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After more than 20 years working across corporate teams, consulting firms, and startups, I’ve come to understand that technology - no matter how innovative - is never the sole ingredient for success. Real transformation happens when people not only understand the change but take ownership of it, when they believe in the purpose behind it, and when they are equipped to make it part of their daily work.
This is the story of how I supported one of Switzerland’s most prominent retailers as they navigated a major IT transformation: a full-scale migration to Google Cloud Platform (GCP). What began as a response to performance and cost challenges became a broader cultural shift - and a clear example of why cloud transitions need to put people first.
My client is a well-known Swiss retail organization with a presence in nearly every canton. Their stores are part of many people’s everyday lives, from quick grocery runs to seasonal shopping. With a strong reputation for reliability and customer service, the company had grown steadily over decades.
Behind the scenes, however, their IT systems told a different story. Years of incremental fixes and system layering had resulted in a complex, aging infrastructure. Data moved slowly. Reports were delayed. Customer service staff often had to navigate multiple systems to answer a single question. As the company scaled, these inefficiencies became more than an inconvenience - they became a liability.
"Years of incremental fixes and system layering had resulted in a complex, aging infrastructure.""
The tipping point came when the leadership team realized that staying competitive would require more than a few minor upgrades. Their goals were clear, but the path forward involved some significant shifts:
After evaluating several technology stacks, Google Cloud Platform stood out - not only for its technical capabilities, but also for how it could support the organization's goals for scalability, security, and analytics. The question was no longer whether to move to the cloud, but how to do it in a way that brought everyone along.
From the outset, it was clear that successfully moving to the cloud involved more than just technology - it required strategic change management. Studies consistently show that 40% of IT transformations stall due to employee resistance. Using methodologies inspired by PROSCI's ADKAR model, we set out to ensure that wouldn’t happen here.
I was engaged for the full nine months of the program, from initial assessment through full rollout and stabilization. During that time, I led a mixed team composed of both internal employees and external consultants. Our goal was never to “take over,” but rather to enrich internal capabilities - embedding outside perspectives where helpful, while ensuring internal ownership remained strong.
My team started with leadership alignment. Through a series of hands-on workshops, we explored both the technical benefits and the real-world impact on teams. Instead of focusing solely on IT performance, we asked questions like: “What will your team be able to do faster?”, “Which frustrations will go away?”, and “What new opportunities will open up?”
These sessions helped translate the cloud migration into a shared business vision. And just as importantly, they positioned the leadership team as active advocates of the change - not distant decision-makers.
Instead of focusing solely on IT performance, we asked questions like: “What will your team be able to do faster?”, “Which frustrations will go away?”, and “What new opportunities will open up?”"
Once we had leadership buy-in, my team turned the focus to the broader organization. Change communication often fails when it remains too abstract or too high-level. So we opted for real, tangible stories. We showed employees what would actually change: how reports would arrive earlier, how fewer systems would mean fewer logins, and how front-line staff could solve customer queries with just a few clicks.
We also didn’t shy away from acknowledging the challenges. Change isn’t always comfortable. But when people feel informed and heard, they’re more likely to come along. We created feedback loops, held Q&A sessions, and gave teams time to voice concerns - without judgment.
Tailored training sessions gave employees more than just technical knowledge - they built confidence. Instead of delivering generic training, we created role-specific learning paths. We also introduced an internal “champion” program: selecting enthusiastic team members from each business unit, training them early, and empowering them to support their colleagues. These champions were critical: they spoke the internal language, they were trusted, and they brought energy to the rollout.
Rather than rushing toward a big-bang go-live, we rolled out the program in smaller, controlled phases. Each wave was followed by a review: what worked, what didn’t, and what needed adjusting before the next group came on board. This approach gave us the flexibility to adapt in real time. It also eased anxiety - especially among teams that had experienced chaotic rollouts in the past. And it allowed us to celebrate wins along the way, building momentum as the project progressed.
The results weren’t just visible in KPIs - they reshaped the way teams worked, collaborated, and made decisions across IT, analytics, and marketing.
Of course, no transformation unfolds exactly as planned. One unexpected challenge was just how deeply rooted some of the existing reporting practices were. Even when better tools at their fingertips, some teams were reluctant to let go of legacy spreadsheets and manual processes. It took extra time and coaching to recognize the value of moving forward - and to create a safe space to experiment without judgment. In the end, that investment paid off, leading to broader and deeper adoption.
This project was never just about replacing outdated infrastructure - it was about laying the foundations for a more agile, data-driven organization. By migrating to Google Cloud Platform and managing the change process thoughtfully, the client was able to streamline core IT operations, improve data access, and reduce the internal friction that had been slowing decision-making for years.
The biggest impact was felt within the IT and analytics functions. These teams shifted their focus from troubleshooting and maintenance to value-adding activities: optimizing data flows, improving service reliability, and enabling better access to insights across departments. Real-time reporting became the norm, not the exception. Projects that had once been delayed by infrastructure constraints could now be tested, deployed, and scaled with greater confidence.
One of the key takeaways from this experience is that technical success and organizational readiness must go hand in hand. The phased rollout, supported by internal champions and tailored communication, gave teams the space to learn, adapt, and actively contribute to the transformation, rather than simply absorb it. Striking that balance between structure and flexibility was critical to sustaining momentum.
Where do you go from here? For this client, the answer is continued evolution - making the most of their new capabilities, exploring opportunities to automate, and strengthening the data culture that has begun to take root. For others, the lesson is clear: transformation isn’t a destination, but a process. And it works best when both systems and people are equipped to move forward together.
Agile Portfolio Mgmt & Transformation Lead
