Training That Should Be Implemented

¶ … training that should be implemented by ABC in order to make NetworkWeb more effective. The first is at the executive level, the second is technical training for the sales force and the third is communications training for the sales force.

Executive training is necessary for two reasons. The first is that NetworkWeb is a new platform and it will be most effective if senior executives are aware of it, know how to use it, and support it. Many of the suggestions and conversations that will be generated will pertain to issues that require senior management attention, so their input and time is required to make the project a success. The second reason for executive training is so that the executive understands the limitations of NetworkWeb. It is an online forum, not a radical change to the business model but an adjunct to it. Mr. Rodney seems to lack basic understanding of the value and limitations of the system. Sending talented, experienced sales reps into retirement because they might not post enough in the sales rep forums is patently absurd. Before making such drastic changes, executives like Mr. Rodney should understand precisely the benefits and limitations of such a system and what it really means to the company's business.

Training the sales force in the technical basics is essentially. Although many reps will already be able to handle such basic technology, universal adoption will not occur until all sales reps are comfortable with the medium. Thus, the medium needs to be demystified through technical training.

Lastly, communications training is essential. Online forums can degenerate quickly into incivility as many individuals adopt unhealthy online personalities. The tone of discourse must be guided by sound communications principles. These principles must be instilled in the workforce in order to ensure that the system drives the highest quality communication and avoids the pitfalls that can occur with online communication media. For example, improper discourse can result in lawsuits filed for harassment or discrimination -- the company should cover itself legally through a comprehensive communication training program.

2. In training the executive, one objective should be a high rate of executive participation in the forums. The executive should lead discussion and be active participants -- this will encourage the rest of the company to be involved. Without executive involvement, interest among the rest of the workers could quickly wane. Issues needing high level assistance, such as ethical issues, could easily wither without executive participation.

In training the workforce on the technical aspects, one objective should be a high level of participation among the sales force. This does not need to come in the form of posting, but rather in reading. The value of the application is in fostering communication, so it should be understood that the main objective is getting all employees to at least read the discussions. A further objective can be to have all questions answered in a competent manner.

The objective of communications training should be to instill a high level of discourse. For example, off-topic discussion should be limited; harassment and spats should not exist and neither should employee complaints about material posted on NetworkWeb. In addition to avoiding negative discourse, the communications training should also focus on fostering positive discourse. The number of questions asked, and the speed and quality of answers given, should be an indicator of success of the communications training program.

3. To train executives, the first step should be an introductory session, perhaps in the form of a conference call. Executives could therefore be introduced to the system remotely, and be given an overview of its rational and function. The second training method should be hands-on training program. This should come in the form of a course that executives can access through the company intranet. They can work through the course on their own time (Kruse, 2004). This will provide more in-depth knowledge of how to use the NetworkWeb system.

To train the sales force on the system, the first step will be to introduce the system and especially the rationale for the system in regional sales meetings. By introducing it with all of the sales representatives for an area together, the notion of NetworkWeb as a teamwork-based tool is reinforced. When questions are answered, the answer is known to everybody, which is a parallel to how the NetworkWeb system will function, further evidencing its value. The second training method will again by the online training course. The reason for duplicating the online version of training is that the sales force spends a substantial amount of time on the road. It is therefore unreasonable to take them off the road for an extended period to conduct classroom training. The sales people will be able to fit the training in between sales calls, but instead complete it at their convenience. Taking sales people away from sales calls will alienate them, so it is best to avoid that. Furthermore, sales people respond best to a mix of classroom and remote training (Wickman, 1999), which these two methods would essentially constitute.