Factors to improve staff training, performance, sales and customer services

 

Factors to improve staff training, performance, sales and customer services.

Is it your opinion that your organization could benefit from an increased number of highly motivated and high-performing personnel? Do you perceive that your personnel could enhance their performance in terms of sales and customer service? The following points address staff training and provide optimal methods for facilitating efficient learning to guarantee optimal performance from your staff.

Hire for attitude, train for skill.

The efficacy of a training program is not solely contingent upon pedagogical techniques, but also on the fundamental dispositions and principles of the personnel. According to Bruce Nordstrom, it is possible to train individuals in sales techniques, but it is not possible to train individuals to possess a pleasant demeanor (McNamara, 2008)

This highlights the importance of recruiting individuals who possess a malleable disposition and a positive mindset. Training an individual with a positive outlook, who is receptive to learning and shares similar values, is comparatively less challenging than attempting to alter an individual's inherent attitude and disposition. Nordstrom is an organization that prioritizes attitude over experience when selecting candidates for employment. The authors Robert Spector and Patrick McCarthy discuss in their book "The Nordstrom Way" the practical implementation of the attitude over aptitude concept at the Nordstrom department store. The organization employs amiable individuals and imparts sales skills to them instead of attempting to re-educate sales personnel trained in alternative methodologies. Nordstrom holds the belief that individuals who have received upbringing from their parents are the most competent individuals (Oregon, 2004)

JetBlue is another noteworthy illustration. As per the Disney Institute, the airline company holds the belief that skill can be trained, but attitude cannot be. The company has incorporated this conviction into its front-line recruitment process. JetBlue employs a method of identifying individuals with an inherent proclivity towards service by conducting group interviews and observing the candidates' interpersonal interactions. This enables interviewers to evaluate candidates' interpersonal and communication abilities in a manner that is not feasible in a traditional individual interview setting (Oregon, 2004).

Get to know each employee and tailor your training programs accordingly

Upon acquiring new employees, it is recommended to invest time in comprehending each individual's unique characteristics in order to determine the most effective approach to their training.

One of the initial steps I undertake is to acquaint myself with my newly hired employee by gathering information about their personal and professional background, including their reasons for selecting this job, their sources of motivation, their preferred learning style during their academic pursuits, as well as their hobbies and interests. According to McNamara (2008),

Gaining insight into the underlying reasons for an individual's choice of occupation enables me to determine effective methods for incentivizing them during the training process. According to the speaker, being aware of the learners' preferred learning styles enables them to tailor their training methodology to align with the learners' optimal information retention strategies.

Use a mix of learning tools and methods

“People learn and retain information best when they are using several aspects of their brain simultaneously,” (Trevor, 2009)

Initially, the individuals may receive the information through verbal communication, followed by written sources such as books or manuals. Subsequently, they may observe the practical application of the information in person, engage in role-playing activities to reinforce their understanding, and ultimately, impart their knowledge to others through teaching. Maximizing the integration of diverse cognitive functions during training may enhance the capacity for learning and memory consolidation.

In order to facilitate effective comprehension among employees, it is recommended to employ diverse pedagogical approaches for their training. When providing training to employees on the usage of software, such as the Point of Sale (POS) or inventory system, it is recommended to initially conduct an in-person demonstration of the programs. Subsequently, employees can be directed towards instructional videos for future reference.

In the context of providing customer service training, one may opt to orally instruct their personnel on organizational protocols, supplement the instruction with written or audiovisual materials, and subsequently engage in simulated scenarios to apply the acquired knowledge and skills.

Pressed for time? Implement modular training

Running a retail store can be time-consuming. If you or your staff have issues with completing the training sessions, consider modular training. This entails offering short and flexible training segments instead of long and winding sessions.

 

“Because of scheduling and the cost of including staff not scheduled when the training occurs, it may be helpful to have training that is modular and can fit into 1-hour segments, as opposed to having training that requires long periods of time,” says Hank Boyer, President & CEO Boyer Management Group.

“Modular training enables staff to be brought in prior to store opening, or stay after store closing, if it cannot be accommodated any other way,” he adds.

 

 Conclusion:

 

After practicing mentioned factors, find the better outcome as, individual contributors become more productivity, organizational performance improves, sales reps report increase skill enhancement, increase employee engagement and improve employee retention rates to the organization.

 

References

McNamara, C., 2008. Employee Training and Development: Reasons and Benefits. New York: LLC.

Oregon, L., 2004. Staff Training and Development. 1st Edition ed. New Jersy: Pearson Publishers .

Trevor, W., 2009. Staff Training and development. 2nd Edition ed. New York: Pearson Publishers.