Training Efficiently
It's good enough...right?
When it comes to training, I often hear phrases like....."We are just sending out our new procedures via email due to everybody's time constraints" or "We meet for thirty minutes each month for a quick run down on what needs improvement and how to accomplish it". My first thoughts are just how many employees are actually reading the "New Procedure" email and how many employees are nodding off during the "Improvement" meeting?
Company X had gone through some recent turnover (as most companies do) at their front Customer Service counter. The new employees were proficient in their duties and had the operational functions down perfectly. The elephant sitting in the middle of the room seemed to be that sales were down DOUBLE DIGITS for TWO CONSECUTIVE BUSINESS QUARTERS. The Annalists were busy analyzing, the Managers were busy observing, and the CFO was busy taking ulcer medication. After all of the data was in, it seems that the new front Customer Service employees were just not giving good customer service!
Solution: A good training session was in order to get them up and running with some fantastic customer service skills.
Immediate Objections: 1) "Just how much is this training going to cost to produce and what will we lose in man hours to accomplish it?" 2) "Will it even be effective?"
- Training Cost can be minimized by using the latest in technology. A simple Learning Management System can now be launched in very little time with very small effort.
- Exciting, Attention Grabbing Training can be easily developed using new software. These programs allow vibrant video and graphic content along with "quick pop quizzes" to keep the participant engaged.
- Training can be completed on smart phones and tablets. Wherever there is a WiFi connection, your employee can quickly complete a training session and be listed as certified. This cuts down on lost work time.
- If "Face to Face" training is required, make the content FUN! Information will only be retained if employees can associate the learning with activities that were interesting.
I have worked with several new cloud based systems that can easily be implemented at your company.
REMEMBER: The most exciting part of effective training practices are the benefits (and profits) your company will reap as a reward for the effort!
