How to Set Up a Sales and Customer Service Training Program

Successful companies and robust continuing education programs go hand in hand. Here’s how to build yours. 

 Even the most skilled sales and customer support people need to - as Stephen Covey would say, “Sharpen the saw.” It’s because as humans, we look for the path of least resistance and fall into productivity killing ruts and pick up bad habits.  

 To combat that, your company should build a sales and customer service training program. Even your most experienced and successful people need reminding of the skills that made them top performers. Like a soldier going to battle, the salesperson needs the right tactic at the right time to make a nearly instant decision. 

 Chief Revenue Officer, Mark Novak believes that teams need to go beyond just learning a skill set and make it a habit. Something that comes so naturally, you instinctively deploy the behavior. “If you can commit something to habit, it’s at that point you have a true understanding and can adapt to scenarios happening in real-time. I want our people thinking two steps ahead,” he says. 

 Novak wants people on his teams that are coachable and committed to getting better. He draws the comparison to professional athletes. “5-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant was notorious for spending long hours in the gym long after he was recognized as the league’s best player. He knew it took hard work and practice to stay on top.”

 How to execute a program can be as important as the training itself. Novak likes the popular methods of role-playing and peer reviews but cautions,  “When I’m doing training, I’m looking for honesty and 100 percent concentration. Representatives hate role-playing because they’re not practicing perfectly. Peer reviews come with mixed results at times due to coworkers being hesitant in providing criticisms. They’ll overemphasize the positives and gloss over mistakes.”  Take for example the many underdogs from this week’s March Madness kick-off.  Each teammate on the team makes the other players better by pushing them to improve their skill sets.  When this happens, everyone gets better and as a team, you win.

 Novak likes to keep training sessions short, frequent, and hyper-focused. It can take place in the morning during a kick-off meeting or a lunch and learn. He suggests keeping them to 30 minutes so you don’t lose focus and people stay engaged. 

 If you’re looking for other ideas, here are the forms of training he likes to implement. 

 Podcasts

Podcasts have exploded in popularity. They’re easy to listen to and can be consumed during a work commute. There are dozens to choose from, but be sure to pre-screen episodes first to make sure it teaches the same tactics you believe in. Use your 20-30 minutes training sessions to discuss the content, just like a book club does.

 Guest speakers

Guest speakers or outside sales trainers can be helpful to bring in. Learning new ways to solve old problems can make entire teams more productive quickly. Consultants can be good at challenging the “that’s how we’ve always done things” mentality. Getting outside perspective keeps things fresh and exciting. 

 Retreats

Getting outside your normal environment and away from ringing phones and other distractions can be a powerful thing. Design activities that touch on all learning styles. 

Make sure you build in some downtime and make it fun. Salespeople are competitive and like to play as hard as they work. 

 Learning management systems (LMS)

An LMS is an online platform that delivers educational value. There are dozens of different options available. Be sure to choose one that is customizable and easy to use. Incorporate video, quizzes, and performance scoring. Managers can see who has completed the training and how well they grasped the concepts. 

 Activity recording

Recording telephone or Zoom calls is extremely useful. Novak suggests looking at these for learning moments rather than as a policing activity. “It’s a great way to see how well your training is paying off. You have to INSPECT with you EXPECT,” he says.

 Having a well-trained team allows employees to act quickly and keep the customer or prospect engaged. As an added benefit, it also empowers your team to OWN problems and see them through to a solution. That’s not something they could do if they didn’t have the training to know the next steps to take. “Confidence comes from competency,” adds Novak.

“Confidence comes from Competency.”

- Mark Novak, Kavon Consulting

Lastly, Novak recommends that someone within the organization, (usually a sales manager or department head) be responsible for getting training done. There has to be accountability at the top that it is happening. Put it on the calendar and have a tight agenda about what the training covers and what a successful session looks like. 

 Don’t forget the soft skills too like conflict resolution, time management, and even coping with stress.

 Creating a continuing education program isn’t difficult, but it does take effort and forethought. And to be a successful company for years to come, it’s exactly what you’ll need to do. 

  About Mark Novak: 

Focusing on operations and sales organizations across a wide range of SAAS and related industries, Mark brings 20 years of expertise in leading transformation to the table. As President at Kavon Consulting, he has solved complex sales operations challenges that require cross-functional and cooperative management of human resources, information systems, business process redesign, branding, and marketing. Deep expertise across technical, analytical, and managerial roles allows Mark to adapt quickly to new business environments. By organizing existing resources and filling talent gaps, Mark leads his clients’ teams to new heights.