XYZ Corporation XYZ Training 2.0 Training Program Evaluation · XYZ Corporation XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training Evaluation 1 . XYZ Corporation XYZ Training 2.0 Training Program Evaluation

XYZ Corporation XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training Evaluation 1

XYZ Corporation XYZ Training 2.0

Training Program Evaluation

Conducted by the following students in the USU MS Instructional Technology Program:

Patrick Cassity

Justin Gast Kyle Loosle Lori Maher

Richard Mckenna Shawn Pollock

Jan Reese Stephanie Anne Roos

Christian Smith Ann Yandell

Instructor: Dr. Nick Eastmond

Evaluation and Research in Instructional Technology & the Learning

Sciences (INST 6510) class during the 2011 Spring Semester

http://usu.instructure.com/groups/2028/users/256872










Executive Summary

This report summarizes the findings of an evaluation of the XYZ TRAINING

(name has been changed) 2.0 training method designed and developed by the

XYZ Corporation Learning/Training department and currently being utilized by

retail employees. The evaluation sought to discover how XYZ TRAINING 2.0 is

currently being used as well as if there needs to be another iteration of the XYZ

TRAINING training. Data was gathered using surveys developed for this

evaluation. The results show that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 is being used in every retail

store interviewed and that the overall opinion of it is favorable. Results also

indicate that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 is effective overall in helping employees achieve

the goals of the program. The other research question was if the XYZ Training

2.0 program needed another iteration and the results indicate that it is not

necessary, but there are enough improvement suggestions for a XYZ TRAINING

3.0, should that course of action be chosen.

Introduction

The XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training program was designed and developed to be a

successor to the MAGIC training program, a program which previous XYZ

Corporation employees were trained on. This program was created to assist XYZ

Corporation employees both old and new on techniques to approach customers

as well as how to effectively sell products. The program has been in place for

approximately one year. XYZ Corporation administrators requested an evaluation

to assess its effectiveness. The study was conducted by a group of 10 INST


6510 students in Dr. Nick Eastmond’s Evaluation and Research in Instructional

Technology & the Learning Sciences (INST 6510) class during the 2011 Spring

Semester. The evaluation was conceived and deployed by Tali Ramos, graduate

of the USU MS Instructional Technology program and current XYZ Corporation

employee. The evaluation was conducted through qualitative information

gathered from XYZ Corporation stores across the US continent. Data were

gathered from surveys conducted in person as well as via the telephone by the

students in the evaluation group.

The XYZ Training 2.0 program is a training program for new and existing

employees stationed at any of the US retail stores. It was first introduced to

existing employees in 2010 via the XYZ Corporation All Store Meetings. The

purpose of the training program is to assist employees in skill development for

approaching store patrons for customer service, educating new employees on

product knowledge, as well as training employees on sales skills. The XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 program consists of several steps as represented by the acronym

XYZ TRAINING: Smile, Talk, (Be) Available, and Rapid. Each of these steps

also has substeps to guide the employees in approaching guests so that there is

consistency and effectiveness in their approach. Videos created by the XYZ

Corporation Learning Department are shown to all employees as well as all new

hires to demonstrate and train on the program.

The task for the XYZ Corporation student evaluation group was to answer two

evaluation questions:

I) How are team members using XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING


SELLING) to engage guests?

2) What does the next level of XYZ TRAINING look like?

We planned on answering these evaluation questions by interviewing current

retail employees and store mangers, and using this qualitative data to asses the

current standing of the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 program as well as what could be

included for the next iteration. By gaining this feedback from current Store

Managers and Team Members we hoped to gain the insight needed to address

the above research questions.

Orientation to the Training Materials

Our team reviewed a collection of videos and documents created for the XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 program developed by the XYZ Corporation Learning department.

The videos were developed to introduce the program to retail store employees

and as well as to assist them in how to implement the program in their daily

duties. There are three videos in total: XYZ TRAINING Guest Engagement

Model Video, SuperXYZ TRAINING Selling Video, XYZ Training Coach Video.

Each video has a different purpose and focus of its presentation. Documents that

were reviewed also included the training materials from the All Stores Meeting

when the program was first being introduced, as well as some documents

relating to the plans for the implementation of the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training

project.


Our evaluation team first viewed the videos in a meeting that we had with the

Store Manager of the Layton, UT store on January 28th, 2011. There we were

introduced to the store layout and were able to view the training videos given to

all new trainees. The video and documents were also posted online for team

members to review on their own time and pace. By viewing these materials and

discussing some of its contents with the Layton, UT Store Manager, our

evaluation team was able to gain some valuable insights into what the XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 program is about and how it is presented to its employees. We

felt that this on-site visit offered a solid foundation for the evaluation.

