The Three Most Important Lessons You Will Ever Learn In Training
Training accelerates experience
Training is not a spectator sport
Training must be ongoing
Obviously, since 1980 training has made great progress. However, a well planned training and ongoing staff development program resolves around those three simple sentences, mentioned above.
CASE STUDY: The 'Age' Newspaper, based in Melbourne, Australia. One of the World's TOP newspapers.
My chosen case study relates to a training program designed, developed and delivered within The Age newspaper some years ago. The reason I go back in time is this - the program has been utilized as a model, over the years, in over 100 newspapers and magazines of various sizes and, where it has received the full support of management, has gained outstanding, measurable outcomes and RESULTS.
The NEW Telemarketing Team
Situation:
The brief was to create an outbound telephone sales team of 60 telemarketers by selecting voluntary candidates from within an inbound group of approximately 250 full and part time telephone ad takers.
After extensive internal advertising and many interviews, we gained the princely total of 12 volunteers (two actually quit the program prior to training which indicated to us that we had to go 'off campus' for another 50 starters!).
The support from middle (and some senior) management was negligible and a fair amount of hostility was displayed by established staff.
Objectives:
A long term business development goal was established to add $X,000,000,000 to the organization's bottom line results within a three year time frame.
Short term goals included:
Selling new Features, Directories and Guides to business prospects/current non-advertisers on a planned, regular and systematic basis. Our aim was also to cross sell from one Feature/Directory/Guide into others, ensuring we gained a permanent slice of their ad budget and they gained results (in advertising, one 'sure fire' way to gain results is by frequency or repetition - the other is the power and clarity of your advertising message).
Protect our consumer or private party advertising base from predator publications. To conduct call campaigns on these advertisers and, if they had not sold their goods, persuade them to repeat their ad with an enhanced format.
We were also commissioned to conduct specified campaigns (e.g. subscriptions/circulation drives) on behalf of the marketing department.
Recruitment Program:
Since our internal campaign had failed dismally, we had to look outside. This was a blessing as we attracted some very high quality candidates. It also encouraged a few more established internal people to 'give it a go'. These were basically very good people who, perhaps initially, had been put off by intimidation tactics from some of their colleagues.
We recruited in blocks of six (or supplemented internal volunteers to a maximum of six) for each initial training program. When recruiting we looked for:
Communication skills (our initial interviewing was conducted by phone - and voice, manner, personality and a positive attitude, were pre-requisites for a face-to-face interview).
Perceived sales skills (e.g. listening, questioning, clarity of presentation, influencing and responding to tough questions).
Basic keyboard skills and the ability to spell (however, our best telemarketer was also our worst speller - so bad, in fact, that it took some dramatic arguing and persuading on my part to get her on board. (It was worth the effort.)
Training Program:
Prior to their sales training, they had to undergo four weeks of technical/customer service classroom training and two weeks of on-the-job training. This was conducted in a systematic, methodical manner and, upon completion, they progressed to a sales training program comprising one full week of theory and practical applications.
The sales training program was based on a single outcome: at the end of the week, each person would possess the competency to achieve their sales targets. This would be continually measured.
The program consisted of:
Personal organization/time management
Introduction to decision maker (and getting past the ubiquitous gatekeeper!)
Needs analysis phase: questioning and listening skills
Presenting advertising benefits
Gaining commitment/overcoming objections and closing
Copywriting
The training incorporated some lectures, games and simulations, skills practice exercises, case studies and problem solving exercises as well as video presentations/discussion of key points.
At the completion of the training program they were integrated into their team (we built up to five teams, approximately 12 to a team - including a Team Leader and a Deputy).
This was also the commencement of their on-the-job coaching phase.
Long Term Development Program:
Our ongoing program was broken into the following key result areas:
Coaching - from their team leader and from our appointed coach. This person's role was to reinforce the positive behavior of people and gently bring about change of undesirable behavior.
Further training sessions - after one month (one full day) and then on a quarterly basis (half to one full day). Methodologies included guest presenters (internal, e.g. the Marketing Manager and external, e.g. representatives from our ad agency), case studies and problem solving exercises, brainstorming exercises, hypotheticals, skills practice exercises, team building exercises, games and some video presentation/key point discussion. This training was on an individual team basis.
Monthly meeting sessions for the entire team involving feedback, short term planning issues, results, forecasts and rewards (from group encouragement, team awards to individual awards covering various categories).
We also conducted an annual (full) team day as well as a monthly social event - usually following the monthly meetings. The annual team day was 100% motivational in content as were the monthly social events.
Team Leaders received additional training, both internally and externally, including team building, motivation, discipline, feedback and communication skills.
