My background is retail, specifically Home Furnishings and Appliances; however, the lessons and procedures outline can be adapted for any business model, central to everything is having a PLAN, everything starts and ends there.
This blog builds on the ideas and concepts outlined in the ON-BOARDING post. https://salestrainer.blog/culture-101-onboarding/
KEYS:
- What are the basics a new associate needs to know?
- Try to use a building block approach, start simple but whatever you do on day 1, do each day and then continue to add “new blocks” and do the same thing each day, only adding new blocks when the previous ones are comfortable.
- Keep your expectations down, do not expect them to master everything the first week, but “build” them and “build” their confidence.
- Do you have your processes written down?
- Who is the one person responsible for their training? The trainer doesn’t have to be a supervisor or a manager, but for a new associate, having one trainer helps their confidence and it makes it easier to learn your unique operating methods. Other people can help with different segments of the training, but introduce them after the first day, but the first day should be spent with one person because it can be very overwhelming to a new associate.
- Give them a “Who’s Who” the first day, particularly if you have many associates, they will not remember if you simply tell them, unless you only have a few people.
- Look for comprehension and understanding, you may have to tell them more than once, treat them with respect, everyone learns differently.
- When the training is finished, document the training and put it in the associate’s file, follow up a month and 3 months later for their input and suggestions on how the training can be improved.
- Your training checklist is a “living” document, it should change and evolve as your organization does.
SAMPLE TRAINING PLAN
Day 1: Orientation
- FACILITY TOUR – Staff Introductions,
- Explanation Time Clock and procedures,
- Copy of the Schedule and explain our policy on breaks and lunch periods,
- Where parking is allowed, the lunch Area, washrooms,
- Review of the Health & Safety Board – explanation of all workplace hazards and explanation of safety procedures to deal with the hazards
- UNIFORMS – Provide 3 sets of uniforms, place order for any items that are not in stock.
- OVERVIEW OF BASIC PROCEDURES:
- Shipping and Receiving,
- Tagging and BIN processes,
- Radio frequency/bar coder procedures
- Review Driver Standards including Driver & Helper Responsibilities in Manual line by line.
- Review our Delivery Map and explain what days we deliver to each area,
- Review the pick list and have them shadow the trainer as merchandise is picked,
- Review staging locations and method for prepping a load,
- Demonstrate the proper way to unwrap upholstery, case goods, mattresses, electronics, and appliances and have them work on unwrapping stock for the next day’s deliveries
- Explain how to inspect for damage on all items
- Review proper loading procedures and assist loading trucks for the next day.
Day 1 Trainer’s signature: ______________________________________
Day 2: Warehouse Processes
- Review procedures and processes from Day 1 and have them shadow a senior associate or work with the day 1 trainer,
- Repeat the processes for loading the truck again, with particular emphasis on how to inspect for damages and to ensure the load is secure,
- Review the receiving process (unloading to specific zone, piece count, dating and signing packing slips, tagging, and storage),
- Assist in moving the day’s receiving to the appropriate bins,
- Explain how to read a pickup/delivery slip and how to complete, including circling the COD amount, recording the serial numbers, and recording customer license numbers.
Day 2 Trainer’s signature: ______________________________________
Day 3: Warehouse Processes
- Review the processes from Day 1 and Day 2 and work on loading trucks, doing pickups, and helping receive stock under the direct supervision of a senior associate,
- Learning assembly skills: Complete a fridge door swing, build chairs and coffee tables, and other products for delivery,
Day 3 Trainer’s signature: ______________________________________
Day 4: Truck Procedures
The Day 4 Trainer should either be the Warehouse Manager or the Senior Driver and the new associate will be the third member on the road with a set delivery crew.
- Explain what is contained in the driver’s binders (truck check, visa slips, promissory notes, waivers)
- Review Driver responsibilities and Helper’s Responsibilities
- Review the GPS and truck 911 maps and how to find an address using fire numbers
- Review the information contained on the truck run sheets
- During the day, stop at the store and have the new associate work with the Office Manager to cover:
- Forms for customers, credit card payments, and to review what documents may need to be taken on delivery.
- Review WHIMS tape and write exam.
- Explain how to call customers with times and have him make the calls today
- At the end of the day, explain the importance of filling the fuel tanks and checking all documents and returns properly.
Day 4 Trainer’s Signature: ______________________________________
Day 5: On the Road with a senior driver.
On Day 5, the new associate is partnered with the most senior driver and they work as a 2 person team on the lightest run of the day.
- Check load for completeness and ensure everything is secure and tied in,
- Perform truck check, including checking for initials on all lines,
- Explain our procedure for plugging the trucks in and proper use of diesel conditioner,
- Review our procedures at a customer’s home including setups and communication,
- Patiently show the new associate how to build chairs, stack washers, remove doors, futons as we deliver them,
- Call and check in with the warehouse every 2 hours to report on progress,
- Spot the truck on each delivery when it backs up
Day 5 Trainer’s Signature: ____________________________
WEEK 2 TRAINING
Normally we would have the new associate take Sunday and Monday off. Tuesday would be back in the warehouse, working with the regular staff, but ensuring that they are asking questions and following our procedures. Wednesday and Thursday would be “road” days, each day with a different driver. Friday, our heaviest receiving day would be spent in the warehouse with Saturday, our busiest delivery day back out on the road with the senior driver again.
WEEK 3 TRAINING
Now that the new associate has accomplished the basic skills now we would begin working on some of the higher level functions, including:
- Learning how to re-wrap stock; including appliances, upholstery, and other products,
- How to process returned goods,
- Begin training and certification on operating our forklifts and other specialized tools,
- To spend a day working at the store with our store warehouse person (we had an off-site warehouse)
At the end of the third week, normally we would have a performance conversation and determine whether or not specific additional training is required or whether or not the associate could join the regular staff and the normal training cycle.
Our NORMAL TRAINING CYCLE was on-going and included a weekly training session for all associates.
The completed training checklist goes to the associate’s file.
Summary: Have a plan, write it down, follow it, review it after each new associates completes it, and update it. Training your associates the way you want them trained is likely the single most important competitive advantage that you can have and the best investment in time and money that you will ever make.
Good luck.
.