All of the content included in this handbook is designed to help you in changing the culture of your current environment. As part of the Self Analysis Framework developed by University of Nottingham, funded by JISC, they explored whether an organisation is ready for change, and identified three aspects that are involved in change: People, Processes and Culture. There is a useful tool that enables institutions to assess their change readiness, which addresses; leadership, structure, people and processes.

One of the key findings in talking to CRM stakeholders in both HE and FE institutions revealed that the process of changing a culture would prove to be challenging if you do not have senior management support. The tools in the Self-Analysis Framework and the conetnt of this handbook will help you in overcoming this challenge.

Ensuring that the BCE/CRM strategy is embedded and receives buy-in from the whole organisation, requires the application of change management techniques. There is a useful toolkit by JISC that addresses Change Management.

Good Practice Example

Cultural change has come from VC level with the ambition to become the leading business facing university. The importance of working with business is emphasised by:

A Business Engagement strategy
A Business Engagement committee which sits in the committee structure alongside the Research and Teaching committees, all of which report to Academic Board
Assistant Deans with well defined business engagement remits. These are different in each school, with different emphasis on CPD or innovation/knowledge transfer
A team of Business Development Managers
Implementation of the customer relationship management strategy is managed through a hub and bespoke model with Bums and Assistant Deans in the school, BDMs in the centre and a well resourced central department, which is responsible for the infrastructure, namely:

CRM system
Quality processes for the business journey
Commercial marketing resources
University of Teesside Enterprises Ltd quotation and invoicing services
Performance management reports to the Committee and management information, eg HEBCIS
Business Information Service to undertake market scanning and specific research
Tender and bid writing services
Responsibility for staff development for business engagement skills
This infrastructure replicates what would be found in any large business. It is necessary to have this to retain and grow our business customers, from whom our HEBCIS income exceeds £10m. It is no coincidence that it replicates what is already in place in the institution for students.

Karen Race, Deputy Director of Academic Enterprise, Teesside University

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Communication Strategies

Good communication is crucial to successful change management and project management.

HEliX is the evaluation and benchmarking system for good practice in internal communications for the higher education sector. It has been designed for use in all Higher Education Institute's, regardless of size or mission.

Although it is an evaluation tool, it is also useful for HEIs in the planning stages of an internal communication exercise because the site contains examples of best practice from the sector.

Steps to achieving an effective internal communications strategy:

1. Statement of purpose for the communication strategy
2. Align internal communications with business objectives
1. What tools do we need to give people in order that they achieve these objectives?
2. What’s the best way to communicate all this?
3. Audit current activity
1. A baseline is required to help understand what works and what doesn’t
4. Clearly define roles and responsibilities
1. Ensure line managers are fully supported in being able to effectively communicate any business initiatives
5. Identify audiences and map what they will be interested in
1. Break down objectives into relevant messages for each audience
6. Select the appropriate communication channels
1. Select the channels that are appropriate to your organisation and culture
7. Develop an implementation plan
1. Determine who is going to do what and when?
8. Importance of listening and feedback
1. Act upon feedback where appropriate and incorporate into future communications
9. Develop honest and consistent communications
1. People don’t engage with spin. Internal communications is about personalising messages and answering the ‘what’s in it for me?’ question

Best practice in public sector internal communications can be found here.