There are countless potential benefits or returns on investments made in training (such as increased performance, more motivation, higher customer and employee satisfaction, increased organization success, etc.) “Potential” is the key word in that sentence, because some critical ingredients (components) need to be present to ensure success.
Having had budgetary responsibility in my direct contact center management experience, I realize how precious and necessary those training dollars are. I also know from experience that they are an easy target in terms of “finding resources” both in terms of money and time (cancelling training when we need to get “time back” and/or when we aren’t meeting our goals). So, when we make that investment, let’s make it count!
To ensure your best possible chances of success, here are a few tips. Just make sure that...
- Training is in fact the right solution. Training can’t “fix people.”
- The reason for training has been communicated to the target audience. Do the participants know what the training is about and why they are in the class?
- Pre-planning has taken place. The power of having someone come to a session with a checklist and/or summary of goals they have for learning is powerful. Knowing they sat with their manager to create this list is even more so. (And as a facilitator – I love it!)
- Post-reinforcement also happens. Training can facilitate learning new skills, knowledge…and, like anything in life, without practice and reinforcement, it won’t stick.
- Refresher training takes place as needed. Example: Training agents on adherence and other performance metrics in new hire training is great! However, they are often overwhelmed with information, and performance is not one and done; they may need refresher training.
- The training is relevant to the job, the center, the customer and the organization.
- The trainer/facilitator understands (as much as reasonably possible) the goals/objectives for the training as well as the target audience.
- The training delivery method matches the need. Is the method chosen (e.g., formal, informal, online, classroom, e-learning, etc.) appropriate for the learning objectives?
- The WFM team (in partnership with leadership) has effectively built training into their staffing plans (shrinkage) and that appropriate guidelines and thresholds for when to move/cancel training are built into the real time recovery plan.
- Realize that we only get so much time. Time is currency - how and where you spend it sends a strong message about who and what are important.
Click here to read my first tip: Make Sure That Training is in Fact the Right Solution.
Stay tuned to the ICMI blog over the coming weeks for more detailed posts on each of these tips!