Method

To gather data for this evaluation study, our team developed our own instruments

instead of trying to locate and adapt existing ones. To coordinate development of

these instruments to most effectively gather the information that we were looking

for, we focused the creation of the survey questions around our two previously

mentioned research questions as well as used levels 3 and level 4 of

Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model. All questions for the survey

were targeted to address one of these two levels as well as the two basic

research questions.

We developed two different survey instruments, one targeted for Store

Managers and the other for the retail store employees. The questionnaire for the

Store Managers consisted of twenty-seven questions, broken down into four


main categories: Value, Training/Coaching, Results, and Suggestions. A copy of

the survey instruments is provided in Appendix 1. The Sales Team Member

questionnaire consisted of thirteen questions, four of which were ratings

questions based on a five point Likert scale, with one being the least useful and

five being the most useful. The pilot test of these surveys was conducted at the

Orem, UT XYZ Corporation location, with minor changes to the survey

instruments made afterwards. These minor changes included adding a final

question to the Sales Team Member survey bringing the total to fourteen

questions. The surveys for the pilot study were conducted face-to-face with the

rest of the surveys completed later via telephone. After the pilot study was

completed and changes made, evaluators in the group were given an

assignment of names and stores to contact across the country. Some of the

states included on the list were California, Pennsylvania, Utah, etc. Included in

these assignments were schedules for the Store Managers as well as the Team

Members to be interviewed and store phone numbers.

Limitations

There were multiple limitations for this evaluation. First, there were strict

deadlines that were given to the evaluation team for gathering data. The team

was informed of the opportunity to conduct face-to-face interviews in Orem, UT

for the pilot study only days before the actually meeting date. Because of this

short notice, only one team member was able to attend. In addition, many team

members and Store Managers were not available by phone at the appointed

times, making it difficult to collect all of the desired data. In all, the evaluation


group was given 150 employees to interview, but we only reached 46 team

members and 15 Managers.

Additionally, there were budget limitations which made it difficult for some

researchers to make long distance calls to some of the states in areas outside of

their residence.

Time constraints were also a large factor. Many of the students who were

participants in the research group are also working professionals and were not

able to call their assigned employees at the appointed times.


Data Analysis

Results of the surveys are divided up into team member results as well as the

Store Manager results. Each section that follows shows the quantitative and the

qualitative results of each survey, along with an evaluation of that data.


Team Member Results:

How long has it been since you completed XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training?

Statistic Value

Total Responses 46

How helpful do you feel the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training has been in improving

your guest engagement skills?


# Answer

Response %

1 1 -Not Helpful

0 0%

2 2 - Somewhat Unhelpful

2 4%

3 3 -Neutral

11 24%

4 4- Somewhat Helpful

21 46%

5 5- Very Helpful

12 26%

Total 46 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 2

Max Value 5

Mean 3.93

Variance 0.68

Standard Deviation 0.83


Total Responses 46

Rate how confident you felt about engaging guests immediately after completing

XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training.

# Answer

Response %

1 1 - Not Confident At All

0 0%

2 2 - Not Very Confident

2 4%

3 3 - Neutral

4 9%

4 4 - Somewhat Confident

12 26%

5 5 - Very Confident

28 61%

Total 46 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 2


Max Value 5

Mean 4.43

Variance 0.70


Total Responses 46

How useful are the observation and feedback sessions in helping you to improve

guest engagement?

# Answer

Response %

1 1 -Very Useless

2 4%

2 2 - Useless

0 0%

3 3 - Neutral

9 20%

4 4 - Somewhat Useful

18 39%


5 5 - Very Useful

17 37%

Total 46 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 1

Max Value 5

Mean 4.04

Variance 0.98


Total Responses 46

How much, if any, did your product knowledge increase as a result of completing

XYZ TRAINING 2.0?

# Answer

Response %


1 1- None

4 9%

2 2 - A Little

6 13%

3 3 - Somewhat

16 35%

4 4 - A Lot

7 15%

5 5 - Very Much

13 28%

Total 46 100%

Statistic Value

Min Value 1

Max Value 5

Mean 3.41

Variance 1.63


Total Responses 46


Has your guest engagement technique improved over time? If so, in what ways?

Of the 46 responses, 97.83% people said that it helped them improve their

technique. Two of the biggest things reported to have been gained from the

training were how to approach guests and that using product knowledge helped

them sell better. A few team members also mentioned becoming more

comfortable with asking questions and having the confidence to approach people

as their techniques were developed.

Do you think your guest engagement technique has resulted in increased sales?

If so, how?

Almost all team members, 98%, believe that their guest engagement technique

does result in increased sales. Responses were divided about why they were

able to achieve increased sales, however, 27% believe sales increased due to

their ability to communicate with guests, 33% believe their 2-minute selling

technique was the key to increased sales, and another 27% of team members

believe they are able to increase sales because of product knowledge.

