Service sales staff training
We are currently forming our company "Hands on Training and Consulting Services" (HOTACS). WE are still in the early stages of forming the company and our business plan/objectives. Our web site is under construction and should be up and running soon.
However, regardless of what stage we are at prior to full launch I wanted to take this opportunity to start a discussion with the "group".
In many of the recent businesses and dealerships I have been involved in "hands on" training and consulting was critical to moving the processes forward to success.
Many of the dealerships, especially large corporations, have been assigning the training projects to external companies or departments within the corporation.
I have seen some good things come from those vendors/providers but overall I would say they are somewhat ineffective and have no lasting value.
I am forming "HOTACS" to overcome some of those inefficiencies that I see are now commonplace with dealer group contract hire training.
HOTACS has a process that uses the tried and true method with the majority of the "training" formed around "hands on" training for the entire service sales staff from receptionists to service advisors.
HOTACS starts with observation relating to customers ease of access, signage, approach, parking and the service induction process.
One on one interviews are held with receptionists, BDC operatives, appointment coordinators, service drive managers, service managers, service consultants/advisors and any lot support personnel having customer contact. The whole process is reviewed.
What have we found in the past studies?
Most trainers brought in take a "cookie cutter" approach and it is amazing how similar they all are.
Typically : -
Services advisors are taken off the drive for 1 ,2, 3 sessions affecting productivity.
Large spread sheets are displayed with enough stats. to put the audience to sleep.
Large white boards and "sticky" sheets are hung around the room with all the usual topics, sayings and "cliches".
Power point graphs that show/mean nothing to the advisory staff.
A movie or two based on some psychology approach to a situation.
A manual, handout, action plan that immediately find there way to the bottom shelf of the advisors desk to gather dust, only to be brought out and quickly reviewed when the "trainer" is scheduled to come out for a "follow up".
Now, all those topics may have some value, WHAT IS MISSING IS THE "HANDS ON" on the drive support so the training sessions, although appearing good on the surface, have no (lasting) effect.
Traditional training DOES NOT involve ALL people involved in service sales, after sales and/or customer care..
When was the last time you saw a contracted training/consultant talk to a receptionist taking in service calls?
When launched, HOTACS will concentrate on 90% + hands on and "one on one" training. (!0% or less) will be dedicated to introductions and objective outlines only.
The reason I have started this discussion string is to get your views and thoughts on the service sales, after sales and customer care training you are experiencing currently.
Do you think it has a LASTING value?
Do you think it is money well spent?
Do you think you have seen a LASTING improvement in your processes and service sales.
Do you think you have seen an improvement in customer relationship building and loyalty?
Want to test the theory? Go and ask your staff what they gained from recent/prior training.
Are there specific things you would like to see HOTACS concentrate on when launched?
Your input to this discussion and your "candid" comments would be gratefully appreciated.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Shawn Ryder on -
Brenard,
I have extensive experience working with clients for Service Process Coaching - http://shawnryder.com/coaching/service-drive-process-coaching/
Would like to learn more about what your objectives are for moving forward.
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Permalink Reply by Bernard London on
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Shawn. Thank you for the correspondence.
First a brief background. I have been managing medium and large dealerships for many years including smaller "groups" of multi franchises. A large part of my time was spent training, coaching and motivating service sales personnel. I was writing service drive processes years before they became "buzz words". Several years ago my most recent dealership group was sold to a large national corporate group. I worked my training and consulting skills along side corporate trainers. I soon discovered that my "hands on" approach had a much higher success rate (with longer lasting results) than the glitz and glitter presented by the corporate trainers.When reviewing their "curriculum" it was obvious that much of their time was spent on preparation and classroom presentation with very little, if any, hands on and follow up support. Typically a 3 day visit would turn out to produce less than a full day with the advisory staff. The concentration was on the service advisers, though very important, very little time would be taken to observe and help the remaining customer care staff. (Receptionists, BDC operatives, service drive managers, service managers and other support/customer contact personnel).
It seemed to me that a "back to basics" approach, concentrating on "hands on" would yield a much more lasting result. (As I had experienced previously).
When I parted ways with the last dealership I managed, I decided to start up my own training and consulting business with an emphasis on hands on training with the entire customer care staff. On the consulting side I do get into "the numbers" if requested but that is not the goal of my business. My intent is to focus on the hands on physical approach with the service sales staff and all customer contact personnel.
In a nutshell, my objective is to take the skills, knowledge and experience I have gained and pass that on to dealership personnel who have a direct impact on the quality of "service" given. Impacting dealerships with my methods will have a lasting effect on the success of the service centers I visit. Improving dealerships at the ground level will have an effect of improving the automotive after sales service throughout the entire industry. We all know our industry needs all the help it can get to drive it and our customers' perception of it, forward in a positive manner
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