Salespersons' Distance Learning - Good or Bust?

This research was conducted in 1997, using six methods. These methods were: on-site instructor, written manual, a manual + video tape, video-conferencing, audio-graphics, and computer tutorial. Not used was asynchronous distance learning.

Two factors for choosing the six methods: a) training-on-demand capability, b) relative costs.

Statistics to suggest the value of distance learning: salespersons receives about 37 hours/year of training per year. The costs avoided by distance learning: vehicle travel, meals, lodging, time out of office, and loss of income.

Sample size: 550 sales personnel of one insurance company, nation-wide. A pre- and post-tests were taken.

Results:
Content (ANOVA of pre- and post-tests: a) showed significant improvement, b) there were insignificant differences between treatment groups.

Deliver method: a) training duration - minimum on manual and computer tutorial; b) work day disruption - manual, manual + video tape, and computer tutorial were least; c) media interface interference with learning - on-site rated best while manual was rated worse; d) Active learning - computer tutorial rated highest. The top three methods were computer tutorial, manual + video tape, and video conferencing.

Evaluation of long-term retention was not measured.

Cost of Delivery: a) material preparation time - significant are computer tutorial, manual, and manual + videotape; b) instructor preparation to be competent - above normal are computer tutorial, audio-graphics, and video conferencing; c) instructor/student interface - highest during on-site, audio graphics, and video conferencing; d) material reliability - manuals, manuals + video tape, and computer tutorial not dependent on instructor; e) time to effect training - widest coverage in minimum time is manuals and manuals + video tape. This also has the greatest ability to provide training on demand; f) ease of revision - easiest is on-site, video conferencing and audio-graphics; g) cost - highest investment is video conferencing and on-site trainer.

That's the gist. The documentation will aid further research.

Reference

Erffmeryer, R.C. & Johnson, D.A. (1997). The future of sales training: making choices among six distance education methods. The journal of business & industrial marketing. 12. 3/4.

In the beginning... a starting place

To appreciate where we are going helps to know where we are.

Currently, like many organizations that have global employees, there is tons of travel to getting to the place where ground training is held. When this occurs, sales and service staff are displaced from their "profit center" for a week, thus not earning revenues. While in the formal class, whiteboard and all, it is difficult to field business calls, and focus on instruction. Secondly, often the instruction is presented in a manner that we have had in grade school, without a tremendous amount of participation. The content of the material tends to be factual, and is presented by the "experts," but lacks sufficient real-life stories or scenarios to give much substance.

When the sales and service staff are now f2f with a customer, often the material in the class has been forgotten. The material made sense then, but in reality it didn't give enough to make it "second nature.' Although there were hands-on with the actual equipment, that was in a lab.

There has to be a better way...

Just getting my feet wet...

I will be exploring methods of training sales and technical service personnel.

Ideally, this in could be accomplished by using virtual reality. But how can this be commercialized in a personal size and yet be economical? In lieu of dismissing the thought, I find it worthy of some exploration to understand what hurdles would have to be overcome. So, I will leave this blog tonight by saying, what if...