Can you give an example of how XYZ TRAINING 2.0 created a solution in a

guest engagement situation?

One person said that the training had helped with how to “interact” with


customers rather than just be a salesman, and that selling is all about how you

approach the customer . Most team members mentioned that they ask more

open-ended questions. Another example of what seemed to help was being able

to answer all the customers' questions and then to take them to the closest

match with the product that they are looking for.

When you are helping guests, what issues do you encounter, if any, that XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 does not cover?

Of team members surveyed, 40% indicated they felt XYZ TRAINING 2.0 was

adequate in covering issues of guest engagement. The most common

suggestion for additional training in XYZ TRAINING 2.0 was the 12% of team

members who suggested they would like training on how to handle situations

where there are out of stock items or with having techniques for dealing with

disgruntled guests. The second most frequent suggestion by 6% of team

members was concerned with how to deal with guests who don’t want to be

helped or how to help guests when team members are also fielding an in-store

phone call. Another 4% wished they knew more about both product knowledge

and how to accept coupons.

It should be noted the survey answers indicated concerns that the XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 program does not take into consideration that some of the

guidelines are affected by the team member's job duty. For example, if they are


doing returns, service at the service desk, or being on the register they cannot

leave their posts to show the customer products. On the team member survey we

did not record the team member’s position to indicate if lack of training is isolated

more toward specialized tasks.

Two percent of team members listed the following issues they have encountered:

selling an item can often take longer then two minutes, dealing with damaged

items, returning items, knowing customers pricing/price matching, keeping

communication fluid with customer while waiting for manager to show up, selling

warranties, dealing with isle information not matching with information shown on

the register, showing customers how to shop online, demonstrating the Store

Ordering Process (SOS), and making good suggestions to guests.

Is there anything that prevents you from engaging guests according to the XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 model? If so, what aspect?

The majority (60%) of team members felt there was nothing impeding their ability

to engage guests according to the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Model. However, 22% felt

the challenges of multitasking frequently prevented them from engaging with

guests, while 6% reported having trouble with customers avoiding them, and 4%

reported they were involved with a phone call with another customer and could

not engage a guest standing right in front of them.


Two percent of team members listed the following issues they have encountered:

parents being occupied with children, language barriers, and guests talking on

their cell phones.

What aspect of XYZ TRAINING 2.0 guest engagement do you find most difficult

to implement?

It was reported by 37% of the team members that they had no difficulty

implementing the XYZ TRAINING aspects of “Smile”, “Talk”, “Available”, and

“Rapid”. However, the majority of the feedback, stated that meeting the

prescription to be both “Rapid” and “Available” were the most difficult to

implement in practice. This challenge was especially difficult on busy days with a

limited amount of team members.

Responding in “Rapid” fashion was the difficulty mentioned by 32% of the team

members. Of those who mentioned “Rapid” as the most difficult to implement,

most made comments centered on 2-minute selling. Here are some team

members' comments: “Sometimes you need more time with a guest to give them

information; you’re in the middle of something and you have to leave it. In such

cases, you often can’t find an item in time, and your approach to the client can

seem ‘pushy’”. Specifically, “Rapid doesn’t cover when there is a lack of

associates around to meet the demand...some products (cribs and car seats)

take more time to explain and sell”. And, at the register, “So much time is spent


offering rewards and dealing with credit cards, and that takes time!”.

“Available” made up 21% of the responses. Of those who mentioned “Available”

as the most difficult, many said that it is difficult when it’s busy, especially at cash

registers and when multiple people need assistance. One team member said, “It

can be difficult to deal with customers at the register depending on coupons and

issues that arise”. Another, “We are supposed to offer services and products to

each guest while ringing up the sale, but that can be difficult when there are

many other guests waiting in line”.

The aspect of “Talk” made up 8% of the responses. Comments centered on the

difficulty of having sufficient product knowledge to properly engage guests.

How could XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training be improved to strengthen your guest

engagement skills?

The majority of responses can be grouped into 4 main categories: 1) Provide

more realistic solutions (19%), 2) Provide reminders or refreshers (15%), 3) Use

peers (13%), and 4) Provide more product information (10%).

For more realistic solutions, team members requested being shown several

different scenarios of how to use guest engagement skills. They would like to see

these scenarios deal with handling multiple guests, unapproachable guests,


phone calls, and complaints. Other suggestions involved having reminders or

refreshers on a consistent basis in morning meetings and reviewing a new

monthly XYZ TRAINING scenario using a new video (not a repeat of the same

one). It was mentioned that peers and role-playing could be used to encourage

dialogue practice, the sharing of ideas in a group training, and having peers do

observations, shadowing, and feedback. Some wanted to see more training on

product knowledge. Others point out the need for a register-specific coaching

form; recognition/appreciation for associates doing a good job; and tips for

dealing with foreign language speakers. Of those surveyed, 26% had no

suggestions.

