Where this shows up

Retailers know not to touch production systems during peak trading periods, but ‘change freeze’ is often applied inconsistently — some teams observe it, others quietly push changes through anyway, and there’s rarely a clear process for the genuinely urgent fix that can’t wait until the freeze lifts.

How we approach it

• Define freeze scope precisely: which systems, which change types, and which dates, agreed with the business in advance.
• Build an emergency change path for the exceptions that genuinely can’t wait, with appropriate sign-off.
• Communicate the freeze and its boundaries clearly across IT and vendor teams.
• Run a structured change surge immediately before and after the freeze to clear the backlog safely.

What changes

• A freeze that’s actually observed, not quietly bypassed
• A clear, controlled path for genuine emergencies
• Fewer peak-season incidents traced back to last-minute changes