Go BackTraining in turbulent times
by Caroline Esterson, Leaps and Bounds
The contact centre industry relies on the success of its staff. More and more we seek ways of enhancing customer loyalty, creating brand ambassadors and encouraging discretionary effort from staff. But when the going gets tough. training is cut. So this short article is a challenge to us all if we are thinking of reducing our training budget and a self help guide to ensure that if we don't, how can we maximise the return on every pound spent whether it be in time or actual financial investment?
This article is about how can we get 'more. for less' exploring two key elements that greatly contribute to the value of any training considered.
1: Is it skills or is it more?
When we seek out ways of improvement, we first think about the skills gap that we experience, what is it that people ARE NOT doing? This often guides our decisions about what changes we will make and how we will make them, but without asking the really important WHY question - why is that skill lacking?
In talking with a client recently the challenge came in; "We've done customer service to death what is it that you can do that will make any difference?" What an interesting question! When we deal with the issue of customer service for example we often think "well they are not relating/ they do not pick up on clues / they don't ask questions, the customer is leading" and this steers us towards a telephone techniques workshop but in actual fact, how many diverse reasons are there that lead to poor service and will not be influenced by a telephone techniques course?
Let's list a few:
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Being measured by quantity not quality in balance
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Poor relationship with manager
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Don't really understand the products - they change so often
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Poor systems that need an over-reliance of focus so that you can't always listen acutely to your customer
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Poor performance management that stifles interest in company and customer
The first step in getting 'more for less' from your training budget is to make sure that your analysis is extremely thorough in the first place.
Some quick tips for a valuable training needs analysis
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Involve everyone at all levels
Seek out similarities in information and differences; challenge the differences with other groups to get a better sense for these
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Focus on the future rather than dwelling on the past
What do you want it to be like and how do you think we can get there, rather than an analysis of why it isn't working so well right now
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Base your analysis on quantifiable and qualitative measures
Get the numbers - but also observe and listen - what do you notice?
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Be completely open - research is research and only research.
It is not the time to justify or defend. People's feelings and thoughts about why we are where we are, are absolutely valid - they feel it and that's ok - as soon as you start to explain anything you diminish the value of that information and that not only skews your research but it also makes people feel you are not prepared to listen and that has a hugely detrimental effect
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Use solution focused questions to build a consistent analysis
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On a scale of 1 - 10 where are we right now with X (the topic)?
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What contributes to the current score?
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What would we have to do to move it up 1 in the scale?
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What would we need to do to make it a 10/10?
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The answer to these questions will provide you with quite remarkable information that can be analysed more fully.
2: Time off the job is a BIG investment and ensure that everyone who is suggesting it or wanting it really values that time.
Many people love going on workshops, not because they think they are going to learn but because it gives them a day or a few hours off their job - what does that tell you about how they value their contribution? That in itself tells you all you need to know about the culture in a company like that. It is all too easy for people to build a pre-requisite that training happens in the training room or through e- learning, which often it does but there are many other ways for people to learn and in today's competitive world there are many preferable ways for people to learn.
In a world where we need each advisor to seek out ways to make a personal difference on their calls, to be brand ambassadors and fully engaged in the work they do, will we achieve this through providing them with scripts and a structure or process that they have to adhere to? No. We need each advisor to develop then skills of analysis, problem solving, decision making and innovations to truly deliver on many of the customer promises that we see around but we are often too scared to release the shackles.
We manage to the lowest common denominator because that is the less risky. To succeed we cannot go on thinking like that. Advisors need to be encouraged to think and challenge the system, to care and see things through, to value making a difference and valuing their own personal contribution. We need to recognise that to create that environment we all need to have the focus of service - the managers serve their team and their team serve their customer. If we believe it can be otherwise I do not believe that you can ever hope to realise the enormous potential that your staff have so, over to our top tips:
1:Encourage the attitude of service at all levels starting with yourself
If you conducted yourself each day (and maybe you do) with the focus to serve everyone you touch - what would that be like? How would it feel for you and for them? How would it sound? How would it look? What possibilities do you think you might uncover? If you are prepared to spend 10 minutes challenging yourself, take that time and notice the differences. If it works for you encourage others and soon the ripples will become profound
2:Are your processes positive or negative?
Are you managing poor performance or aiming to build remarkable success? Look at your systems and procedures, particularly your HR processes. When you look at them in black and white have they been written to protect you against the few people who will always seek to buck the system or do you genuinely have processes that will help people excel? Maybe you have a mixture of both.
Take the time to review your procedures from the perspective of a new recruit walking through the door - what does everything we do say about the company and our expectations of them. Walk through the process from the welcome to when they start on the floor and the specific processes that are in place for the first six months. When you think about each one mark it either positively or negatively.
If it is positive, ask yourself what more you can do to really maximise its value and if you have marked it negatively ask what you can do to turn this around.
3:Help people learn through process as well as content
Our world of work is multi dimensional - we don't just pick up one piece of information and consolidate it before we move on. The world in a contact centre is loud and demanding, it's fast and vibrant and we need advisors and managers who can thrive in that busy, stimulating environment. Therefore learning must replicate that environment.
We must make learning challenging and stimulating, fast and demanding - helping people learn for themselves rather than being spoon fed by an 'expert' at the front of the room
4:Support team managers to be managers
Help team managers be the best they can be by enabling them with tactics to train and develop their staff at a time, place and pace that best suits that individual. An individual team manager should know that advisor better than anyone - their foibles, strengths and development needs. If they don't they soon can.
This relationship is often sited as the key relationship for a member of staff. If an advisor doesn't respect his/her manager then they will simply not do the job to the bets of their ability. So any investment in training in the short term is best spent on managers to help them excel with their staff. And remember, many managers leave training fired up and committed to take action only to be faced, on their return, by a mountain of paperwork and emails and a few cynical team members.
In any training you invest in ensure that your managers are given specific tools and action plans to make those first tentative steps for change that will build their confidence for more strident action over time.
5:In or out of the training room?
Whether your training is in our out of the training room it must be real. Training should be immediately and easily transferable to the job and your challenge is to ensure it is. There are many wonderful ideas that simply do not translate. So if you are investing in any training ensure that anyone walking out is armed with not only skills to make a difference but the desire to see it through too.
In conclusion, this short article was designed to encourage us all to think about the difference we can make and the amazing possibilities we can achieve through a change in focus rather than relying on spending money on someone else providing the training for you. The training can come later to hone your talents but without a real change in operational practices, any training that takes place will be short lived and minimal. Here's to us all creating more for less and reaping the wonderful successes we might experience with a shift in focus - for some this may be a big shift and for others small but remember the difference between success and failure can often be only a degree in our line of vision.
Written by Caroline Esterson, Leaps and Bounds
Leaps and Bounds is a leading creative training consultancy, who design bespoke packages to help companies achieve results through increasing staff motivation and commitment, which in turn creates exceptional customer service.
Established in 1996 by founder and chair, Caroline Esterson, Leaps and Bounds is at the forefront in innovative training, designing the 'brain friendly' principle which makes learning and development an activity that staff enjoy; creating results within the work place by improving customer service and performance.
Having researched and practiced 'brain friendly' training for 12 years, Leaps and Bounds is able to communicate directly with all staff members so they 'think it, feel it and do it'!
