Training tips that triumph
Memory science, microlearning and what actually makes workplace training stick.
Taking Your Customer Service To A New Level
Regardless of an organisation’s size or sector, customers need to keep coming through the door in order for it to survive and thrive. Consequently, patrons and purchasers need to be respected and held in high regard at all times, which can only come about if your members of staff interact with them in the right way. But in today’s economy, where changing market conditions mean various businesses are prioritising money over people, it is easy to forget about the importance of customer service. However, failing to address this pre-requisite for prosperity can have terrible consequences for reputations as well as finances. Having said that, simply satisfying a basic customer service level is no longer enough. Consumers are becoming an increasingly active bunch when it comes to buying products and services, which is largely down to the Internet. With a profusion of choice in front of them, the ability to research reviews and get in contact with even the biggest of brands directly through mediums like social media, everyday customers require more attention than ever before. For many enterprises, meeting these wants and needs is a daunting prospect. But thankfully, it is a distinct possibility if you can implement a customer-orientated
How To Teach Consultative Selling
For those who haven’t heard of the term before, consultative selling is when a salesperson acts as a consultant to prospects, asking questions about their wants and needs, then using this information to select the best product or service possible. This mutually beneficial approach enables the salesperson to increase their chances of converting, because they will know exactly what the prospect requires. At the same time, customers will feel respected and valued, which could result in brand loyalty and further sales. Since Mack Hanan first wrote about this technique in the book Consultative Selling in the 1970s, it has been widely adopted by a number of businesses. However, this doesn’t mean to say execution is easy, as any organisation will face a few implementation hurdles to overcome. First of all, prospects will need to be thoroughly qualified before the salesperson enters into a consultation, as they may not have a genuine interest in making a purchase. Secondly, the business needs to be sure that it actually possesses the right product or service, which will also require in-depth research. Finally, but perhaps most significantly, consultative selling throws up countless challenges when it comes to training members of staff. A lot of
Finding The Right Training Service For Your Employees
It is understandable why any business would want to puts its workforce through training. From increasing their product knowledge and business acumen to becoming better communicators and problem solvers, the potential plus points of training are vast. However, one of the biggest problems with upskilling employees is the poor return on investment from both a financial and effort perspective. Training can be an extremely expensive exercise, where members of staff don’t actually remember much information. A great deal of money is wasted and personnel are left none the wiser. Therefore, finding the right training service for employees has become imperative. A lot of the time, the themes and topics being covered don’t always match up with each individual’s job role. Sending every member of staff on a single coaching course might be the easiest option, but this doesn’t exactly guarantee positive results. On top of that, a considerable number of teaching and tutoring takes place in uninspiring environments and is structured badly. This results in negative and nonchalant attitudes, which will only have one outcome. But if a business can take a step back, ask itself a few questions about the reasons for training and implement a tailor-made approach, favourable
Why hotel sales training is important
As opposed to organisations such as automotive dealerships, real estate agents and retail outlets, hotels are in the business of selling experiences rather than physical possessions. For this reason, members of staff tasked with taking reservations and booking rooms face a number of different and unique challenges. However, this doesn’t mean to say that they can’t benefit from training and tuition in much the same way as other sales-oriented professions. In fact, providing employees in the hospitality industry with opportunities to increase their skills and expertise when it comes to selling can actually be highly advantageous. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, as numerous hotels do not know where to start with training, especially from a sales perspective. It is relatively easy to teach employees about standard hotel practices and procedures, but what about giving reception staff or sales teams the tools and resources to increase the number of bookings and reservations? Well, to address this all too common problem, here is a look at the importance of hotel sales training and how you can implement prosperous programs, which educate staff about essential aspects of selling. Why is hotel sales training important? At a basic level, you could argue
Tips international sales success
Due to single marketplaces made possible by national governments as well as the extensive and influential nature of the Internet, we are now living in a world where global trade is commonplace. Never before has it been so easy to buy goods or services from one location and have them delivered to another. But while this profusion of choice is good news for the consumer, it throws up a number of challenges for transnational companies. These include but are not limited to greater competition from industry rivals, problems with communication in different languages, understanding what specific market segments want and managing to maintain favourable levels of customer satisfaction. This could even mean that your sales may start to decline rather than rise due to ever-changing yet anticipatory audiences. Clearly, this would be the worst-case scenario for any global brand, so uncovering the key to international sales success is somewhat of a holy grail. Even though there are numerous tactics and techniques available at your disposal, which are sure to improve bottom-line conversions, a lot can be said for ramping up your training activity as well with an emphasis on greater relevancy. Steps to establish an international presence Develop an exportable
Medical Sales: What is the right strategy?
