urgency. The email creates that urgency without inducing panic by alerting managers that they will need support given the recent surge in customer orders.
Forming a Coalition and Communicating the Vision
The second step in Kotter's 8-step change model is to form a coalition. The meetings referenced in the email constitute the creation of a coalition of like-minded, solution-driven managers ("Kotter's 8-Step Change Model," n.d.). Through these meetings, the company can elicit an emotional connection to the change, which will facilitate adoption of the new technology.
Third, the company will unfold its vision for change. The vision will be specific and will include target goals for new orders and accuracy rates. Fourth, the vision will be communicated continuously throughout meetings as the new technology is unveiled and taught in formal training sessions. These training sessions will also enable the company to remove obstacles to adopting the technology — which is, in fact, the fifth step in Kotter's process.
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