YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM IS?

I thought this week I would continue my discussion on training our staff. Last week you may recall I talked about the importance of training your people even if they left you after they were well trained.

This week I want to discuss how we train. That brings me to another of my favorite sayings which is,

"If you do only on the job training, you are setting yourself up for on the job failure".

I wish I had a dollar for everytime someone has told me that their trianing program is one of training on the job with an experienced worker. They want their people to get out in the field and "learn the ropes" from the experienced people.

Well, it is entirely possible that the ropes they are learning with the old timers could very well be the ropes you don't want them to learn or to put it another way, the ropes they are learning may well hang them and you. They may be teaching them all of the wrong ways of doing things. You long time contractors that use on the job training,when was the last time you actually went into the field at night to see the training being done?

As a consultant I have been asked by companies that hire contract cleaners to sit in on presentations from the companies and then give my opinion as to what I think. Or, when not asked to sit in, a list of questions was requested by me to ask of the presenters.

The one question I always suggest they ask is, "Give us an in depth explanation of your training program for new employees and continuing education for your experienced employees". The percentage is extremely high of contractors who indicate their training program is one of having a new employee work with an experienced one for several nights before being allowed to work alone. If that is the answer, I suggest they ask, "How do you monitor the training to assure that the experienced employee is training correctly? Do you have experienced employees meet on a regular basis to demonstrate to you their cleaning procedures?"

Then, there are also the companies that present an elaborate training program in their presentation. The question then becomes one of when are their training sessions conducted? Can a prospective customer visit one of the training sessions? Or can the prospective customer visit the training center? Some contractors talk a great training program but don't really have one.

I am a strong advocate of having an organized WRITTEN program for new employees BEFORE they go out into the field and then an every 6 month refresher course for EVERYONE including the experienced troops. We all get into bad habits when we work, not on purpose, but it just happens. By brining everyone back in for paid retraining helps us to correct any flaws and also to introduce new techniques, products, procedures and company policies to every staff member. I found it to be extremely valuable in our attempts to maintain consistentcy in the field. While it isn't perfect it sure beats the "on the job" system.

What about you? Your training program is? Just a quick reminder of what an organized, systematic training program will produce for you,

INCREASED CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

INCREASED CUSTOMER RETENTION

INCREASED SAFETY ON THE JOB RESULTING IN LOWER INSURANCE PREMIUMS

REDUCED EQUIPMENT REPAIR EXPENSE

MORE NEW CUSTOMERS

LOWER MATERIAL COSTS

SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

LOWER LABOR COSTS

We'll discuss each of these benefits in later blog topics but if they are something that would benefit your company, let me suggest you review how you are training and see if there are improvements you can make. I know I always found ways to improve our training program and you may be able to do so as well.

So, your training program is? Check it out. Their is no better time than RIGHT NOW.

Till next time.