| From our interviews with more than 6,000 sales | | | | have to be communicated often in different |
| professionals, we estimate that 85% of the | | | | forms (e.g., emails, in meetings, memos, postings, |
| dollars companies spend on sales training and | | | | etc.) |
| customer service training is wasted. The goal of | | | | 2. Inspect what we expect: Sales and customer |
| training is to educate and change behaviors, and | | | | service professionals need to be observed using |
| we all know you don't change habits over night. In | | | | the new skills and behaviors with live customers. |
| other words, sales and customer service | | | | 3. Realistic feedback: Sales and customer service |
| professionals have to practice new behaviors for | | | | professionals need to hear real feedback including |
| at least a month before they become part of | | | | positive reinforcement (to keep them doing the |
| their professional DNA. That's why a follow-up | | | | right behaviors) and constructive feedback (to |
| component is essential. Without it, employee | | | | remind them to do the right behaviors) |
| behaviors regress back soon after the training | | | | 4. Skill transfer sessions: Managers and coaches |
| event. | | | | need to continue to teach and refine the skills and |
| Our research shows that a 6-8 week follow-up | | | | behaviors learned during training. These skill |
| program is the most effective way to iron in the | | | | transfer sessions can be 1-on-1 and/or in a group. |
| new attitudes, habits and skills that were learned | | | | 5. Acknowledge and reward: New behaviors stick |
| during training. During the follow up sales and | | | | best when they are acknowledged and rewarded. |
| customer service professionals need to work | | | | 6. Reinforcement training: Typically conducted |
| side-by-side with their managers to ensure that | | | | 90-120 days after the initial training |
| the performance of the team continues to | | | | By following up sales and customer service |
| improve long after the training program is over. | | | | training with these six best practices, you will |
| Here are six best practices for effective follow | | | | make sure that your training dollars are not |
| up: | | | | wasted. In fact, implementing an effective |
| 1. Communicate expectations: Sales and customer | | | | follow-up program is your best guarantee to |
| service professionals need to know what is | | | | getting a great return on your investment on |
| expected of them. This means that expectations | | | | sales and customer service training. |