Elearning - September/October 2008 - (Page 36)

casestudytraining The process of bringing reps to a central location for classroom training was also costly and timeconsuming. And PPS wanted them to get some practical field experience first, so that they would have some context and get more out of the training. NEW ONBOARDING In 2005, the PPS training department decided to change the onboarding process. They identified each core phase of new reps’ onboarding and created checklists of everything new reps should know, see and do in each phase. These phases Challenge Devise a standard training procedure and curriculum for a geographically diverse contingent of field managers and sales representatives. Solution Install a new system of assessments and compliance tracking that requires new sales people and managers to take 16 assessments, most during the onboarding process. for sales reps in the field. Two designers and two trainers create questions for each assessment, and then field managers and field operations SMEs review and edit those questions. Each assessment has 25 to 35 questions. Two assessments are online, while the rest are oral. For oral assessments, a sales rep takes the assessment from his or her manager, who then fills out the assessment online. Perception’s e-mail tool immediately alerts all necessary parties about the employee’s score and compliance status. “The oral assessments are our way of keeping one-onone communication in the process despite the online method,” says David Kelly, director of training for PPS. RESULTS Kelly says that the benefits of the system are many. Field managers are much more involved with their sales reps’ training and ongoing development. The company has saved $540,000, and sales rep performance (measured primarily by the number of oxygen equipment set-ups and sleep therapy equipment setups) has increased. And it’s much easier to achieve, track and communicate compliance to the accreditation agency. “The Perception solution has really changed our onboarding and training process,” Kelly says. “We’re a decentralized and quickly growing company in a very competitive and changing environment, and that means the potential for many interpretations and translations for the same procedure or goal. Perception has helped us to involve our managers in establishing consistent standards across the organization, and to hasten our communication so that questions about standards get answered sooner.” —For more information on Questionmark Corp. products and services like Perception, visit the Website http://www.questionmark.com/us/index.aspx. competency without having to waste valuable field time. ORAL AND WRITTEN ASSESSMENTS Today, FastTrack only has five assessments, which gives PPS a larger pool of questions to pull from and is more convenient ‘Oral assessments are our way of keeping oneon-one communication in the process despite the online method.’ —David Kelly, director of training, PPS included such tasks as proper documentation and observation of set-up processes for oxygen, nebulizers, and other types of equipment or medication. Based on those checklists, the department created assessments to test whether employees had learned what they needed to know. Launched in 2006, the new system of assessments and compliance tracking (internally branded as FastTrack) required new sales people and managers to take 16 assessments, most during the onboarding process. Additionally, annual compliance assessments confirm employees’ continuing competence and help PPS demonstrate to an accrediting agency that the correct procedures are being followed. The assessments replaced classroom training, and now employees learn from their managers and demonstrate 36 September/October 2008 Elearning! http://www.questionmark.com/us/index.aspx http://www.questionmark.com/us/index.aspx

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Elearning - September/October 2008

Elearning - September/October 2008 Contents Editor’s Note News IBM Goes Green Green Resources Deals Trendlines Learning Leader Up to Speed Cover Story: Going Green The Green Mindset? Cutting Down Turnover Tips: EET Case Study: Pacific Pulmonary Services Case Study: British Telecom Case Study: Allianz SE Case Study: LXR Case Study: St. Elizabeth Tips: Green Initiatives New Products LMS Tools Pop Quiz Last Word

Elearning - September/October 2008

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