Ideally there's a framework authorizing you and others to transform processes, products, or services based on insights from or about strategic customers. But less formally, individuals can still lead others toward the needed changes by adopting proven principles and lessons learned. Sustaining process or policy changes are always battles – the resistance is only a matter of when and how much, not if.

Lining up allies
Seeing yourself as a change agent doesn't mean you don't need some help and support. At a minimum, your proverbial back must be covered by a senior manager lending support. Someone must lead the implementation, train employees in the new processes, and keep track of what's been done, which often requires different people suited for those roles. When resources are out of your control, learn whose job it is, and ask, "How can I influence that person?"

Reconnaissance: Identify resistance and "sell" the change in stages
Did I fail to mention that change agents function as salespeople as well? According to Steve Denning in The Secret Language of Leadership, you will never lead change by simply providing good reasons to do so. Instead, start by getting their attention, telling a story that describes the issue in terms they can relate to personally, or even emotionally. Once you have their attention by describing the issue as a real problem, prompt their desire to see things as better in the future. You do this by accentuating the positive impact of making changes, opening up the possibilities in the minds of those in the audience. After they see possibilities for improvement, you reinforce by giving the relevant reasons for making the changes. Listeners need to have made an emotional connection to the issue at hand, and have begun wanting change to happen before you lay out all the good reasons to do so. Otherwise, they refute your reasons out of hand.

Collaboration
Finally, make the plans for changes in concert with the line managers and possibly, with customers themselves. Advocate open sharing of ideas on what actually needs to be done and the best ways to do it. Ask those who know what the coming restraints will be in making changes, so countermeasures can be put in place that work. If the root causes are fleshed out and new plans implemented by involving process participants, your chances for sustaining the changes are much higher. Not only will people believe in the change more, but you are then more likely to be making the right changes.