You would think that because medical products and devices are sold with the best intentions and provide essential assistance to countless individuals, this would be an easy and straightforward industry to trade in. But in many respects, this couldn’t be further from the truth, as market challenges and ever-changing legislation throw up various obstacles that need to be overcome. The United States is a particularly interesting example to look at. According to The US Medical Device Industry in 2012: Challenges at Home and Abroad study, the industry is worth a whopping $350 billion. The US dominates this market, with 32 of the $1 billion+ medical device firms located here, serving around 40 per cent of the world. But at the same time, “unprecedented challenges” such as new regulations also exist, which could threaten the United States’ position as a global leader. While this could enable other countries and companies to gain ground, things like excise tax on medical device sales has already resulted in more than 33,000 jobs being cut, which could have a damaging knock-on effect for the industry as a whole. This may only affect certain companies in the United States, but it is fair to say that
How to be motivational in a sales environment
Irrespective of how productive and prosperous your sales team may be at the best of times, there are bound to be occasions when they lack drive, enthusiasm and motivation. In other job roles and lines of work, this is not a major problem but when it comes to sales, insufficient inspiration can have damaging and detrimental consequences. Despite the fact most sales teams are sufficiently stimulated by the prospect of greater commission and climbing the career ladder, it is natural to feel a little weary or fatigued when endlessly trying to close deals. For this reason, creating a motivational environment has become top priority for numerous sales managers. This is easier said than done for most but there are some tried and tested solutions you can pursue. First off, you will need to identify potential problems that could be causing a distinct absence of enterprise. From there, you can attempt to overcome these obstacles by implementing a few changes or coming up with a whole new approach towards sales. However, you shouldn’t rest on your laurels and think that this strategic shift will last forever, as the attitude of your sales team could change. Therefore, you will also need to
The food industry: How to provide superior customer service
Restaurateurs, catering companies and fast-food franchise owners will all have one thing in common – the desire to deliver great customer service. More often than not, this will come down to what is served on the plate, which could well speak for itself. However, a lot will also be dependent on the members of staff that take orders, wait on tables and be of assistance to winers and diners. But this is where the food industry comes up against a number of challenges, as motivating and training employees to provide superior customer service can be quite tricky. First and foremost, you could have a workforce made up of temporary staff that are only interested in making a bit of extra cash and don’t care much for the company’s customer orientated values. Then there is the time, effort and resources required to implement training that actually works and improves your food service. Even so, these obstacles can be overcome if you stress the importance of customer service to your staff, demonstrate the enjoyment that comes from seeing satisfied patrons and implement the right teaching methods, which are both cost-effective but also meet business-based objectives. The importance of customer service Despite the
Dos and Don’ts of Successful Automotive Sales Training
For a great deal of people, buying a new or used car will be the most exciting purchase they ever make. Not only used as a vital method of transportation, cars are a sought after status symbol, which tell other road users that you exude certain characteristics. However, some buyers will be more interested in safety and practicality if their desired vehicle is for taxiing the family around. On the other hand, budget-conscious motorists may prefer reliability and value for money, which are equally important features. But regardless of the purchaser that shows up at a dealership or showroom, the automotive sales staff on duty will need to possess certain traits and attributes too. With any luck, these will be inherent and natural skills, which come as second nature to the individual in question. Still, this isn’t always the case and some employees will need additional training to serve the wants and needs of the customer. But the very nature of the automotive industry requires a different approach to other sales-orientated sectors. Choose the right strategy and your forecourt will have to be constantly replenished with new stock. Get it wrong however and those tight profit margins could be getting
How to create interactive customer service in call centers
When it comes to managing and maintaining positive customer relationships, call centre staff have a massive role to play. Although some consumers might pick up the phone for straightforward queries or minor problems, several will require immediate and essential help, which employees need to handle in the right way. A lot of the time, callers will be angry and irate about their product or service, which requires calmness and composure. Then again, those experiencing technical issues will need well-informed and knowledgeable staff to offer up easy-to-understand advice, which isn’t exactly unchallenging down the phone. However, these call centre aspirations and obstacles can be achieved and overcome by introducing an interactive customer service. Taking the time to train staff about the importance of engaging with callers can improve satisfaction levels and also fill employees with greater confidence. Strong lines of communication will undoubtedly lead to an increase in customer retention and loyalty too, as they will feel more appreciated, respected and valued. But how can you create interactive customer service in call centres? Well, in many respects, it all comes down to training. When teaching your staff about connecting and bonding with people down the phone, be sure to bear the
Training sales managers to coach employees successfully
Despite your best intentions, traditional training methods are no longer relevant or rousing for sales staff. In the past, teaching and coaching was designed to improve employee expertise on an individual level. More often than not this would assess their performance, identify knowledge or skills gaps, develop a plan of action, implement this strategy, assess employee progress and then repeat for other members of staff. While this approach can go some way in enhancing competence, it doesn’t inspire a long-lasting change for the entire sales force. What’s more, it means that sales managers can become complacent and stagnant when conveying their own experience and knowledge. While the professionalism and proficiency of senior staff should be passed on to junior employees, it is also imperative to train sales managers so they can coach employees successfully. That way, their combination of wisdom and worldliness can always be capitalised on. Not only does this increase the confidence and capabilities of every employee, it can also go a long way in securing more sales and meeting organisational objectives. But how do you go about training sales managers? Problems associated with sales managers that coach The biggest trap that a lot of business fall into
The value of corporate e-learning
It is often said that people never stop learning, but as the tools to achieve this are constantly developing, it can be difficult to know which are the most effective. One concept that has really come to the fore over recent years is e-learning. Companies are drawn to the flexibility that these platforms allow, but just how good are they at enabling your staff to develop their skills? Corporate e-learning has real value in the workplace, providing of course that you know what training is needed for your staff, and that the right platform is chosen for your specific organisation. Here are some of the main reasons why e-learning has proved such an effective way for the nation’s businesses to train their staff. Cut the cost of training Training is a necessary part of running any successful company, but it can prove costly. There is a considerable expense associated with sending staff on training courses, and there’s always a risk that you might not be happy with the end result. E-learning is typically more affordable than traditional training strategies. It eliminates the need for printed materials, and of course paying for the time and expertise of the person delivering the
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