Importance of Training, from CRM implementation perspective

[I found this article on a website. I have made necessary modifications to keep privacy about the person who posted it. Although, the article does not match with theme of my blog, but still posting since i liked it and wanted to share with everyone...]

I am working on Resource Management System for my clients for some time and I would like to share a few, very key thing about training.

The major reason why people resist using the products is poor training. There are a couple of key points that must always be handled.

First: Management must be trained or have access to people who understand how to customize and maintain the product. It is only shear luck that the setup you chose to start is the right one and it will need to be changed -- and you will need to move quickly as often those changes will be directly related to productivity.

Second: The first thing representatives need to be trained on is the purpose and use of each of the different fields. If the CRM has been setup properly, each field has a very specific use, specific data to be collected, and specific ways in which that data may be used or manipulated in the course of normal use. If it is entered incorrectly some functionality may not operate properly. Additionally, if the team doesn't understand the fields, they will end up not filling them out, putting in the wrong data, or even entering junk. In all three cases the data begins to lose value.

Third: Users must be trained in the use of the product. The must know how to do all of the functions that they will be required and need to do in their normal activities - not knowing means not doing or not using and once again the data and productivity suffer. The training should include a test that establishes that the representative can do all that is required in a reasonable time and without mistakes.

Fourth: The representatives need to be trained in the proper work flow usage of the product. In other words, there should have been, by design, a work flow that reps would use to accomplish their daily tasks and make their calls. You must train the reps in the work flow process so they can be efficient, effective, and productive in their effort, especially important for web based products as they require considerably more navigation.
A good CRM person should have tested and addressed the proper and most efficient flow.

Training must be hands on -- not pure lecture or from a book. If you are doing a training manual for a CRM it should be driven by tutorials that walk the user through the process -- then ask trainee to take new data and repeat the process on their own. All of this should be retested later to make sure the learning was not simply short term memorization.

If the training can be integrate with actual working activity even better - in other word a knowledgeable person watches or observes the trainee in the live environment to make sure both usage and work flow have been mastered. It is probably difficult to incorporate some of these ideas into a training manual -- what cannot be incorporated should be detailed so the user can duplicate it external to the manual.

Ek Khat

Tumhare khat ka aana

Jaise

bhigna rimjhim barsaat mein,

bikhar jaana khushboo ka

har taraf,

tumhein mahsoos karna

apne saath

yaad karna tumhari baatein.

Tumhare khat ka aana

jaise

bhar jaana kisi shoonya ka,

bikhar jaana saari chintaaon ka

jaagana der tak

aur likhna bahut si batein tumhein.

Tumhare khat ka aana

Jaise

phir se mahakna

sukhe phoolon ka

-Unknown

My Sweet Nani...

I was a kid of 7 years at that time, papa was again transfered to Lucknow and we (Mummy, Bhaiya, Didi and Me) had to stay back in Faridabad. Papa underwent a small surgery of stomach, so mummy had to go to Lucknow to look after him. We again had to stay back home because of most hated thing 'SCHOOL'.

Nani came to our home for our look after. I must say that she was in her 70's at that time, but still she was very active. She could manage entire house equally well as Mummy used to do. We were actually not missing Mummy... and happiest part of the day used to be when she would tell us stories of "Raja-Rani", "Bhoot", "Indian Gods", etc. at dinner time.

That was the result day. I had come on 2nd position in my class. Nani had promised to buy me a gift.

She asked, "kya lega??"(What would you like to have??)

I was very excited that Nani would buy me a gift, but i was not prepared for such a question.

I was under thought... what should i ask for??

I was in extreme hurry to tell my choice, as if Nani would not give anything after 5 seconds.

"Parachute", i declared all of a sudden...

Nani was alien to this word.

She asked,"Wo ka howe hai??" (What is that??)...

I did not know how to explain what parachute is...

So she took me to nearest Gupta grocery shop, and told the shop keeper,

"Dekhiyo bhaiya, ye kya maang raha hai??"(Please see what the kid is asking for??)

Gupta ji had a big mustache and i used to be very scared of him. He knew that i was scared and hiding myself behind Nani's pallu, he spoke with his bulging eyes and loud voice, "Haan chhote miyan, kya du??"

I could not dare to come out of Nani's pallu, also i had to take the Parachute, in the controversial situation and anxiety i started chewing Nani's pallu...

Nani snatched the pallu, said, "bol na... kya keh raha tha ghar pe??" (Tell, what do you want??)

I spoke slowly without looking at Gupta ji, "Parachute"...

Gupta ji went inside the shop murmuring something and came out with 100gms bottle of Parachute Coconut Hair Oil...

Nani said,"Hai mare, nariyal tail chahiye tha, wo to ghar pe rakha hai peepa bhara..."(Oh you were asking for Coconut Oil, we have one container of that back home...)

I resisted on top of my voice,"Nahi Nani, ye nahi, udne wala..."(No nani not this, the one used for flying...)

Gupta ji started laughing with his Pan Masala filled mouth wide open, his red teeth were looking more horrible. His characteristic "BANIYA" tummy was shaking with ripples of laughter.

Nani said,"Rehen deyo ji, balak hai..."(forget it, these kids...) Nani was embarrassed.

