Phase One – Assessment
The leveraging process begins with an assessment of your market and of your organization. The purpose of this assessment is to identify the state of the organization's CRM capability, as well as identify gaps in knowledge and skills in the training population. In addition to depth interviews with appropriate leaders, assessment tools may include a survey instrument to be completed by all relevant personnel, a customer audit, and qualitative tools such as focus groups and facilitated planning.
An organizational policy review is also important so that any organizational policies that inhibit either CRM or training effectiveness can be modified and brought into compliance with the CRM strategy. Policy review methodology includes review of all relevant corporate documents as well as depth interviews with appropriate leaders.
Phase Two – Design
The Design Phase begins with a strategic training design session with the executive team responsible for improving CRM within the firm. BPT Partners facilitates this session which lasts one day. During the session, we begin to design the over-arching training strategy most appropriate for the firm. The participants should include customer and customer-facing policy makers to ensure all customer management policies are working toward the same objectives and that a plan for appropriate post-training management is developed. Depending on your requirements, this may include the design of effective performance measurement and compensation planning. In addition, the communication strategy will be finalized.
A training plan is the product of the Design Phase. This plan identifies the performance objectives for participants after the training process (the desired change in knowledge and/or behavior), learning objectives for the training, and evaluation procedures. Further, general training parameters, such as method, timing and location, are included.
Phase Three – Development
Following the design of a training strategy, training modules are developed. The Development Phase involves the preparation of presentation materials, exercises, case studies, and other adult-learning materials.
Pre-delivery quality monitoring processes are conducted during the Development Phase to ensure the most effective training possible. These processes include client review, testing and performance review. Testing processes include test delivery of the beta version with members of the client organization.
Phase Four – Implementation
The Implementation Phase begins with the curriculum being delivered to the appropriate leadership team. This training session is often slightly different and somewhat longer, as issues for follow-on management are part of this initial training session.
The curriculum is then delivered to the training population.
Client reviews are a part of the initial implementation, both with the leadership team and the training population, so that any necessary adjustments can be made. These reviews are conducted with appropriate client personnel.
In addition, the use of reflective exercises, cognitive maps, participant surveys and other quality-assurance tools are methods of quality monitoring that are used to adjust delivery as modules are delivered.
Phase Five – Evaluation
Depending on the client's needs, several post-delivery activities can occur during the Evaluation Phase. For example, if the training program includes post-delivery exercises and meeting outlines for leadership to deliver, follow-up quality assurance procedures are used to monitor the effectiveness of these activities.
Again, depending on client requirements, a follow-up assessment similar to the initial assessment can be completed to identify behavioral changes that have occurred. Return can also be identified through follow-up assessment, which can then be used to calculate ROI.
