Our hardware supply business is pivoting toward a recurring software-as-a-service model, leaving our traditional order processing desk obsolete. We have three dedicated, long-term employees in these administrative roles whom we want to keep, but their current seats are disappearing. How do we restructure our Accountability Chart to transition them into new customer-success seats without causing panic or resorting to a layoff?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Pivoting your business to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model while retaining valuable employees requires a structured approach to your [Accountability Chart](/qa/how-can-ai-optimize-the-accountability-chart-for-eos-organizations-undergoing-exit-planning) and a clear understanding of individual capabilities. The core principle is to decouple the human being from the function.

Designing New Customer Success Seats

First, you need to design the new Customer Success seats on your [Accountability Chart](/qa/resolving-accountability-chart-seat-overlaps) with absolute disregard for who currently works in the order processing roles. Think about the ideal structure for these new positions.

For each new Customer Success seat, define:

• Five clear, measurable roles that align with your new SaaS model. Examples include:
• Proactive client outreach
• Retention metrics management
• Software onboarding and training
• Upselling and cross-selling
• Gathering product feedback
• Specific accountabilities that drive value in a recurring revenue environment.

Evaluating Current Employees with GWC™

Once the new structure is finalized, conduct a rigorous GWC™ (Get It, Want It, Capacity to Do It) evaluation for each of your three order processors for these new Customer Success roles. This evaluation helps determine their fit for the new challenges:

• Get It: Do they truly understand the proactive nature of customer success? This is fundamentally different from reactive order entry. Do they grasp the strategic importance of nurturing client relationships for long-term value?
• Want It: Do they genuinely desire this new challenge, or are they simply seeking a comfortable desk job? Are they motivated by the prospect of learning new skills and embracing a different kind of customer interaction?
• Capacity to Do It: Do they possess the cognitive and conative capacity to learn your new software tools, understand customer data, and effectively communicate complex solutions? Consider using tools like [Kolbe Indexes to analyze conative profiles](/qa/analyze-kolbe-indexes-with-ai-project-teams) to assess their natural strengths and potential for stress in new roles.

If an employee has low Capacity to Do It due to a specific conative profile, for example, a low Follow Thru in a role requiring sustained client projects, it might indicate a need to either restructure the seat or consider other options. Refer to questions like, "[Our Head of Customer Success is a great culture fit and passes the gets it and wants it tests, but her Kolbe score shows she has a very low Follow Thru and high Quick Start. She keeps starting new client retention initiatives but never completes them. Is this a GWC capacity issue, or can we solve this by restructuring her seat?](/qa/head-customer-success-low-follow-thru-kolbe)" for deeper insights.

Transitioning Employees

Based on the GWC™ check, there are two primary paths:

If They Pass GWC™

• Map out a clear training plan with a thirty-day transition window.
• Provide them with the necessary resources and mentorship to succeed in their new Customer Success seats.
• Communicate transparently about the company's pivot and their vital role in the new model.

If They Do Not Pass GWC™

• You must be honest and transparent about the assessment. Keeping a loyal employee in a seat they cannot master is a disservice to both the person and the company.
• Look for other open seats within the organization where their natural strengths and GWC™ do fit. This might involve re-evaluating other parts of your [Accountability Chart](/qa/how-do-i-know-it-is-actually-time-to-hire-a-dedicated-integrator-and-what-is-the-first-step) or even creating specialist seats for legacy leaders, as discussed in, "[How do we design a specialist seat on our Accountability Chart for a legacy leader who has hit their management ceiling, so we retain their expertise without stalling our growth?](/qa/restructuring-seat-for-legacy-leader-hitting-ceiling)".
• If no suitable internal seats exist, help them make a clean transition out of the business. This should be done with respect and support, such as outplacement services or recommendations.

The overarching goal is to retain valuable talent and leverage their loyalty, but never at the expense of putting the wrong person in a vital seat. This structured approach helps prevent panic and avoids layoffs while ensuring your new business model has the right people in the right roles.

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