Customer Relationship Training in Virtual Format
Unlock Value (for You and Your Customers) with Industry-Leading Virtual Training
Our industry-leading customer relationship training programs are presented in two unique, complementary formats — blended and virtual. Each is designed to ensure that your key team members working in complex technical environments develop next-generation customer relationship skills that hold the potential to transform your business.
Carefully customized to the unique needs and goals of your company, each training program is designed to achieve lasting impact. Key components of these invaluable, in-depth, multifaceted programs include a mix of:
- Instructor-led training (live onscreen in our virtual format; live in-person in our blended format)
- Individualized project work on real, current customer issues
- Role plays (live onscreen or live in-person) that emulate impactful job situations
- Self-paced e-learning
- Individual and peer coaching opportunities
Learn More About Virtual Training Formats
Virtual Customer Relationship Training
While virtual training has always been a significant component of our traditional blended programs, our new full virtual customer relationship training option is better than ever. In response to growing demand for more virtual training options — particularly at a time when public health concerns are foremost in people’s minds — we have devoted considerable time and effort to reimagining and piloting our proven programs in full virtual format, and we are seeing impressive results.
Today, enterprises are looking for virtual training opportunities that provide more geographic flexibility and yet do not sacrifice the intimacy of in-person training. Fortunately, our deep experience with virtual formats combined with our proven program content mean that your team gets a robust training program with new options to best fit your work environment and workforce scheduling.
Here are some key attributes that may make full virtual training the best fit for your teams:
1
Individualized Attention and Scalability
Virtual class sizes are typically half those of in-person workshops, enabling a more favorable facilitator-to-participant ratio and more individualized attention for most learning exercises. The small group format allows you to start small and scale up your training initiative at will.
2
Convenience and Speed
Free from the constraints of “place” logistics, virtual programs make it easier than ever to launch training targeted at your teams who need it now. Staggered scheduling for larger populations provides more opportunities for your busy employees to attend makeup sessions. By eliminating travel, new opportunities can be created for cross-regional team-building, enhanced by peer-coaching exercises.
3
Minimal Time Out of the Field
By eliminating full-day obligations, virtual training minimizes the amount of time spent “out of the field” by your frontline employees. And yet the training sequence is paced evenly and exercises are integrated into what they are experiencing on the job every week.
4
Cost Savings
You will realize cost savings by eliminating the need to pay for training site fees as well as travel and living expenses for facilitators and participants.
5
Enhanced Virtual Communication Skills
One of the most important recent business trends, perhaps accelerated by recent health considerations, is the shift toward greater use of virtual technology for both internal and external communications. Of course, there are obvious as well as subtle differences between virtual communication and being face-to-face with colleagues and customers. Learning and practicing in virtual mode naturally sharpens participants’ abilities to bring enhanced relationship skills to virtual and face-to-face interactions alike.
6
Peace of Mind
Of course, the COVID-19 public health crisis demands that our in-person trainings be conducted with vigilant attention to social distancing and safety measures recommended by leading health organizations. The virtual format offers additional peace of mind in this respect.
If the attributes cited above sound valuable to you, a virtual training program may be a great fit for your company. We also encourage you to read about our standard blended programs and speak with one of our team members to make sure you select the ideal format. The good news is that our program content has been proven effective over and over again.
Virtual and Blended Training Formats: Similarities and Benefits
Our company was founded in 1990 — and since then we’ve been continually refining and improving our programs while responding to emerging trends in corporate training, technology, customer experience and more. Here are several of the most notable features common to both formats of our industry-leading customer relationship training programs:
Customization
Well before the training sessions begin, we work with your leadership team to develop an in-depth understanding of your company and your goals for the training. Once we understand what you want to get out of the training, we customize a program to your industry, your company’s goals, and your employees’ roles. Based on interviews with your people, we develop interactive role play scenarios and case studies that match important situations your employees face each day, resulting in high engagement by training participants and immediate on-the-job impact.
Localization
The rules of effective — and even appropriate — communication vary greatly by region and country. That’s why our certified facilitators not only speak the local language, they also have deep industry-specific expertise that allows them to tailor the program delivery to address both cultural nuances and unique workplace challenges.
Embedding
It takes more than one day to change behaviors. Our programs are designed to ensure that your team members understand our toolkit and know how to apply it in actual situations they face on the job. Eighty percent of live training time is spent interacting with cases and practicing new skills. Behaviors learned in live workshops or webinars are reinforced and sustained by e-learning, in-the-field action plan implementation and interactive coaching sessions. Participants share insights into tools they have tried and results they have achieved with customers. Facilitators and peers provide the motivation and support needed to continue applying skills on the job with impact.
Measurement
With our unique system, we take a baseline measurement at the beginning of each program that shows how effectively your employees are using a specific skill. We continue to track your employees’ improvement as the program progresses. As the formal program concludes, the link between adoption of relationship skills and business impact is elicited via a detailed case report in which each participant demonstrates how using the tools contributed to actual business results.
Certification
Designed to transform your employees’ relationships with your customers, each training program includes certification criteria requiring participants to apply their news skills on the job and also to generate, and demonstrate, business results. Our experience shows that a fundamental shift happens when participants go through this certification process.
Webinar Series: Use Service to Unlock New Revenue
Take a deep dive into the art and science of building more lucrative business partnerships with your key customers
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Which Program is Best for You?
In addition to offering multiple formats for our game-changing experiential customer relationship training, we also have a trio of flagship programs to choose from.
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Service Training
A complete, powerful service and sales relationship skill set for your front lines.Get Details + -
Sales Training
An unstoppable path to trusted business partner status with key executives at your top accounts.Get Details + -
Strategic Account Alignment™
Align your approach with customer goals and generate more business.Get Details +
Whether working onsite or employing trusted videoconferencing technology in a virtual setting, our experienced facilitators empower key members of your team with invaluable customer relationship success skills — delivered through customized training sessions that are attuned to your industry and inspired by the goals and vision of your company. Contact us today to talk about how we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is the content in the virtual programs the same as in the blended programs?
Yes. Both formats contain the same toolkit, customized role plays and case studies, and assessment and outcome measurement systems. While the learning design is necessarily different and some exercises are done differently, all programs are aligned with industry best practices and delivered by experienced virtual facilitators.
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Don’t you lose the “magic” that occurs when everyone is in the same room?
To some degree, yes. It is harder to observe body language or stand up to demonstrate a concept on the fly, for example. However, we have found that by making participants feel less exposed (i.e. less physically exposed, and expected to speak in front of smaller groups), the virtual format can draw learners into the conversation faster, accelerating their learning. There are different benefits to each format.
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How experienced are GPT facilitators with the virtual format?
Each of our facilitators is highly experienced in the virtual format. Up to 40% of standard program time has always been delivered in virtual mode, and so this is not a new experience or format for GPT facilitators.
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How would I choose one delivery mode over the other?
The Virtual Training and Blended Training pages are meant to highlight the distinctive attributes of each training mode, and so we recommend you read both pages, including the FAQs, to learn more. The best fit program and training mode for your company or division will be determined by your overall goals, your training population, your scheduling preferences and other factors. Please contact us and we can help you decide.