\u2022\u00a0Set a date and time<\/strong><\/p>\n

I know this sounds like a no brainer, but it is always a good reminder to set a date and time every week and be consistent with training sessions. That means to\u00a0start and end on schedule!<\/strong>\u00a0This is important because it shows that you are prepared and respect everyone\u2019s time. Techs tend to \u201cnot have the Zoom link\u201d or \u201cforget that they have training\u201d, so be sure to over-communicate. Good practice is to send a 24-hour reminder email to the entire team with the training time and Zoom link. Follow that up with a 15-minute text before starting as a reminder.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Choose a topic<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first thing to remember is that there is a difference between hosting a training session and a meeting. Training requires engagement. A meeting is typically going through topics that they are doing wrong. No one likes to hear about what they are doing wrong for 60 minutes, so I encourage you to stick to training for most of the session and keep it simple with one to two training topics max. There are a couple of different approaches that you can take when it comes to choosing a topic and it all starts with knowing your team\u2019s key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs are usually in the form of sales numbers, close percentage, and\/or average ticket. Tracking these numbers through a consistent company scorecard will allow you to keep a good pulse on the business and have relevant training topics for your techs. Once you decide on a topic, I encourage you to pull from your service system and\/or your company core values to show how they relate to what you\u2019ll be covering. This will bring the content full circle and have a greater impact on your culture. For example, if your training session focuses on building value with customers to raise your average ticket, you could discuss a company value about building relationships.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Build a Presentation<\/strong><\/p>\n

If just the thought of putting a slide presentation together makes you feel overwhelmed, don\u2019t panic. It is less about how pretty the slides are and more about the content in them. If you have never done this before, this is always a great task to delegate to someone in the office. I have found from personal experience that 9 times out of 10, there is someone there who can do it better and would love to be involved. Also, it\u2019s best to keep the presentation to around 10 slides or less. If you have ever been slideshowed to death with 100+ slides, you know why.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Role Play<\/strong><\/p>\n

The word role play is familiar to a lot of businesses that do tech training well. Take 30 minutes the day before the training session and role play through the entire presentation with a coworker or friend on Zoom. Not only will you work out all the kinks in the presentation, but you will also memorize the content, making for smoother slide transitions. Always remember that the more you prepare the more your team will take away from the session. They\u2019ll be able to tell if you are just \u201cwinging it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agenda<\/p>\n

In my experience, the lack of an agenda is one of the most common causes of training sessions going off the rails. Sticking to an agenda will not only keep you on track but it will also keep the team engaged. I recommend showing the agenda as one of the first slides in every training session. The following is a 60-minute virtual training agenda that has proven to be successful.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slide 1: Agenda (2.5 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Have bullet points that cover all of the agenda listed below and move on. This shows respect for time and that you have prepared. Your team will appreciate it!<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slide 2: Housekeeping (2.5 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you find that your techs join the training meeting just to turn off their camera or point the camera at the ceiling so you have no idea if they\u2019re present or not? This is why the housekeeping slide is important. You need to set the expectations for the session early and hold techs accountable to following them.<\/p>\n

– Turn the camera on and face it to where I can see you
\n– Mute yourself until called on or you are ready to ask a question
\n– Be present and turn off distractions: phones, tv, etc
\n– The goal for today\u2019s training is that you get at least one takeaway
\n– Be prepared to share your one takeaway at the end of the training session<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slide 3: Positive Focus (10 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n

People want a leader who is real, but they also want one who is positive. This will set the tone for the entire training, so I encourage you to call on everyone in the session (assuming it is reasonable in the 10 min time frame) individually to share something positive that they\u2019ve experienced recently. Keep it simple. For example: \u201cI had a good night’s sleep,\u201d or \u201cI got a 5 star review the other day.\u201d Early engagement is key to maximizing the value of the session.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slide 4: Company Core Values (10 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n

In these uncertain times, I encourage you to lean on your company core values more than ever. During this session get engagement from your team. Different team members can alternate reading the core values and share which is their favorite and why. Then I encourage you to explain how the core values are used in the company and why they are important. This will no doubt shape your culture for the better when done consistently.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slide 5: Company Updates (5 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n

There always seems to be something worth sharing with the technicians about an update in the company. Usually it is changes to procedures or a reminder to start doing something better. I encourage you to keep this short, simple and positive! You only have 5 minutes, so limit the info.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slide 6: Training Topic (20 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once again,\u00a0keep it simple<\/strong>. Your team will not retain more than one or two topics at a time. I recommend one topic that is based on current KPI results. Take that topic, relate it to your service system and\/or your company core values, and watch how it adds credibility to what you bring.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slide 7: Recap and Takeaways (10 min)<\/strong><\/p>\n

To maximize engagement and see who paid attention, include your techs in a recap conversation at the end of the presentation. When you know you will be called upon to give a takeaway at the end of the session, you more than likely will pay attention.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Slide 8: Conclude<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is always good to end on a positive note, so consider showing a slide with a motivational quote. It\u2019s a great way to end the training session.<\/p>\n

Follow Up<\/h2>\n

Most companies struggle to get engagement from their teams, so don\u2019t expect everyone to be highly involved on the first go. I predict that it will take 3-4 quality training sessions before the teams start to catch on. This will require you to get out of your comfort zone. So if it feels weird at first, then you know you are doing it right. At the end of the day, we are all going through this together. The good news is IT WILL END and the opportunities are out there for businesses that can adapt.<\/p>\n

Make the decision to apply new and different things to what you do daily and watch the opportunities grow. It is when we tell ourselves that we can\u2019t do things because of issues outside of our control that we start to fall into self-pity and get lapped by our competitors. Now is the time. Hopefully this will inspire you to take action!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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