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Utilizing elements of engagement during trainings to enhance the customer experience

By Angela Buchholz posted 08-31-2020 11:02 AM

  

Have you ever been in a training where your mind just....wanders?  Where you cannot remember how you got to the point you're at?  It's happened to all of us at some point.  Now think back; was there ever any attempt made to pull your attention back to the topic at hand?  How could that have changed what you actually paid attention to?  Do you think you would have held onto that information any better?  When your customers sign up for a training hosted by you, they are looking to capture a certain level of knowledge.  Anyone can instruct someone how to do something.  However, just telling someone how to do something doesn't guarantee they'll retain that knowledge.  It also doesn't provide an enjoyable experience for the customers in the moment.  How can you succeed in providing a training that's both engaging and helps the learner hold onto that knowledge?  I am going to go through several different ways we can engage our customers in a training environment to enhance their experience and help you to make a memorable, long lasting impression. 

In the age of digital trainings instead of face-to-face, how can you create the same level on engagement as being in the same room with the customer?  I highly encourage the use of webcams (at least from the trainer’s side).  It’s so impactful to your audience to see your face; it helps them really connect with you as a person instead of you as a voice coming out of their computer speakers.  My general rule of thumb is to have your camera on during non-training time (introduction, transition to/from breaks, closing) and have the camera off when covering the materials.  It helps the learner get a feel for the flow of the session and helps them refocus with the change they see on their screen.

Depending on your class size, you may be able to have your audience unmuted.  This is the most preferred option because it allows for the most organic conversation.  However, you really only should be doing it when appropriate.  A group of 5 people in the same office that are on similar knowledge levels?  Go for it!  Using names is especially helpful in capturing engagement in smaller groups.  What about if you have 45 people from multiple locations?  This may not be the best opportunity for a live discussion.  We want to make sure the customer experience is still at the forefront of the training and if a method of engagement would actually detract from the it, you may want o pass on it this time around.  You want to make sure that if participants are allowed to talk freely, you set some ground rules.  Make sure everyone is aware they’re not automatically muted and show them how they can mute themselves.  We never want to assume someone’s situation and accidentally be privy to a private conversation or have a dog barking in the background the entire time.  You can always go the middle route and mute the group then let them know when you will be unmuting them to allow for discussion.  Whatever you choose, make sure to set proper expectations.

Let’s talk about what to do when you have a larger audience where it makes sense to have everyone on mute.  Utilizing the engagement tools in the platform you’re using to facilitate the training should be something you’re doing as second nature.  Many platforms have a raise hand feature that can be used when you’re working with a larger class.  Just because you can’t have a one-to-one conversation doesn’t mean you can’t make your customers feel like you’re having a one-to-one connection.  Another option that is standard on many platforms is a chat option.  You can use this to have your customers chat in directly to you or even set it up to allow customers to interact with each other.  Your questions don’t need to always be related to their understanding of the material but instead can be how they plan to use the information.  “Let’s take a few seconds and chat in to me the what your office finds the most success with XYZ software/concept/etc.”  This gives the customer an opportunity to think back on their experience with the material and recognize their wins and really, who doesn’t like an ego boost?  There are also poll options where you can test the recall of the information, test the temperature of the group, or just make sure they are still with you! 

Regardless of if your group is muted or not, there are certain things you as a trainer should be doing to help cultivate engagement.  Directional language is so helpful in a virtual environment to really help people follow along.  Instead of saying, “go ahead and close out of this screen,” you can say, “in the upper right hand corner, above the blue box, you’ll see a black X.  Click that to exit this screen.”  The second sentence helps to deliver a more impactful visual and leaves less room for error on the participant’s end.  You can also use annotation tools if your delivery platform has them.  An oversized mouse, highlighter, or magnifier all helps to draw the attention to the exact area of focus.  You can also bring in opportunities to highlight best practice tips by saying, “make sure to jot this down” or “you’ll want to make sure you make a note of this.”  This really brings engagement back because you’re telling your audience this information is important for their success with the material you’re presenting. 

I am a firm believer that feedback is a two-way channel.  It’s important that you provide it to your class and you ask for it in return.  Coming from you as the trainer, it may be something as simple as, “You all did a great job covering these three concepts today!  Make sure to remember XYZ as the first step.”  This simple reminder can help your audience remember the first thing discussed and really bring the knowledge full circle.  Asking for feedback can be in a formalized way (through a survey) or something as simple as asking for an email.  Having your customers reflect on the material presented also forces them to reflect back on the training and recall information from those session(s).  

The next time you facilitate a training, make sure you focus on the engagement opportunities just as much as the material.  Focusing on engagement helps the customer feel more connected to you and the material along with retention of knowledge.  We all want to feel like our time is valuable and taking the opportunity to ensure that is met elevates you as a trainer and helps the customer feel like this training was created specifically to fit their needs.   

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