The Journey to Automation – Part 2: Stakeholder Management for a Seamless Transition
- Kirsty Tull
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Intralogistics automation is not a plug-and-play solution. It is a strategic transformation that reaches deep into the operational fabric of any organisation, requiring more than just capital investment and technical implementation. It demands alignment — alignment of people, purpose and process.
The success of an automation project is rarely defined solely by the technology selected, but by how well stakeholders are engaged, empowered, and united under a shared vision.
At Daifuku, we have keenly witnessed that robust stakeholder management is the differentiator between projects that deliver transformative results and those that falter under resistance or misalignment.
1. Engage Internal Teams Early and Often
It is often said that culture eats strategy for breakfast. In the realm of automation, this is overwhelmingly accurate. Without the active involvement of internal teams, even the most advanced systems will struggle to achieve full adoption. Think about it in the context of having the best CRM available on the market, but if your teams do not adopt and utilise it effectively, rarely, if ever, will it garner results.
Engaging operations, IT, maintenance and floor staff early in the process builds trust and reduces uncertainty. It enables cross-functional insight into what currently works, what doesn't, and where automation can make a tangible difference. More importantly, involving team members from the outset nurtures a sense of ownership — and ownership breeds advocacy.
At Daifuku, we recommend structured consultation workshops, open Q&A forums, and ongoing internal communications that demystify automation. Rather than presenting technology as a top-down imposition, framing it as a bottom-up enabler is vital — a tool that supports frontline teams in achieving their best work.
2. Secure Leadership Buy-in with Tangible Value
Automation is a business decision — and business leaders expect business outcomes. While innovation and digital maturity are powerful motivators, the C-suite often demands a data-backed rationale for change.
This is where a well-articulated cost-benefit analysis becomes critical. Stakeholder management at the executive level should focus on clearly presenting the return on investment (ROI), operational uplift, and future scalability of the proposed solution. Consideration must be given to the total cost of ownership (TCO), long-term efficiency gains, energy savings, and the flexibility automation introduces into workforce planning and space utilisation.
For example, automation that increases throughput by 30% while maintaining footprint and reducing manual handling can quickly shift leadership perception from "cost centre" to "strategic growth lever." At Daifuku, our simulation and modelling tools help visualise these impacts well before implementation, allowing leaders to make informed decisions confidently.
3. Align with External Partners for Cohesive Delivery
No automation journey exists in isolation. Successful deployment relies on seamless collaboration between all involved parties. To avoid fragmentation throughout the project, fostering a culture of transparency and mutual accountability is essential. This means defining and communicating clear project objectives, milestones, and success metrics across all parties.
At Daifuku, we employ structured governance frameworks to ensure alignment from the first planning meeting to the final go-live — including stakeholder maps, steering committees, and regular project health checks.
Co-designing solutions with your automation provider, rather than merely procuring them, also ensures the system is fit-for-purpose and resilient to operational complexity. Stakeholder management in this context becomes less about controlling vendors and more about forming strategic partnerships.
4. Address Workforce Concerns with a Future-Ready Mindset
Perhaps the most sensitive and often overlooked aspect of stakeholder management is the impact of automation on jobs. Fear of redundancy can manifest as passive resistance or open opposition. Left unaddressed, it can erode morale and derail the transformation.
The antidote is upskilling. Forward-thinking organisations treat automation not as a replacement of labour but as a shift in the type of work performed. When forklifts become automated, new roles emerge in system monitoring, data analytics, and equipment maintenance.
When manual sortation is digitised, human expertise is redirected to exception handling and continuous improvement initiatives.
Communicating this transition path clearly — with timelines, training plans and career development frameworks — is vital. At Daifuku, we advocate for dual-track implementation: as systems are installed, human capital is simultaneously uplifted. This ensures business continuity, empowers employees, and positions the organisation as an employer of choice in an increasingly automated world.
The start of your automation journey can feel overwhelming; that's why we're here to help.
There are many ways to connect with Daifuku.
To explore how to elevate your logistics operations, contact us today.
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