The Future of Sales Training

Sales training is a constant concern and focus for sales organizations, especially large organizations with dispersed sales force. We recently had a member come to us hoping to learn how other companies are training their salespeople using new forms of technology.

Technologically-based training, while far more scalable than traditional face-to-face training, has its own set of challenges. These hurdles range from rep engagement and training retention, to infrastructure capabilities, technology know-how, and prohibitive cost. These were among the potential pitfalls that our member was trying to avoid, or at least plan around, before implementing a new training curriculum.

We profiled five member companies, asking first for a description of their sales force and sales training teams, followed by an outline of the types of training the companies offer with a focus on recent technological advancements.

All of the profiled companies delivered training to reps with a combination of self-paced training through an LMS, in-person instructor-led training, and virtual classroom sessions. Executives reported that this blend allowed for the maximum reach and flexibility of training options for their diverse sales force.

Every company we spoke to had invested in or investigated technology advancements for sales training. One of the most compelling developments was the proliferation of mobile apps intended not only for quick hit training reinforcement, but also for on-the-go sales support. Another valuable technology was high quality video conferencing that acted essentially as a virtual classroom where 15-20 reps could learn from an off-site instructor. While executives agreed that these technologies had their benefits, they were quick to caution the establishment of these training channels as a standard. Compatibility issues complicated mobile app development and global infrastructure inadequacies hindered video conferencing.

Ultimately, executives stressed the importance of the content over the technology used to deliver training. While technology integration is a future certainty, engagement, relevance, and reinforcement were cited as the most important factors to effective training, regardless of delivery method.

CEB Sales Members, check out the full report: Delivering Training to a Large, Dispersed Sales Force and use the profiles to compare your organization’s training automation potential.