She held my hand, we started moving back home, "Bhaiya, ab uske liye to tumhe fauj main bharti hona padega..."(for that you will have to get into Army...)

I kept on looking towards sky with a hope that i will get a parachute one day...

Why Women Are So Special...

Mum and Dad were watching TV when Mum said, "I'm tired, and it's getting late. I think I'll go to bed." She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day's lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal boxlevels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning. She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button. She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied a waste basket and hung up a towel todry. She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the excursion and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair. She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her bag. Mum then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Night Solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.Dad called out, "I thought you were going to bed." "I'm on my way," she said. She put some water into the dog's dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked andthe patio light was on. She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and radios, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals. About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular. "I'm going to bed."
And he did...without another thought.
Anything extraordinary here? Wonder why women live longer...?'
CAUSE THEY ARE MADE FOR THE LONG HAUL......(and they can't die sooner, they still have things to do!!!!)

This is for phenomenal women today...they' ll love you.
And men who know why women are so special :) ........!

God's very own creation! :)

- Contributed By My Sweetest Mitr 'Keju'

On the Line of Fire...

I was standing in bright sun light, it was too hot. I was sweating badly, thursty, tired, could not see anything or anyone long long away...
i was trying to run but could not...
"Oh my god! main kahan aa gaya??" i said to my self.
Suddenly i heard bhaiya's voice,
"bahar aa ja, yahan to bahut garmi hai"... i woke up, actually i was dreaming...
it was too hot inside the house, there was power cut, it was around 1:30 in the night...
I had water, and went outside.
Feeling angry, frustrated, exhausted, nauseated, etc, etc. etc.
What kind of nation are we living in? We dont have very basic need "electricity". We get huge electricity bill every month, and people who steal, they are enjoying. This bijli wala's they are real culprits, they get bribed and we have to pay the bills for all those stolen units. This bijli walas should be hanged upside down, and should be spanked.
I was really in a bad mood. I was litrally cursing bijli walas. Hour passed that ways and we were sitting out of our home.
Bhaiya said, "lets go and lodge complaint in Electricity complaint office".
I stood up as if i was loaded with 20 tonnes of weight on my shoulders. i dont know when Bhaiya took out the car and i sat in that. rather i should say i loaded myself into the car.
We reached the transformer from where get the electricity supply. One line man was working on the transformer and the other was instructing him from ground. The guy working on the transformer was not wearing any security boots or dress and he was working on 440KV incoming live line. I was shocked. the person standing on ground shouted: "abe kya kar raha hai, doosre phase main dekh light aa rahi hai ya nahi?"
the climbed person litrally touched the incoming line almost instantaneously and removed his hand, then again touched it and removed. He was checking the live line with his bare hand. "Nahi aa rahi", he replied casually.
"Peeche se hi trip hui hai", ground man said, "aaja, neeche aaja".
He was ingnoring the us.
Bhaiya asked, "kya hua hai, kab tak aa jayegi",
"Dekh raha hu, peeche se hi cut hua hai, isse pichle transformer main dekhna padega. chal hariram", he said to us and the person standing on transformer,
Hariram came down, took his cycle and started to move.
I asked hariram, "aap ko darr nahi lagta, bina security equpments ke..."
by that time he had climbed his cycle and started moving, "kya karen ooper wale sab kha jaate hai, equipment khareedne ko paise aate hi nahi hai". He was smiling while he was saying that. My entire frustation was gone seeing that carefree smile. These people have to work just one inch away from death, still they can smile. They have no regrets for that. Even a small mistake can turn there body into ash with in seconds.
They truely work on Line of Fire...

Hurray!!! I have done MBA...

I am happy to inform you that I have completed my MBA Degree. I am sorry if u got surprised by knowing, about my part time MBA (Operations), all of a sudden. I was a bit embarrassed about telling this to all of you. Actually I was trying for it since long time. I used to work very hard for it late nights. I'm glad that finally it all turned out well. I plan to pursue my studies in this regard further. I have scanned the certificate and please have a look.

-Contributed By Arjun.

Satisfaction...

Pandey sir is a middle aged man, very senior to me. He works in a company in Noida on the designation of Manager. Few days back he was very happy.

He said cheerfully to me, "guess what how much increment a person can get??"

i said, "dont know about company like..."

"humme...", He was so excited that he could not wait to complete my sentence,

He paused for a second then continued, "humme 24% increment mila hai... "

He said with an expression that can be called as "more then smiling"

I asked "so now how much you will be getting in hand?"

"more than 18000 a month..." he replied, unsucessfully controlling his enthusiasm...

I reached office, i was called for getting the Appraisal letter.

I was given a good increment, despite of that i was dissatisfied. I thought it was too less. My company does not give good salaries and what not…

The day ended, next morning I was again thinking about my increment, unhappy and dissatisfied, eventually we met again (pandey sir and me)…

He asked, "aur bhai tumhara increment kab ho raha hai…"

That reminded me of his increment he was telling last morning,

Suddenly a question popped up in my mind, “the person was getting much less then me, he is feeding his whole family of 2 daughters and a wife, beside other expenses he had to save money for marriage of daughters also, still he was very happy, then what was the thing which was making me unhappy? ” I asked myself.

My inner self instantly replied, “SATISFACTION”… more a person gets more he seeks for…

I started feeling better, more satisfied...