Mastering the Training Process with Ian Akers

Ian Akers is Kin's operations training coordinator. That means he designs the training programs that help our reps get their licensing, learn the ropes of how to sell and bind Florida homeowners insurance, and engage with customers.

And it's not a job just anyone can do. Ian adapts material to different learning styles and implements class feedback to optimize training sessions. There's a real art to the process, and it begins with listening carefully.

Steal a few tips from this pro on how to train a world-class team.

So you’ve had a wild ride during your two years at Kin! You went from top performing sales rep to sales trainer, and now you lead the training program for our ops team. Can you talk a little about your career trajectory and growth?

When I was first hired, our COO expressed that the roll required each agent to be a “wearer of many hats.” It wasn’t until we began to scale that this came to fruition, mainly in the form of training new employees, which I really enjoyed. As a member of a team who sold the product for years, you begin to know this stuff inside and out. Recalling experience from previous jobs and schooling, the training component came fairly naturally, but I still have a lot to learn. Luckily, there’s an awesome core of managers who have been nothing but helpful in their feedback, as well as an amazing team of tenured consultants who play a big role in helping new hires learn such a lucrative product. 

Before joining Kin, you were a corporate trainer for Blue Diamond Marketing Solutions. Have you always been interested in helping others learn the ropes of their role? Why?

I think a lot of my interest is derived from the excitement I have for the products I have worked with. If you can’t get behind what you’re doing, it’s hard to convey that energy in a training session. That being said, I am really starting to understand different learning styles and how to accommodate the different personalities we have in our diverse training classes. This part is COOL. I always try to get feedback from the classes on what worked and what didn’t because each group is different. Adapting to everyone’s learning styles is really a key component to mastering the process. 

If you can’t get behind what you’re doing, it’s hard to convey that energy in a training session.

How does your experience with Kin compare to previous roles?

After working at Kin for about two years, I have been exposed to a lot more than I had at my previous job. This is truly the first gig I’ve been passionate about since college. That said, there is definitely a level of devotion that I can appreciate from the vast majority of employees here, especially all senior employees. Experiencing the highs and lows with this group has definitely allowed me to learn a lot along the way. Between selling, training, and working with products here and there, there is always work to be done. 

What is one of the biggest challenges in helping someone learn something new?

When training for Kin, I think the main variables to overcome are time and the amount of material we have to cover. With that in mind, the material isn’t too difficult to comprehend, but there is a lot that needs to be learned. Making sure to move through the content at a pace that allows for a sufficient level of performance when the agents hit the floor has been a challenging component. 

How do you measure the success of a training program?

The goal of the program is to have new hires positively impacting the business as quickly as possible. This means we must have each trainee selling within 30 days of their hiring date. The main ways in which we evaluate their success are:

1. # of attempts/days it takes a new hire to pass their exams
2. # of days until officially licensed in IL/FL
3. # of days on the phone taking inbound calls
4. # days until an agent’s first bind

These metrics are fairly concrete, but we also follow a number of other touchpoints that may suggest how successful a new hire will be at the start! So far, everyone has been awesome to work with. 

In your experience, does company culture come into play when designing a training program? If so, how?

I don’t have a heavy focus on company culture within training because employees at Kin have proven to be really considerate and encouraging with all the new hires. This definitely helps each class feel welcome. Between company events and time with tenured agents on the sales floor, new classes have been integrating smoothly. Scaling up so quickly will require more thought into this. We are looking for ways to preserve and improve what we currently have. 

A word of advice for anyone considering a career in training?

Some things I like to think I’ve learned: always keep an open mind, take everyone’s feedback into consideration, and stay organized and methodical.