Chief Learning Officer - September 2007 - (Page 40)

environment ulation requires a heavy focus on content and a hand-in-glove partnership between those in learning and those who have the content: the front-line employees and their immediate supervisors. An obvious challenge is gaining the access to these contributors, whose time is already at a premium. Another challenge is the potential requirement to invest in technology to support performance simulations. relating those goals and objectives back to specific tactics applied in the customer service environment. Broad dissemination of corporate strategy as it is renewed should take place in a timely manner — you can’t expect employees to support corporate strategy if they don’t know what it is — and it should be the CLO’s role to facilitate changes to learning required as a result. Decision and Performance Support Reinforce what’s been taught with technology. Nowhere in the organization are speed, efficiency and effectiveness more important than in the service and support functions. And although today’s Web-based technologies have made great strides in improved usability, in reality, all software look and feel a bit different. Why is this important? Because most customer service employees interact with more than just one type of software to resolve client issues. The proliferation of specialized applications designed to support discrete processes, tasks and research makes it more challenging than ever for service employees to quickly resolve complex issues. According to SSPA, the 30 percent of cases that require use of multiple systems on average take 4.25 times longer to bring to resolution. Training on these disparate applications is left to a combination of internal methods and vendor-specific learning, and it could be reigned in by having the learning organization take a more active role in the development of content, as well as the implementation of tools that provide a common interface to these often-disparate support systems. Although customer service organizations are frequently treated as cost centers, increased investment in the customer service function can help them become areas for opportunity. Learning and Performance There is typically a significant disconnect between what’s learned in the classroom (physical or virtual) and how it’s applied in the field. Learning must be configured specially and remain relevant to address specific service and business issues employees and supervisors encounter. Unfortunately, prepackaged soft skills training will get you only halfway there. Viewed another way, if 70 percent to 80 percent of content in the classroom is forgotten three weeks after it’s taught, what’s the implication of teaching material that’s only half-relevant to the end-user? Adding to the challenge of creating and delivering customized content is the pace of change and volume of information flow, which are both greater than ever. To address this, learning on the job and more-formalized learning must evolve with the times and become more dynamic and more real-time. This requires the learning organization to rethink not only the type of content being delivered to customer service employees but also the method by which it is delivered. To be truly effective, learning can’t stop after onboarding and initial skills training, yet most enterprises can’t afford to take people off the line once they are engaged in their support roles. From an e-learning perspective, there was never a more appropriate job function that demanded real-time or just-in-time learning concepts such as contextual delivery of learning information that is delivered in smaller, digestible chunks. In this environment, employees need access to information support as they perform their jobs, not just when they are in “learning mode.” Netting it Out The cost of turnover is at a record high. The cost of training and onboarding a new employee is higher than ever. And although customer satisfaction is at historical highs, according to the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index, customers are more fickle than ever, willing to change preferences and brands at a moment’s notice. Learning that goes beyond standard customer service training programs brings with it enormous potential to influence corporate objectives and provide organizations with a competitive advantage. The ultimate goal of the customer service function is to develop brand loyalty that translates into an impact on the bottom line and the top line. If every client issue is viewed as an opportunity, and you treat your customer service employees well and give them the knowledge and tools to perform their jobs, they will treat your clients just as well. September 2007 I www.clomedia.com I Chief Learning Officer 40 Connecting Performance Objectives to Corporate Strategy Although executives increasingly view customer service and support as competitive differentiators, drawing the connection between these functions and strategic objectives is incomplete. The learning organization can take a lead role in disseminating strategy and http://www.clomedia.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chief Learning Officer - September 2007

Editor's Letter Contents Letters to the Editor Strategies Selling up, Selling Down Take Five Imperatives Guest Editorial Learning Solutions Embarking on a Learning Journey Clo Profile Environment CIGNA Service Operations: Making Strategic Change Happen, and Making It Stick Tactics Black & Decker: On-Demand Learning Creation and Consumption Productivity The Army You Have Human Capital Holiday Inn Express: Delivering Critical Training Globally Case Study: Tegan Jones Business Intelligence Case Study: Lisa Rummler Advertisers' Index Editorial Resources In Conclusion

Chief Learning Officer - September 2007

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