Do you need to train on every software package you use?

The short answer is yes!

As a software vendor, we regularly get told the following:

My staff don't have time to come on training
We will come on training once it is all working
We have worked on other similar packages, we will teach ourselves
The person leaving will teach the new user

While most software companies limit services to formally trained operators, this rule can cause serious relationship challenges with clients.

The reality is that staff who don't have time to come on training spend a lot of time learning on the job, over the phone on lengthy calls to service centres and don't learn many of the shortcuts and tips that enable them to use the product more effectively.

While many vendors spend large sums on developing manuals, whether soft or hard copy, we have found that a lot of people prefer to simply phone the supplier.

Delaying training until everything is working also can slow down the roll out of the product, as well as add risk to both supplier and user company.

We have noticed that people believe they are advanced because they have been using a product for a long time, and frequently get told by job applicants and payroll operators that they are advanced Excel users. Our tests indicate that they are able to do basic formulae, and some great tools like Pivot Tables and VLookups are not part of their skill set.

So the longer answer is that there are people who prefer to work their own way through a new solution and they are meticulous about doing so. Not only are they determined to work it out for themselves, they often end up knowing as much as their suppliers.

It is a small minority, though.

The majority of users benefit significantly from training in the early stages of implementation, followed by more advanced and technical training once the solution is live.

Links, References and Notes

Training
Business Connexion:Accsys
http://www.mwotafrica.com/mwot-tv/

email: tschroenn@accsys.co.za
twitter: @TerylSchroenn

Note

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