Train Reps Well!*

Use a Modular Approach for Training Success

New Telephone Reps Get Their Start Through Training
Whether you receive inbound calls or place outbound calls, successful training of new telephone reps is best accomplished through a sequence of step-by-step modules. It is important to enable new employees to learn processes one at a time, move on to the next one and then on to integration.

Here is a typical set of training modules. Names and content, as well as sequencing, is adjusted from company to company.

1. The company
2. The market
3. Your service/product lines
4. The call center/sales/service organization
5. Computer system and database
6. Telephone system
7. Your mailings and e-mailings – before and after calls
8. Types of calls and objectives
9. Call guides and objection-responses
10. Role-playing
11. Handling difficult or exceptional calls
12. Shadowing (double-jacking with) a supervisor or experienced rep
13. Simulated calls (again)
14. Initial calls while being shadowed by a supervisor or experienced rep

Some firms include quizzes at certain points, and many require that trainees pass a test and/or meet specific monitoring standards in order to pass training.

It is important that trainees develop effective ways of handling calls and avoid acquiring bad habits in their first days on the phone. For this reason, many call centers extend the training period to include the first days or the first few weeks on the telephone. During this period, trainees are given extra support to help them get off to a good start. This may be extra monitoring and coaching, additional mini-trainings, teaming the new rep up with an experienced mentor or all of these.

Experienced Reps Keep in Top Form Through Training
Experience reps need training too - to keep in top form and to produce optimal results. While reps may have learned what to do, and may have done it in the past, continuing to be a great rep requires constant focus and attention.

Areas for refresher trainings will surface during monitoring sessions. If asked, some reps will suggest areas in which they would like additional training. Examples are:

· Building rapport
· Effective use of your voice
· Customer service calls
· Closing the sale
· Using the alternate close to close sales
· Using objection-responses
· Telephone rep performance metrics – how to do well

When appropriate, role-playing and simulated calls should be included. Training videos, training audio tapes or even outside trainers may be employed to spice up your training sessions. In some cases, a rep who excels in a particular technique can be asked to train others by leading or participating in a training session. Recordings of exemplary calls may also be used.

Of course changes in the company, product, call guide or market are also topics for training sessions for existing staff.