Comments on: Focus on Employee Training

By: Michael L. Gooch, SPHR

Michael L. Gooch, SPHR — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:30:32 +0000

I really enjoyed your article on training. If you don’t mind, I would like to comment on one part of the training mystery. As a whole, we all developed our training model after old Mrs. Snodgrass in the third grade. She was the teacher, you were the pupil, and you better sit there and be quiet as she drones on about the ABCs. Adult learners are quite different. Unlike third-graders, most adults see themselves as responsible for their own decisions and lives. Adult need to know why they need to learn something. In addition, each class may have a wide variety of ages in attendance. As much as it hurts me, I will be the first to confess that the older people need more time to learn than the younger set. People in their fifties, sixties, and seventies can learn new techniques and acquire new knowledge just as well as younger people. However, the older ones will need a little more time. When you mix your training class with both young and old, you will have some who are bored and some who are struggling. Be aware of this and come up with creative solutions. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR author of Wingtips with Spurs: Cowboy Wisdom for Today’s Business Leaders http://www.michaellgooch.com

By: daveratner

daveratner — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:33:46 +0000

You know what? Thomas is right. There are times when the customer doesn’t know what they want. The rule we should live by is to give the customer what they want OR what they need to solve the problem.

If I can tie it to the pet food world for a moment, you’ll see that there are times when we run into both situations. I might have a customer come in and say, “My vet says my cat needs Science Diet Hairball Remedy Food.” That’s one instance where I absolutely give the customer what they ask for.

The very next customer, however, could come in and say, “My cat’s got this real hairball problem. He’s always yakking all over the place. What do I do?”

My job now, as a retailer, is to help solve that problem. Training comes into the equation when we consider that employees have to be able to help customers find everything they need to solve their problems.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:35:16 +0000

It is sadly true that many people who talk about employee training think more in the lines of a one time “rara” motivation session that does nothing, than something that can really have a profound impact. Talking to the employess and getting them involved in decision processes is really important, as it gets them to take a stake in the company, and they think/feel that they are important.

However, you say that the first rule is to give the customer what they want. Well, the sad truth is the customer often does not know what they want, but they know what they want it to do for them. An example of this are blowdriers for the hands in mens bathrooms. They are crap, let’s face it. So, after a customer survey was made, a new one came out: As customers demanded, it had more power. In fact, it is more like an engine jet than a blow drier. That is because customers can only base what they want on what they know.

Dyson on the other hand took the information (more power, so we can have dry hands quicker) and sent their R&D boys running. They came out with the Dyson air blade, which is quite frankly amazing. http://www.dysonairblade.com/ i washed my hands 3 times just to keep using it….

so, employee involvement, two thumbs up. Give the customer what they want…no, give them something that will fulfill they need they have!