If you don’t have a lot of experience installing doors or turnstiles, you don’t want to fake your way through it. We’ve seen how lack of technical training can ruin relationships with your customer and the manufacturer. So, why is technical training so important for your business? Here are our 9 top reasons:
- To Better Serve Your Customer. Your end user customer expects a turn-key, hassle free experience at a fair price. When a technician shows up “cold” expecting to figure it out, they almost always fall short of meeting these expectations. Get thorough, effective training from the manufacturer.
- Become More Independent. By certifying your technicians, they can be the one “go to service team” for the customer. You then become the proxy “help desk” for the end-user in your region. As a first call responder, you reap the benefits of additional income and additional customers that are utilizing the manufacturer’s equipment in your area.
- Create a Sense of Ownership. With proper training, you will acquire a better sense of ownership of any project. End users will stand up and take notice of the service that you provide, especially if they are installed products that are highly visible or directly impact the daily lives of employees.
- Proof of Certification (aka Credibility). Seems simple, but by completing training, your staff will be able to present to the end user a certificate of training completion endorsed by the manufacturer. It can be a key selling point that differentiates your business from competitors and helps you win new business.
- Building a Positive, Long-Term Relationship with the End User. Untimely and inadequate service can really put a strain on an end-user and their relationship with a service provider. End users DO call manufacturers and ask for help due to lack of service. You don’t want the end user calling behind your back. You want additional business with existing customers and highly-valuable referrals.
- Gain More Confidence. The confidence your technicians will gain from attending technical trainings will reflect in their work ethic. He/she will be more confident going to a site with the manufacturer’s equipment and, in turn, the end-user will feel confident they called the right service team.
- Enable the Manufacturer to Provide Better Support. If you are trained adequately, then the manufacturer can help you delve deep into advanced issues. You’re in a partnership with the manufacturer – if you continuously need a lot of hand-holding your partnership could be in jeopardy.
- Increase the Life Expectancy of your Products. By providing knowledgeable and timely service you will drastically increase the life expectancy of the products you represent, you will build your staff’s confidence, you’ll increase profitability, and you’ll strengthen relationships with your customers, who become great sales references —what’s not to love?
- For Best Results, Demand Training Flexibility. Because your business is complex, a manufacturer should offer a menu of different types of training. Start with face-to-face and hands-on training, preferably in a factory setting. Onsite training is another option where the manufacturer comes to your facility, or an end-user facility and trains you on a specific product. Webinars are great to keep refreshed on past training and to get some firsthand knowledge of a new product you may not be familiar with.
Everybody is familiar with “training.” Invest in it and you will delight your #1 target market—the end user customer.
