Refresher Training: No more a hassle!

Refresher: Refresher is a type of training where the existing knowledge or skills is upgraded to bridge the gaps. Bridging the gaps means reducing the number of opportunities that is found from numerous numbers of methods. This type of training is offered to incorporate the latest development in a particular field.

Need for Refresher Training:

1. Process Updates: We conduct refreshers for sharing the process/product/important updates with the executives. It helps in keeping the staff updated with the latest trends and bridging the gap between the old and new skills.
2. Call/ Ticket Observation: We conduct refreshers for all the executives when we notice any major error on any call/ticket.
3. Error Trend/Pattern: Refresher is also conducted for all the executives when we notice any trend of error on the floor.
4. Bottom Quartile Management/ Performance Improvement Program: Refreshers are conducted for the executives who belong to the bottom quartile and performance improvement program so that they can improvise. It also increases the self-confidence and morale of the employees
5. Client/Stakeholders request: We need to conduct refreshers when we get any request from the clients or any of the stakeholders of the process/project.

Importance of Refresher Training:

1. It ensures long-term memory which further helps in reducing mistakes and improves productivity.
2. It ensures continues learning plan and keeps the coworkers on the same page. It also helps the employees to get back to consistency who have taken a break.
3. It helps in identifying knowledge gaps and training needs.
4. It keeps the learners up-to-date with the updates and helps the learners to remember important points.
5. It helps in establishing a baseline for future mentors/coaches or managers.

Step-1

Methods used to identify the training requirement:

Training Needs Analysis:

1. PKT (Process/Product Knowledge Test)/ Dip-checks - We can conduct PKTs/Dip-checks to check the knowledge of the employees. Depending on the scores and the analysis draw, we can conduct refreshers.

Advantages:

• We can access the knowledge of all the employees by conducting a PKT in a very short period of time
• It is the easiest way of conducting the assessments for the employees, especially when the number of employees is a lot; we need the results in a short period of time; or we need to check the knowledge transfer result on any update

Disadvantages:

• It can be easily manipulated by the one who is conducting the assessment as they might conduct easy/medium/difficult assessment where the standard is not set. This can be avoided if the PKT standard is set and standard methods are implemented before rolling out the PKT
• If there are bifurcated topics/ sub-topics, PKT becomes a bad idea or multiple PKT needs to be conducted
• The executives taking the PKT may cheat as it becomes difficult to supervise individually when the crowd is huge. This can be avoided easily if the supervision is done correctly or the method used to conduct the PKT is effective

2.      Monitoring: Audits done by the Quality, Training Team and the Team Leads to check the quality of the voice/non-voice parameters. We can prepare a defect chart to understand where the executives lack and then conduct a refresher accordingly.

Advantages:

• Monitoring of the transactions are very important and provide better insights on the practical implementation of the learning
• Refreshers can be conducted easily on the defect areas/opportunities. Also, feedback can be shared easily based on the audits done on the transactions

Disadvantages:

• Monitoring all the transactions is not possible. Hence, there are changes that we might skip the major errors. Preparing proper sampling can avoid this issue
• The auditor might tend to audit easy tickets/short calls only to close the task quickly. This can be easily avoided if the sampling done is correctly and efficiently
• If monitoring is done by more than 1 person, chances of variance is high. Although, this can be avoided by conducting calibration sessions frequently

3.      Self-Actualization Refreshers: Sometimes, we can roll-out topics to the executives and they can themselves select the topics where they think they lack and accordingly, we provide refreshers.

Advantages:

• It’s a nice method as the executives will be able to understand and then themselves can let the trainer/coach know the topics they need help on
• It motivates the employees as it lets them to think and learn what they feel they are not good at

Disadvantages:

• The executives might misuse the benefit and might share anonymous list of topics and might enroll names for a lot of topics to avoid production responsibilities. This can be avoided by verifying it with a dip-check/or a PKT or observing the person on transactions

4.      Client/Stakeholder Request: A lot of refresher requests are from the clients and the stakeholders. These are the new topics and the delivery mechanism is mostly classroom training.

Advantages:

• We are on pace with the client’s request and the requirement

5.      Calibrations: External/Internal or Live/Moderate

Advantages:

• This gives us an understanding about the quality expected and we can give refreshers accordingly
• Internal & External stakeholders agree on similar lines and then the updates and feedback are shared with the executives

Disadvantages:

• It is difficult to arrange all the stakeholders at a time
• Sometimes, on-the-spot changes are made to the script (voice/non-voice both) and instant implementation is expected

6.      Typing Speed/ Keyboard Training: For the executives from emails and chats LOB, we need to ensure they have good typing speed (minimum-30 WPM).

Advantages:

• It improves the speed and the accuracy which is very important for non-voice skill-set
• Errors are minimized and time taken to solve a ticket reduces which is really important

Disadvantages:

• It cannot be improved in a very short period of time and it comes with practice
• The tools used for training are paid and expensive
• Anyone who is good with keyboard skills may not be able to train and hence, typing trainer is required sometimes with the required tool

Step-2

Training Needs Identification:

• Mode of training/refresher is selected in this phase
• Number of executives (to be conducted for an individual/ a group or team/ all the employees)
• Schedule & timelines
• Content Curation & Development – Creation or modification in the existing one
• Evaluation Type (Assessment, Improvement trend analysis etc.)
• Approval of the Module

Step-3

Training Needs Evaluation:

• Conducting Assessments
• Call/Email/Chat Observations
• Improvement in C-Sat/Sales/NPS/Quality Scores

Methods of conducting Refreshers:

1.      Classroom Training

2.      Mentoring/Coaching

3.      Floor Walk

4.      Huddles

5.      Ticket Review/ Call Listening Sessions

6.      Feedback