The Training Checklist: A Poor Model

The problem with a checklist is at some point, you check it.  Whether that checklist is profit-prioritized or written in crayon, at some point everything on list will be complete.

The checklist is a poor model to run any business by because it implies that once you check something off the list it’s complete.  Even worse, what happens to people when training is a line item on your checklist? It causes frustration on our part and theirs.

Any of these questions sound familiar?

• Why is this happening again, we covered that last week?
• How could they not know that, they have been here for 6 months?
• What do you mean they quit, they just finished training?
• How could they still not be at quota, we assigned them the best trainer?
• They should be doing much better than they are, what’s the problem?

If a checklist isn’t the right analogy what is?  How about a circle?  Every good training system is a self-sustaining cycle.  It requires that when a task is finished it creates the need for a new one. It is the self-sustaining nature of a system that builds the framework for proper follow through.  If training is a checklist then it’s something that can be checked off and forgotten or worse something that can be skipped entirely.

Hours, weeks, months and even years go into creating a training system and culture.  If you did it right you identified your core values and put those values into actionable steps.  You carefully documented the process and thought of every step but without the proper follow through the entire system will be something you did for two months and then reverted to whatever you were doing before.  Your collectors are perfectly aware that most new initiatives have a shelf life and when they expire they will simply go back to what is comfortable.

Follow through is not something you do for 3 months it is ongoing.  Much to everyone’s chagrin a training program is something that will never run its self.  Follow through on the people and the processes.  Have a system that allows different points of interaction with both.

Daily

Ever hear of MBWA (Management by Walking Around)?  While the method is not something that fits perfectly in this scenario I do like its hands on approach.  Daily follow through is simply being physically present in the locations that need your attention.  It is you understanding the problems on the ground.  A popular reality show “Undercover Boss” is an opportunity for CEOs to get this kind of daily experience.  They get a chance to finally see how policy and procedures are really implemented and gauge their effectiveness.   For the management team of a collection department you should be spending time with your collectors.

As a young collection manager I fought hard to get an office instead I got a bigger cubicle.  At the time I thought that my role was being devalued; now I see the wisdom of keeping management close to the action.

Another important aspect of the daily follow through is the speed at which you accomplish the job.  If you observe a problem then you address it immediately.  Don’t wait for an arbitrary review date to address the issue.  If someone is doing something against their training let them know and on the flip side of the coin if someone is doing something right also let them know immediately.  Record your observations, daily follow through is completely useless unless you know what you saw.

Weekly

Training shouldn’t just be a “good idea”.  You should believe in it.  The patterns that you detect form the basis for a long term training plan for that individual.  As areas are addressed more issues will arise and slowly your employees will find the success you both want.

Monthly

On a monthly basis you should also be reviewing the ancillary components of your program and ensure that they still comply with the system.  Make sure the tools you put in place are being used and make sure you are somehow quantifying the results.

Now that we have explored the nuts and bolts of ensuring how your training program can be successful, let’s talk about what is at the heart of follow through, accountability.  Ensuring you are accountable to your employees is just as important as your employees being accountable to you.  If the training program was so potentially beneficial to your employees then what are you communicating to them when you stop expecting compliance to it 3 months later?

You are not only accountable to ensure your employees are conforming to the training but you should have mechanisms in place to ensure that the end goal is not just compliance but success.  These mechanisms or processes are interaction points in the system.  Predesigned opportunities to teach, receive feedback, and hold everyone accountable to the system.

Possible Mechanisms

• Mentor System
• Open Door Policy (someone may disagree and you should be willing to talk about it)
• Anonymous Reviews of policy (everyone with an opinion may not be interested in coming into your office)
• A success metric (make sure you can measure success so when you reach it you can celebrate)
• A system of systematic monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation is at the heart of these mechanisms.  Many agencies are recording calls the question is what are you doing with all that data?  Monitoring your employees on the phone is the key to any training program’s success.  Without monitoring you simply don’t know if your training has any traction.  You don’t know what individual collectors needs are and how you can personalize the training.

A monitoring system requires even more than just listening to calls. You need a system in place to ensure your collectors understand the expectations and have an objective method of systemically evaluating calls.   Once you have evaluated a sufficient number of calls to understand a collector’s pattern of behavior you simply tailor your training to address those issues with the individual collector.  To drive the point home a collector should be allowed to listen to and evaluate their own calls.  They will see the problems as quickly as or faster than even you can.

Follow through is not simply ensuring compliance its ensuring success which means you need to be willing to do whatever it takes.  From his book Developing the Leader Within You, John C Maxwell recounts the story of a sales manager “berating” his employees for poor performance.  The manager then makes the analogy that when a football team is doing poorly they replace the players.  An employee, a former NFL player, responded by saying “Actually, sir, if the whole team was having trouble, we usually got a new coach.”  In our industry we tend to put the onus on the collectors to perform better but in reality it is us that are accountable.  Don’t relegate the people who look to you as a leader to a simple list. Spend the time to put a good program in place and then have the zeal to appropriately follow up on both the program and your employees.

About Brett Sivits
Brett is an Associate Partner at The Intelitech Group, a consulting firm exclusively focused on the accounts receivable industry.  Although Sivits consults for clients in all areas of the accounts receivable industry he spends most of his time working to improve the education and support that frontline collectors and their coaches receive.  Sivits believes passionately that programs that support this core component can result in the change that many in the industry are seeking without compromising collection rates.  If you have questions or comments for Sivits please contact him at bretts@intelitechgroup.com.

About The Intelitech Group
The Intelitech Group provides consulting and technology solutions to help organizations achieve optimal results. Leveraging industry expertise and market intelligence with the latest technology innovations, The Intelitech Group brings extensive knowledge, insights and practical tools to help agencies delve deep into all facets of the organization to measure, analyze and implement results-oriented solutions. For more information visit: www.intelitechgroup.com.

About Elevate!
The Intelitech group has created Elevate! to provide companies with an opportunity to teach your entire collection staff.  Like any good system Elevate! contains elements for both the Collector and Coach.  It also finally gives your collectors a tool that allows them to practice those skills learned in the training room and take full advantage of them on the collection floor.  Collectors learn skills that will improve their ability to collect money and coaches receive the training and support necessary to properly guide collectors to the next level.