Summary of Client’s Challenge
Change by Design was brought in as a subcontractor to address performance issues at the US national office of a big truck (18-wheeler) manufacturing company. The challenge they faced was in the sales area for their distributors in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Specifically, they wanted to build capacity in their sales force to replicate the “secret sauce” of their expert sales associates. This company also wanted documentation of all capabilities and skills so that as they went forward they could build courses that were aligned with needed competencies.
Based on their description of the performance issues they were facing, the challenges of their current training portfolio, and their understanding that they needed a pipeline of training for beginner, intermediate, and expert sales associates Change by Design recommended the following approach to deliver training excellence:
Build a competency model for each of the three levels of sales associate
Conduct a gap analysis of all current training offerings to determine how aligned they were with the competencies at each of the three levels of sales associate
Develop a curriculum architecture for each of the three levels of sales associate
Sales Associate Competency Models
To gain insight into expert sales associates’ “secret sauce”, we conducted the following activities:
Interviews
Interviewed 12 exemplar sales associates internationally to define this expert skill set, as well as determine what they believed the beginner- and intermediate-level knowledge and skills should be. We qualitatively analyzed this information to best understand these perspectives.
Observations
Conducted extensive observations of a number of sales associate exemplars in US and Canada dealerships, as well as conducting further interviews at five high performing dealerships – sales, service, and parts associates who could speak to what they experienced of high-performers. Once again, we qualitatively analyzed these interviews and observations to gain even greater clarity on necessary competencies.
Surveys
Developed, disseminated and analyzed three surveys, with one being sent to identified beginners, intermediates and experts.
VETTING
Armed with this confirmatory information, we developed our three draft competency models. The domains were identified and defined across all three sales associate categories,. Next, the duties were identified under each domain; these also were the same across all three competency levels. We then identified a series of tasks for each duty. Convening an intensive two-day focus group meeting in Chicago with high performers and company training administrators, we did the following:
Provided definitions and examples of how to walk through each of the three competency models
Came to agreement on all domain and duty definitions
Came to agreement on all tasks
Gap Analysis
Once the three competency models had been developed, we then turned our attention to the analysis of the company’s current sales associate training offerings. To do this, we developed an analysis template that provided in one page the information the company required to determine next steps with the training in its current form.
Curriculum Architecture
When a company needs a comprehensive curriculum solution, rather than a one-off course or two, the first step to be taken before designing and developing each course is to develop a “curriculum architecture” or “curriculum map”. This architecture prescribes the ordering and content for each course within the curriculum. It also provides guidance on the training approach – workshop? Face-to-face training? eLearning? Virtual Instructor-led training? Etc.
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In this case, we envisioned three curriculum architectures: Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert. We first created a flowchart / map for each curriculum, changing competency model tasks into learning objectives and then ordering these tasks in a ‘roll out’ manner according to best practice instructional design. For example, the following separate training topics were recommended for the beginning curriculum. Within these topics, we identified terminal learning objectives (the desired end behavioral result for learners) and enabling learning objectives (those objectives, when completed, that would achieve the terminal behavior result).
Introducing ‘Company’ Trucks
Understanding Why Trucks Function
Understanding ‘Company’ Trucks
Comparing ‘Company’ Trucks to Competitor Trucks
Taking a Consulting Approach
Relationships and Ethical Consulting
Linking ‘Company’ Value to Customer Need
Spec’ing Trucks with TM2
Partnering with Fellow Dealership Employees
Starting the Sales Conversation
Conducting the Needs Assessment
Developing and Delivering Proposal and Presentation
Selling and Delivering the Truck
We also specified the training approach, which for each of the three levels of sales associate included the following:
Beginning
This approach included a mixture of preparatory eLearnings and virtual Instructor-led trainings, plus a several-day face-to-face hands-on intensive trainings. It also included expert mentorship of new hires.
Intermediate
This included a book club set of reading assignments, where intermediate sales associates from all of the country could participate in small group book discussions to facilitate sales associate cohesion internationally. It also included a several eLearnings and a four-day in-person intensive training.
Expert
We suggested a vastly different approach for the top performers that also included beginners and intermediates. We envisioned this as a one-to-two-day conference event held in possibly 3-4 locations internationally at various times in the year. This would allow for relationship building and cross-pollination of capabilities, as experts would be asked to be key speakers and breakout room presenters. Experts valued serving as mentors, saying that these mentorship opportunities, focused on the basics, sharpened their skill sets.
“With the launch of this new program, we were able to directly impact profitability, and increase market share and retention of the sales force. I would like you to consider Change by Design for your project needs. I have had a great experience with them over the past few years for the services they have rendered to us. I therefore strongly recommend their services.”
Leanne F.
Contact Change by Design today if you need to improve sales performance through a targeted, multi-level associate learning & development system.