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How do I know if your training works? Will I get a return on my investment? (Back to top)
My training works because essentially it is a shortcut to the levels of competence that actual experience develops over time. The general degree of success from any training (mine included) will depend upon many factors - the biggest four of which are:
1) The training objectives are in line with the business obectives most relevant at the time
2) The participants have a need for the content covered in the training
3) The learning methodology used in the training promotes application of that content to the issues that matter to the participants
4) The trainer can engage the participants fully, to promote that application in a compelling way (and make it fun too)
These all apply to any form of training; face to face, online live, or online pre-recorded.
Below is my most recent survey result about performance improvement expectation from a mixed international group - all from the same company, age range 28 to 57, least time in position 3 months, longest time in position 23 years. Various levels of seniority. Subject matter sales training. None registered less than 10% improvement.
Here's some combined feedback from the last rolling 300 participants measured, various companies, taken immediately at the end of the training:
That's just happy sheet stuff. How do you measure results really? (Back to top)
Fair Point! Here's the bigger methodology:
Level 1 - Happy sheet, as above
Level 2 - Do people remember content
Level 3 - Are people using content
Level 4 - What effect is this use having
Level 5 - What is the monetary, bottom-line impact
Note: Levels 4 and certainly 5 can only really be done using control groups.
So again, what's the monetary return? (Back to top)
There's no guarantees.
I've only ever been involved in ONE true Level 5 evaluation, it's very rare for a company to do this with real control groups. In my case we did it for a very well known major global financial services company and the training objective was to increase the business bottom line. We had 2 groups of 100, each group mirrored as far as possible in terms of demographics, business seniority, business opportunity and existing client base. It took a long time to set up and we scheduled the training to complete right at the end of the financial year. Not too popular in some cases.
The trained group out-performed the control group by 27% in the financial year following the training.
How does Online training compare to Live training? (Back to top)
That's also a tough one to answer fully - each have certain advantages over the other. You can't beat Online training for convenience and low cost, and Live training takes the medal for discussion and the intensity of on-the-spot feedback. ROI% could differ greatly. But unless you've got the budget to engage in a live event (Venue, Travel, Trainer, Food, Drink Admin support etc) Online is the best by far. I do have a study - limited in numbers but enough methinks - that tells a story. 42 participants who experienced same content delivered live and then online, in mixed order. Participants were all professionals, with the company between 14 months to 16 years, average age 32, middle manager level and/or technical expert. Results lean toward Online workshops. See Below:
Do you have any case studies? (Back to top)
Here's a couple, more on request:
Who have you worked for in the past? (Back to top)
35+ years is a long time to be in business and in training and consultancy. Here's just a list of those clients I have worked with over those years - a few one offs, mostly repeats, some dozens of times:
3i, 3M, Abbott Laboratories, ABN Amro, AC Nielson, AchieveGlobal, ADT, Akzo Nobel, Alcatel Lucent, American Express, Applied Materials, Arab International Bank, Aramco, Ashland Plastics, Atlas Copco, Barclays Wealth Management, Boston Scientific, BP, BT, Bupa, Beachcroft Stanley, Boston Consulting Group, CCF, Charles Schwab, Citibank, Clariant, Credit Suisse, DGF, Ernst & Young, Esso, Exel, Exxon Mobil, Foster Braithwaite, FM Global, GE Aircraft, GE Capital, GE Corporate, GE Leadership Development, GE Multi-Strand & HR, Goldman Sachs, GSK, Halliburton, Hempel, HP, HSBC, Honeywell, International Paint, Janssen-Cilag, Johnson & Johnson, KP, KPMG, Kavanagh, LG, Lazard, Lonza, Lloyds TSB, Middle East Associates, Mepha Pharma, National Bank of Dubai, National Bank of Oman, OOCL, ORPIC, NCCI, Nokia, Novartis, Petroplan, Philips, Pictet Asset Management, PPG, PPP, P&G, RBS, Reuters, Roche, Royal Bank of Canada, Robson Rhodes, Samsung, SEB, Shell, Siemans, State Street, Sun Microsystems, Syntegra Capital, Symrise, TNT, UBS, Wataniya, Wells Fargo, Western Union, Willis, Yahoo, Zurmont Madison
What do your clients say about you? I know you'll choose good ones but anyway .... (Back to top)
Yup. Here's a few - 4 big corporates and 1 individual. I thought 5 was enough (but more on request if needed):
"I used Steve to do sales training in Malaysia and Singapore, I have to comment that these were by far the best sales training seminars I have seen in 35 years of being involved in all levels of selling. Steve has the ability to get into your company, understand the pain points and address these directly in the seminars to a point where the salespeople can really see their difficulties clearly and understand how to address them. He prepares himself by discussing with the team, understanding the product and presenting with your company's terminology which the salespeople understand."
Dereck Devlin, General Manager Atlas Copco
"I worked for International Paint for 36 years, 32 years of that overseas of which 30 in Asia. Steve was used for many years training our sales and technical teams around the World and running Management Development programs - and did an outstanding job. Highly recommended."
Alan Pratt, Technical Director International Paint
"Each of Steve's training courses that I have attended - and later participated in as a subject matter expert presenter for my employer - have been tremendously helpful to me in my career. Each one was not only up-to-date and topical, but above all his inter-active and easy style meant that all participants, many from different countries, were able to participate fully. I would strongly recommend his courses, wherever in the world you might be located."
Professor Colin Anderson, R&D Director at American Chemet Corporation USA
"Steve was an inspiration to me in my early days. He helped my dreams come true. I'm looking forward to some more of his 'magic' in structuring another sales team in my next start up."
Shaun Vernon, now MD Abequation Pty Australia
"There is a lot of generic Sales training available but Steve stands out as he manages to engage learners with his energetic delivery, great examples, enthusiasm and fun - and by constantly linking the examples back into our own business, products, customers and ways of working so that there is an immediate relevance and applicability which strongly reinforces the learning. I have seen what he has been doing with online training to bring his experience and knowledge to a wider audience and am delighted with what he is producing - and would recommend giving his programmes a try. I do not think that you will be disappointed."
Chris Ryan, Training Manager Akzo Nobel
"I met Steve when I was in a large accounting practice. Steve made the impossible possible and taught us how to sell audit services. I have never forgotten the lessons about funnelling and the psychology of selling, as well as the language and processes to deal with barriers and objections when closing. Steve delivered a highly effective workshop which paid for itself many times over with a significant impact on revenue generation."
Christopher Honeyman Brown​ NON‑EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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