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In-Store Mobile Training Trap: It Just Isn’t That Easy
But there’s a perverse catch-22 with almost all training on new technology (and it’s one of the reasons associates hate training): If the training goes deeply into all the useful bells and whistles, that part won’t sink in with most associates because they haven’t yet mastered the basics. And if the training just covers the basics, associates won’t be told about all the bells and whistles that should make them much more productive.
One obvious solution for in-store mobile devices: Split training into two parts. Get associates up to speed on the essentials in the first training session. Then let them use the devices for a week on the job, both to let the training sink in and to get practical experience. Then they’ll be ready for a second training session that focuses on advanced features.
What’s wrong with this approach? Mainly that store managers already hate the idea of paying associates to do anything that’s not making money. Pulling them off the job for one training session is bad enough. Pulling them out twice—even if the two training sessions add up to the same amount of time that might have been slotted for a single session—is just too disruptive.
Those managers may not be right, but they’re the ones on the front lines. They’re also the ones who can decide that training just isn’t necessary or, at least, can be delayed indefinitely—which usually means delayed forever.
That’s why IT has to take responsibility for making sure training happens. If multiple training sessions aren’t practical, maybe IT can furnish associates in advance with a cheat sheet for each in-store app and access to the mobile devices. This way, at least some of them will go into the single training session with a grasp of the basics and a good shot at learning the bells and whistles.
If there’s a real possibility even that single training session will be “delayed,” those cheat sheets could be supplemented with advanced how-to handouts, online walk-throughs and quizzes or anything else that can get associates up to speed. Lists of questions associates actually ask, along with responses, are especially useful—not just for associates looking for answers but also for developers and IT project managers trying to determine what works, what doesn’t and what just needs better explanations.
Forget expensive “learning technology”—associates just need information. Some of them will be able to get it from co-workers; others will look for it themselves. As long as you’ve got it for them, they have a chance of finding what they need.
If you don’t, the chance of the associates getting trained at all is about the same as your mobile project succeeding.
-Marc
March 11th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Frank: Reasonable description of the problem, but the solution really only applies to proprietary distribution. When one works with a network of licensees, handing off to (corporate) IT is not an option.
In any case, effective training cannot be developed until there is a defined strategy for how the stores will interact with the new mobile shopper. The strategy will define the assumptions regarding technology(iPad? smart phone? Wi-fi or no?). The strategy will identify the behaviors that the sales staff will be expected to demonstrate. The skills and knowledge required to execute that behavior are the basis for the training.