By Terrel Transtrum, Founder of LaunchSmart™
Step 1 Establish a framework for ongoing measurement of the impact of training on growth and retention
By establishing a framework for ongoing measurement of growth and retention, the impact of the training and education program can be measured.
Step 2 Create Lifecycle Matrix for customers and field reps
A lifecycle matrix identifies (1) the various type of field reps you have – ranging from customers to business builders; and (2) identifies the activity phases each type of field rep goes through from joining, to maturing, to going inactive.
Step 3 Conduct Needs Assessment
The Needs Assessment will follow traditional protocol and disciplines of determining objectives, content, and delivery methodologies appropriate to each cell in the Lifecycle matrix.
Step 4 Define Objectives, Content, and Delivery methodologies
Based on the information gathered in the needs assessment, objectives, content, and delivery methodologies will provide the central context for all subsequent work.
Step 5 Identify Required Curriculum Components
Based on the information distilled in previous steps, required curriculum components can be identified, and the team will be ready to move into production.
Step 6 Source and/or Create Elements of the Training & Education System
Sourcing and creating the elements of the training and education system will provide an opportunity for corporate talent to collaborate in the creation and roll-out of the total package. Assemble training and curriculum development expertise, look to industry contacts, and seek exposure to best practices in leading direct sales companies, align with mature team of training and retention professionals to develop and implement the training and education system.
Step 7 Implementation & Ongoing Measurement of Impact
Implementation and fine-tuning must be built into the plan, in order to assure the complete success of the training and education system as a tool for fueling growth and retaining active customers and enthused field reps. Participate in implementation through hands-on testing and training, performing training sessions in order to test and fine-tune the system, training the trainers, carefully obtaining and evaluating feedback, and monitoring retention indicators in order to identify the impact of the new system over time.
(The content of this article is extracted from ServiceQuest® RetentionSmarts™ Modules. Click here for more information on RetentionSmarts™ training and mentoring systems.)