in: Sage, Company News, CRM
You’ve chosen Sage CRM and the installation date is set. Now, how do you train your team on this powerful customer relationship management (CRM) platform? Here, we present training ideas to create an effective program that will help your team get up to speed quickly.
The Who, What, and Do Method of Training
This training method follows three simple steps:
- Who: Who needs to be in training?
- What: What do they need to know?
- Do: Perform the tasks they learn in training.
Professional development, such as Sage CRM training, must focus on the learner’s needs and on the immediate application of the new skills learned in the training. Adults learn best when training has direct relevance and when they practice the skills learned. Avoid theoretical knowledge and instead let on the job needs guide Sage CRM training.
Set Aside Adequate Time
Although scheduling a one-hour training and considering it finished is tempting, true learning is an ongoing process. One hour may be enough for some of your team, but others who need to be expert users may need two, three, or more training sessions to understand the system fully.
A good way to estimate the time needed is to look at the who or the people who need the training. Group the employees by skills they need to acquire and then estimate the amount of time required. Accounting, finance, and similar teams may need to understand the basics, while operations, customer service, and marketing may need in-depth training. Consider the skills people need to learn in the new Sage CRM system and set aside the appropriate time.
Build Excitement for the New System
You’ll also need to do some prep work before the first training class. Build the excitement for the new system! Let everyone know when the system will be in place and what they can expect. Describe and share all the new features, especially those people have asked for. These are sure to generate excitement. Help people understand how Sage CRM enables them to do their jobs faster and better. Talk to the company’s managers to generate buy-in among participants. This preparatory work does more than build excitement. It increases participation in training because people are excited and looking forward to using the CRM.
Use All Training Materials and Appeal to All the Senses
It’s tempting to stand at the front of the room and lecture, but that kind of teaching doesn’t work well with adults. Instead, think about how you can share information verbally, in writing, and hands-on. Engaging participants through listening, writing, and activities gives them multiple chances to grasp and use the information.
Consider Training Based on Actual Job Functions
Another way to build an exciting and engaging training program is to create the training around people’s job functions. Instead of a linear approach – this is the system, here’s this dashboard, here’s that function – orient the trainees to the system and then show them the features based on problems to solve. Select common issues they encounter in their work and then teach them to use parts of the system based on specific scenarios or case studies. This type of hands-on training can focus on everyday needs and help people master the system quickly.
Evaluate the Results
After the initial training, keep track of participants’ questions. What were your training goals? Did you accomplish them?
Schedule follow-up training sessions, too, and office hours for questions. Make it easy for people to ask questions and frequently share any training resources from Sage or Mindover, such as videos, newsletters, updates, and guides.
Support for Sage CRM Training
If your firm needs dedicated training resources and you need more time to build a training course, we can help. Mindover Software is a Sage Business Partner with many years of experience training and implementing Sage CRM. We’re happy to help. Contact us or call 512-990-3994.
