Achieving customer success: How to foster resilience and adaptability in delivery management

A VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world requires us to adapt to change and respond to unique situations constantly. The pandemic has undoubtedly been the principal example of this fact. Businesses are continually looking for ways to succeed in this VUCA environment, thus necessitating a team with resilience and adaptability.

When it comes to delivery management, these traits are vital. Resilience and adaptability can help teams achieve project success, drive customer satisfaction, and provide a positive experience. But how can organizations and leaders foster these skills in their teams?

This article shares some tips to help build resilience and adaptability in delivery management teams. With the right tools and strategies, delivery teams can acclimatize swiftly when changes come their way - whether small or large. 

The Value of Resilience and Adaptability in Delivery Management

In a VUCA world with heightened uncertainties and volatilities, it is critical for delivery management teams to adapt accordingly. Resilience and adaptability are paramount for success in delivery management, as every change brings new challenges. Businesses need to deal confidently with new obstacles and changing circumstances. The ability to adapt quickly, change strategies as needed, stay focused on the goal, and trust the team to handle any challenges they encounter is what will secure customer success.

For optimal customer satisfaction, a team that can work together to find solutions to avoid roadblocks makes a difference. The delivery management process must pivot with agility when unexpected events occur without compromising quality or timeframes. A resilient delivery manager should be able to take risks while staying on track and working towards common goals. Remember: there is no correct answer, only the best answer in any given situation.

Why Resilience and Adaptability Are Essential Team Building Skills

Recalling the adage, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." When it comes to delivery management, the same idea applies: The right team, with the right skills, is essential for success. Resilience and adaptability are essential skills that any delivery management team should possess.

When it comes to resilience, it means building a team that can take on any challenge without crumbling under pressure, can stay focused despite difficult situations, and can handle whatever curveballs come their way.

Adaptability is also essential for delivery teams. Teams must recognize and respond quickly when faced with an unexpected situation or new information. They must also be able to quickly change gears and adjust according to customer needs and changes in the marketplace or other external factors. 

These skills are critical for any successful delivery management team because they ensure that no matter what comes their way, they have the tools they need to tackle any obstacle head-on and progress on the path towards success.

Tips for Developing Resilience and Adaptability in Team Members

To develop resilience and adaptability within teams, organizations need to focus on developing three key skill sets:

· Problem-solving

· Decision making

· Stress management

These skills are interconnected, but the key is to nurture each one separately and in harmony.

Problem-Solving

When it comes to problem-solving, nurture team members to think creatively, be resourceful, and become proactive in their approach to problem-solving. Support them to explore new solutions and strategies that help them reinvent themselves. Motivate them to stay solution focused as they figure out ways around roadblocks and problems. Providing extra resources, such as brainstorming sessions or workshops on problem-solving techniques, will also help. 

Decision-Making

Resilience means the ability to make decisions - often quickly - in changing environments with inadequate information. Decision-making requires a logical mindset and the ability to weigh various options. Help foster adaptability by allowing decisions to be made collaboratively with input from multiple stakeholders; this encourages everyone involved with a project (or product) to contribute ideas before making a decision that best fits customers' needs.

Stress Management

Stress can make or break any business. Team members must stay focused, productive, and motivated even under pressure. Consider implementing stress management practices such as regular breaks throughout the day, mindfulness exercises, and creating a work environment where employees feel heard and valued for their contributions.

Fostering Creative Problem Solving

One of the most important aspects of fostering resilience and adaptability in delivery management is the ability to think creatively, especially in problem-solving. Creative problem-solving means looking beyond the obvious solutions and coming up with creative options that may have yet to be considered.

Creating an environment where creativity and out-of-the-box thinking are encouraged and rewarded is vital. Here are a few ways to do this:

• Encourage team collaboration: Ask for everyone's input and ideas rather than just one person's opinion. This way, everyone's perspective is considered when tackling challenges.
• Invite constructive criticism: Invite feedback from your team members and customers on how to improve processes or products. It will generate new ideas on possible solutions to existing problems.
• Introduce tools: Use online tools like polls or surveys to get different opinions on any subject, which can help identify potential solutions.
• Devise a plan: Once you've come up with ideas and brainstormed possible solutions, devise a plan for implementing them. Doing this will help ensure that everyone knows the goals and objectives for the team to succeed.

The Role of Technology in Enhancing Resilience and Adaptability

Technology is a powerful lever to drive resilience and adaptability in delivery management. The right technology stack can help teams quickly maximize the resources and tools available for better decision-making, effective team monitoring, and more innovative resource planning.

Invest in Cloud-Based Solutions

Cloud-based solutions offer a range of features that help drive resilience and adaptability. It allows teams to be agile as they can access documents anytime and anywhere, collaborate in real-time on projects, and even work together remotely from different locations.

Automation is Key

Automating tasks allows people to focus on their core roles without getting bogged down in mundane or repetitive tasks. Automation also saves time which teams can use to analyze data better or develop strategies. Automating complex processes also helps reduce errors and improves the overall efficiency of operations.

Invest in Data Analytics

Data analytics helps anticipate upcoming trends and understand customer behavior faster, helping delivery management teams stay one step ahead when planning resources or responding to customer demands. Implementing analytics also ensures that decisions are made based on data rather than instincts, which makes them more reliable and efficient.

These are just some ways technology can enhance the resilience and adaptability of delivery management teams. Businesses must invest in the right technology stack to equip their teams with the tools needed for success in an ever-changing business landscape.

Benefits of a Resilient and Adaptable Delivery Team

Creating a delivery team with the skills to be resilient and adaptable benefits teams and customers. Here are a few key benefits of having a delivery team that can pivot quickly:

Improved Planning

A resilient and adaptable delivery team helps to improve planning around customer project delivery. Rather than relying on set and rigid project plans, teams can anticipate and plan for unexpected changes and disruptions.

Mitigate Risk

A team with resilience and adaptability skills can manage unforeseen risks associated with project delivery. They are less likely to experience delays or disruptions due to external factors or changes in customer requirements.

Increased Efficiency

A resilient and adaptable team is better at working smarter, not harder – enabling them to be more efficient when completing tasks. This increased efficiency also helps reduce anxiety levels within the team by assisting them in managing their workloads better, resulting in higher overall job satisfaction.

Improved Customer Experience

One of the paramount benefits of having a resilient and adaptable team is the improved customer experience that comes with it. Customers appreciate relying on agile teams that can quickly adjust course when needed and provide quality products within the required deadlines.

Conclusion

Resilience and adaptability are essential to customer success in a delivery management environment. By introducing a combination of boundary setting, monitoring and checking-in, conducting post-project reviews, offering targeted staff training, and understanding your customer's needs, organizations can foster the skills of resilience and adaptability in their delivery teams. These skills will help ensure the team's success and help deliver a positive customer experience – the foundations of customer success.

The article has been written by Satyabodh Varkur VP – Delivery Management Maveric Systems Limited