They were also committed to the planning process and, along with the coach, put in a number of hours working on short and long term team/department goals.
Monitoring and Measurement:
All measure of results was based on advertising revenue gained for every hour spent in outbound call activity.
Business:Business revenue was far higher on an hourly basis than Business:Consumer. However, this was acceptable as business:consumer calls were also protecting a valuable advertising base.
We established a continuous improvement plan - both within the team and our targeted markets.
Outcomes:
Did the training programs fulfill its intended outcome? Beyond all expectations.
We reached our long term goals in under two years (instead of three, as planned). The teams' revenue contribution grew in leaps and bounds and they were one of the most motivated and dynamic teams I have ever worked with.
It was also my privilege to take over the management role of the team (as well as continue the training) - at the beginning of their second year of operation. The work we did together, the outcomes achieved and the results gained by this outstanding group of women has enabled me to establish successful models in newspapers and magazines around Australia, as well as lay the foundation for further successful management/staff training and development programs across a wide range of organisations and industries.
What did I learn?
1. Training is INTERACTIVE - people need to be involved.
2. Training should be ongoing.
3. Training should be conducted in an environment of open, honest two-way communication..
4. Training should be fun and inspirational.
5. Training MUST be RESULTS FOCUSSED.
6. Training really does accelerate experience, skills development and the acquisition of knowledge.
7. Training should create OPPORTUNITIES for your people to challenge themselves and find out how they can grow!
Related Tags: training, skills, sales, development, telephone, objectives, outcomes, measure, monitor
Kevin Cahalane, Sales & Service Momentum, is an international speaker, sales/customer service training professional and business strategy specialist. He is the publisher of popular e.zine 'SaSeMo' - read by thousands of sales, service, marketing and training managers around the world.
Visit Kevin's website today http://www.sasemo.com, subscribe to his free e.zine and receive the complimentary report: How to Continue Building Your Business - Even When Times Get Tough.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Interpersonal Skills:How to Use Sales Psychology to Create Longer - Lasting Sales-Winning Relationsh
A participant in one of my recent seminars asked me, "Can I rearrange my client's office during a sa - The Sales Apprentice- Sales Training Tips From The Hit TV Show, Part V
"Now 11 remain to fight for the chance to become the Apprentice." So began this week's episode of th - Tools for Success, Surveying Your Customers
Master salespeople are always looking for a performance edge. One of the tools that they employ is s - Better Ways to Close Deals
Wrapping up the Sales ProcessHow many closes do you know? Just about every sales course puts the em - Why the Bottom Line Isn't
Recently, I've been coaching a number of clients who work in highly competitive industries. It's not - When To Get The Hell Out Of Dodge Part I
Sales professionals waste time with prospects who are not going to buy. If you have worked in the f - Focus on your most important investment - your time
No matter how wealthy, talented or successful we become, time is the one thing we can never get enou - The Stuff Of Sales Dreams - Selling Through Tenacity and Relationships can Make Your Dreams Come Tru
When was the last time you actually made all the calls and contacts you had to make in order to get - Identifying Influence (The Seven Strands)
IntroductionInfluence is intangible. You cannot see it at work, yet it is all pervasive in any corpo - How The Most Successful Companies Develop Their Sales Teams
Not enough companies have learned how to employ sales training as a strategic tool. Those that
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Don't Make Your Prospects "Wrong" When Handling Objections In Medical Selling
Handling objections. When we are giving a sales presentation to one of our healthcare customers a - What is Persuasion?
Many people often ask me what my definition for persuasion is.So let me give you a rough guide of wh - An Elevator Speech - an Indispensable Tool for Self Promotion
Spadework for Your Elevator SpeechAn elevator speech is an indispensable tool for promoting your wor - You Want to Sell as a Career, but What Do You Sell and Why?
Many individuals decide that a selling career is right for them. They recognize the wonderful benefi - Who is Costing You Money?
My wife and I recently needed to renew our mortgage for another term. The last time our mortgage was - How to Double Your Sales Appointments in Half the Time; Part 4
In Part 3, How To Double your Sales Appointments in Half the Time, we reviewed and remedied the firs - How to Double Your Sales Appointments in Half the Time; Part 3
In Part 2 we discussed how to determine if a sales action is a critical sales performance competency - Is It Easier To Create Or Discover The Sense Of Urgency?
One of the critical factors in a successful sales outcome is the sense of urgency a prospect brings - The Sales Theory of Relativity: ABC = Always Be Closing!
Albert Einstein's famous "Theory of Relativity" (e = mc2) is as familiar to many millions of people - Strong Arm Sales Stop Success Cold
It happens more often than you’d ever guess – in fact, it might be happening at the boot