New Associate Customer Service Training Executive Summary
Payless ShoeSource was the largest specialty footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere, offering a vast array of style, brand and size selections at affordable prices for every member of the family. Payless served millions of customers through their extensive global network of over 3,400 stores and eCommerce presence.
Payless ShoeSource was looking for new ways to deliver customer service training to their new store associates. Current eLearning training modules are dated and poorly received by learners. With the use of ADDIE instructional design, the Instructional Designer (ID) developed a solution which was to be delivered during the spring sales meetings.
In the Analysis (A) stage, I met with Payless Latin America HR partners, ROPS VP, and a few DROs to collect information about the current state of Payless customer service, areas of weakness, and possible opportunities that would improve employees’ performance. After speaking with the subject matter experts, it was determined that a face-to-face solution would be the best approach. This allowed leaders to facilitate the training in a classroom setting.
During the Design (D) stage, I developed course learning objectives based on the information collected during the needs analysis. The training solution followed a similar format that was used during the fall 2018 sales meetings. Following this format gave facilitators confidence in delivering course materials as it eased their meeting preparations and allowed ample time to focus on learning course materials.
In the Development (D) stage, I created instructional materials which included a facilitator guide, participant guide, and a PowerPoint slideshow. The facilitator guide included timing of each activity, a list of necessary training materials, an outline of training materials, and a list of participants desired responses with corresponding activity.
During the Implementation (I) stage, senior Operations and HR VPs were responsible to training the materials. To prepare for the meetings, I held a video conference to review the course materials and model “train the trainer” delivery since I was unable to travel to the sales meeting in Latin America. Training materials were placed in DropBox for VPs and other facilitators to access from their laptops or other personal devices.
The pilot implementation was delivered during the first sales meeting held with senior leadership. There were roughly thirty associates in attendance. As meetings progressed this across Latin America, an estimated 340 store and field leaders received the training materials.
In the Evaluation (E) stage, I created a Google Forms survey and sent it to the first group of senior leaders that received the training. Of those in attendance, nine participants completed the survey. The survey included 15 total questions. Some questions were optional if the senior leader would not be responsible for facilitating training the materials to others. Eight of the nine participants felt that the course materials met or exceeded their needs. The one participant provided feedback that they felt the materials didn’t improve their ability to perform their job, but that the materials were effective and held their attention.
By completing this training, associates enhanced their ability to deliver exceptional customer service by determining customer needs through effective questioning (or conversation starters), support of trying on products, suggesting additional shoes and accessories, and gaining trends knowledge.
Payless ShoeSource was looking for new ways to deliver customer service training to their new store associates. Current eLearning training modules are dated and poorly received by learners. With the use of ADDIE instructional design, the Instructional Designer (ID) developed a solution which was to be delivered during the spring sales meetings.
In the Analysis (A) stage, I met with Payless Latin America HR partners, ROPS VP, and a few DROs to collect information about the current state of Payless customer service, areas of weakness, and possible opportunities that would improve employees’ performance. After speaking with the subject matter experts, it was determined that a face-to-face solution would be the best approach. This allowed leaders to facilitate the training in a classroom setting.
During the Design (D) stage, I developed course learning objectives based on the information collected during the needs analysis. The training solution followed a similar format that was used during the fall 2018 sales meetings. Following this format gave facilitators confidence in delivering course materials as it eased their meeting preparations and allowed ample time to focus on learning course materials.
In the Development (D) stage, I created instructional materials which included a facilitator guide, participant guide, and a PowerPoint slideshow. The facilitator guide included timing of each activity, a list of necessary training materials, an outline of training materials, and a list of participants desired responses with corresponding activity.
During the Implementation (I) stage, senior Operations and HR VPs were responsible to training the materials. To prepare for the meetings, I held a video conference to review the course materials and model “train the trainer” delivery since I was unable to travel to the sales meeting in Latin America. Training materials were placed in DropBox for VPs and other facilitators to access from their laptops or other personal devices.
The pilot implementation was delivered during the first sales meeting held with senior leadership. There were roughly thirty associates in attendance. As meetings progressed this across Latin America, an estimated 340 store and field leaders received the training materials.
In the Evaluation (E) stage, I created a Google Forms survey and sent it to the first group of senior leaders that received the training. Of those in attendance, nine participants completed the survey. The survey included 15 total questions. Some questions were optional if the senior leader would not be responsible for facilitating training the materials to others. Eight of the nine participants felt that the course materials met or exceeded their needs. The one participant provided feedback that they felt the materials didn’t improve their ability to perform their job, but that the materials were effective and held their attention.
By completing this training, associates enhanced their ability to deliver exceptional customer service by determining customer needs through effective questioning (or conversation starters), support of trying on products, suggesting additional shoes and accessories, and gaining trends knowledge.
