I had a conversation last week with Amy Clark (our Manager of Customer Success) whose job it is to ensure that our customers are getting the most out of SuccessFactors‘ applications. She oversees the handling of both incoming support calls and proactive, outgoing efforts to make sure our customers are getting what they need. Amy’s team is involved with every customer we have, and so her brain is full of knowledge about what works and what doesn’t. I asked her what the top success factors for a workforce performance management implementation/roll-out are, and this is what she had to say:

1. Executive Sponsorship – WPM projects succeed most often when company leaders are 100% behind the effort. When participation in the performance management process is required and senior people lead by example, it works! When senior management is committed, it shows, and employees will follow.

2. Well-staffed project team – When people with the right skills and experience are in charge of the process, everything moves more smoothly. It is important to have team members with appropriate background and access to the resources they’ll need in the organization.

3. A solid change management plan and communication around the process – The project can only succeed if people understand what is expected of them, and if the plan is clear and straightforward. Implementations without clear goals, processes and modes of communication are likely to move more slowly and may result in a lower level of participation.

By the way – how cool is it that we even have a Manager of Customer Success? That’s just one example of how this whole company is truly customer-centric. It’s not just something we say, it’s something we live.