MORE ON EFFECTIVE TRAINING

You may recall a couple of weeks back I talked about the differences between how children and adults learn. Children take what we say at face value and believe it to be true until they learn differently at a later age. Adults, on the other hand, have experiences to draw from and will make up their own mind if what you are telling them will benefit them.

So, here is another way to get adults involved and to draw on their past experiences. For example, if you are conducting a session on customer satisfaction you may want to have an exercise that asks these questions:

1. Write down a time when you received unusually poor service from a place of business.

2. Did you express your dissatisfaction to the manangement?

3. If so, was the problem resolved to your satisfaction?

4. Did you go back to that place of business?

5. Did you tell your friends and neighbors about your experience?

This exercise will almost always elicit a myriad of answers from the participants. They want to tell you about their experience. By letting them talk about their experience you can show them how our customers are no different. They want good service, they will tell us about it, and if we don't fix it, they will tell their friends and business associates and that not only loses that customer but many potential customers we may have been able to secure. This process of using the class participant's real experiences is a powerful learning tool. Use it as much as you can.

One other thing---by using this method of learning you have again used a process of letting the learner participate. See how each of thse ways of learning can build on each other?

In keeping with the exercise above, let me tell you about a very recent experience my wife and I had that illustrates the points above. From time to time we visit a Longhorn Steak House in nearby Columbia, Missouri and the food has always been excellent. On a recent visit, however, my food came out less than warm and when the server asked how our food was I proceeded to explain that it wasn't hot. She disappeared and when she returned she told us they would be discounting our bill and offered us free desert. I explained that wasn't necessary but greatly appreciated.

A short time later the manager of the restaurant appeared to explain that the meal for both of us would be complimentary. That was far more than was needed. He proceeded to tell us that he had seen us in the restaurant before and he wanted to be sure we came back. Well, you guessed it, we have gone back and by telling our story here we have told thousands more about the great customer satisfaction of the Longhorn Steakhouse in Columbia, Missouri.  You see, our customers do exactly the same thing when we perform to their satisfaction and conversely will tell others if we don't perform to their satisfaction.

Let me proceed on to another important part of effective training and that is

REPEAT THE IMPORTANT PARTS OF TRAINING AT LEAST 6 TIMES

 

 

>>Always empty the vacuum bag after each use

>>Always empty the vacuum bag after each use

>>Always empty the vacuum bag after each use

>>Always empty the vacuum bag after each use

>>Always empty the vacuum bag after each use

>>Always empty the vacuum bag after each use

 

Now that's not exactly waht I had in mind when I said repeat the important parts of training 6 times. The point that I am making is that during the training process you want to be sure that an important part is covered six times in a variety of ways.

 

For example, using the vacuum bag illustration you obviously would say always empty the vaccum bag after each use just as I did then you might say at a later time, "Just before you perform the task of ________________________, you will want to be sure that the vacuum bag is emptied". Then again later during training on the vacuuming process you might say, "And the process of _______________comes right after you empty the vacuum bag".  In other words you work this important step into the conversation and make sure it is explained at least 6 times. In fact , the final part of the training might be that you have the employee explain AND SHOW you the process of correct vacuuming and vacuum care which of course entails emptying the vacuum bag.

 

I may have been repetitive in this example but it shows how you can incorporate the repeating process into a training and learning experience.

 

In closing this session let me remind you that registration is now open for the ISSA trade show and BSCAI convention in Las Vegas in November. This well could be the most valuable training lesson you will have all year. You can register by going to www.bscai.org and clicking on the convention icon. I hope to meet many of you there and let me encourage you to attend my session on Finding and KEEPING Great Hourly Employees on Thursday the 21st and also come by my table at the solutions pavillion on November 21 and 22. We'll have our products and services on display along with new products and discounted packages.

 

Till next time.