Leveraging Virtual and Face-to-Face Activity to Meet Market Demands

For three years Straight, I have been offering training online and Face to face. People occasionally ask me how I manage. I wouldn't say it's easy sailing. However, I have learnt to adapt to the demands of the market and ensure that the learners and clients get the best experience. Online interactions present difficulties for both facilitators and participants.??From being irritated by technical errors to being distracted by other activities while participating in online meetings.?Studies show that Face-to-face interactions provide mental space for processing nuances like tone, social cues, and body language.?

Since 2019, many businesses have adopted online service delivery because the traditional way of facilitation was?eliminated as a way to respond to and curb the pandemic. The Covid 19 Pandemic has taught us that conducting sessions in person is not the only option. We are all aware of the repercussions that followed. Businesses collapsed, and most training professionals were swept out of the market. Sad. Those who quickly adapted to the virtual service provision were able to stand the test of time.?Although this appeared to be a temporary solution, we have observed that online service delivery is here to stay, albeit not as the best way to reach international markets but as the method that the majority of people now prefer.?

Teams prefer Virtual Training for various reasons:

• Flexibility
• overcoming geographical obstacles
• eliminates the travel expenses

I had my share of pain as a result of Covid. Should I say unwillingness to adapt to change, painful change? It took me 3 years and a half to complete a two-year Master's degree program. It took me a while to admit that the challenge was not entirely on the circumstance but also on me to acclimate to change. I guess it's safe to say writing and talking about it is a step toward accountability and the healing process. I hated the idea of completing my Master's Degree online. I wanted the full experience and interaction with people from various cultures. I didn't perform well and had to extend my studies. I am glad I successfully passed my thesis and graduated but I know that had I adapted quickly to change, I wouldn't have had to extend my studies and pay more money for school fees.?

As a professional today, I carry this experience to help me make sound decisions that propel my businesses forward.?Unwillingness to change costs us more money than the cost of change. Roy T. Bennett put it this way, “The comfort zone is a psychological state in which one feels familiar, safe, at ease, and secure. You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

After COVID, like most of us, I was excited that I will go back to face-to-face class sessions.?BUT... I realize that what we called change is the new normal. Some learners prefer to learn online. It's convenient for them. -Some learn on a part-time basis and Some are a thousand kilometres afar. Some are juggling employment and the acquisition of soft skills.?What does this mean for my future as a trainer??I have to quickly adapt. It is not a question of whether you like online or in-person training. It is about what is working for you, your participants, and ultimately your business.?

Today, we observe this in the workplace. The pandemic has irrevocably altered the workplace, the world at large, and how organizations handled the return to work.

Some of the corporate clients I coach desire physical training. And sometimes that requires me to travel. Since the beginning of 2023, I have effectively collaborated with international professionals. Included in this list are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda, The Kingdom of Eswatini, China and the United Arab Emirates I had to travel there. I have had to provide training in-person and online.?It's not a question of liking online or face-to-face. But the ability to meet today's market demands.

Here are four guidelines for achieving a balance between virtual and physical training: ?

1. Be flexible with Virtual and Physical Meetings: Today, many individuals and companies no longer think of the workplace as just a physical space., but rather a hybrid mix of spaces where work can be performed successfully. This is true for your clients, they see learning beyond sitting in one room with you as a coach. They have observed that it is possible to learn and receive instruction from someone who is on the opposite side of the world.?? I remember one time we had a meeting at work, we couldn't complete everything on that Monday and the moderator decided to extend the session to another day. Some people suggested that the following meeting be virtual. That was a smart move to accommodate the idea because it favours those who enjoy physical and virtual sessions.

2. Familiarise yourself with various Training Platforms: Things have changed and people are exposed to various platforms. "I don't know"is not an excuse. Expose yourself to different platforms that enable you to conduct. In Botswana, we use Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom for virtual meetings. But as I train people from Asia, and China precisely, I have to find out which platforms they use. They often use Voov and Tencent. Do you know that sometimes people don't sign up simply because they are not familiar with your training platforms, Sometimes in their area they cannot access the platform you prefer. Hence you need to pull up your socks and adopt flexibility with your platforms. Meet them halfway.

3. Research Your Client's Preferences

Never step into anything without research. Find out which platforms your clients would prefer. You need to remember that you are not the only person in the market. There is always someone out there who does what you do and they are doing whatever it takes to meet their clients' needs. By not adopting your client's style, you are giving them every reason not to buy from you.

4. Recommend

There are times when clients are not sure how they would like their service to be provided. So you can advise on the most effective way possible. Sometimes the best training method is online, but sometimes it is in person. Clients often asked me for advice on which approach would be best; I gave them my honest assessment of the pros and cons of each option.?