How would you change the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 program if you could?

Of the 46 responses, 30% were either positive or noncommittal in their

assessment of the training (i.e. could not think of anything, or could not respond

without offering any specific positive examples). Among the remaining

responses, 6 felt that the videos were not realistic and too simplistic, in that they

did not address different types of customers (grandparents, teenagers, etc.) and

did not address how to engage multiple customers simultaneously. Twenty six

percent (26%) of the team member responses mentioned a desire for more post-

training follow-up from Managers, or other regular involvement at the store level

such as occasional refresher courses and role-playing exercises. Nine percent of

the team members responded there is a need for more product knowledge,


especially for new employees or when learning a new department.

Do you think there should be a XYZ TRAINING 3.0 program? (Additional

training?)

Of 45 team members who responded, 31% said that there should not be XYZ

TRAINING 3.0 training, with no specific reasons given. 11% of the respondents

said that there should be a 3.0 or some kind of follow-up training, but did not offer

specific reasons why. Another 11% responded that salesperson product

knowledge needs to be continually updated. There were only two emphatically

negative views of 2.0, mentioning that most or all of it needs to be changed.

Several respondents said the training requires more detail and a wider range of

scenarios, want 3.0 to incorporate role-play and training on how to deal with

shoplifters, or want different observation forms for different positions.

Manager Results

What do you like best about XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training?


Store Managers frequently offered the opinion that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training

allows them to interact and work with their store employees on a personal basis.

Some store Managers felt that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 gave a good “baseline” from

which to judge employee performance. One manager mentioned that XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 training gives them a good opportunity to be able to judge

employee performance one at a time. Another mentioned that they like to be able

to listen in to the conversation that employees are having and to be able to

analyze the small details of what is going on. Some liked the fact that XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 was very specific and direct. One manager mentioned that this

makes it easy for new employees to catch on. Some Managers liked the selling

strategies that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 teaches and the scaffolding that it provides

the employees.

There were a few Managers that were straightforward in stating that they didn’t

like XYZ TRAINING 2.0, making comments such as “Don't like it at all. It's not

informative and too vague,” and simply “Could be better.”

In summary, they was a general positive attitude towards the training with most

comments focused on XYZ TRAINING 2.0 being a very direct program, easy to

understand especially for newer employees, and a great tool for interacting with

employees one-on-one and evaluating them, as well as being a good selling tool.

What do you like least about XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training?


The overwhelming response to this question was that the Managers do not have

time to do the training and the observations that are required. Many would like to

be able to do more of the evaluations and give more consistent (and regular)

feedback. One manager mentioned that he or she likes doing it, when time is

available to do so. A second manager felt that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 was too vague

and that they were not sure “what corporate wanted out of them.” Another

mentioned how the forms that they are given to evaluate their employees were

too black and white and that there needed to be more gray area for the

guidelines.

Some other general comments included that they “Like[d] it much better than

other trainings that have been done,” referring to previous XYZ Corporation

trainings. Two different Managers mentioned the observations as something that

they didn’t like to do. One felt that it was too time-consuming. Another felt that the

guidelines did not pertain to every situation. A singular comment was made that

MAGIC was much better because it was easier to follow. Finally, one manager

did not like that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 doesn’t give guidelines for not-so-perfect

customers. The overall assessment was that carrying out consistent observing is

too time-consuming. These Managers felt that the observation requirement

needs to be less vague and more streamlined, although they did not give

suggestions on how this can be done.


What is your impression of the value of XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training?

The majority (67%) of the Managers thought XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training was a

valuable tool that guided associates in the right direction, to help to bring them up

to speed. The other third (33%) thought it was better than nothing, but that it

needed to be changed so it wasn't redundant, like they were hearing the same

thing over and over again.

Do you feel it is important for all of your team members to receive XYZ

TRAINING training?

All of the Managers said yes, that it is important for all of the team members to

receive XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training. Some added that they need better teaching

methods and coaching tools.

How vital do you feel XYZ TRAINING training is to the success of your store?

Of the 15 Managers that responded, 67% feel XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training is vital

to the success of the store. 27% percent feel it is helpful, but not vital. One

manager reported that he/she observed no change in store success following the

implementation of store training. Of those Managers that found XYZ TRAINING

training vital to the success of their store, 14% believed this was due to increased

guest service as a result of the training. Additionally, 14% commented that the


required paperwork was a hindrance to effective training.

Do you feel the time you spend to train your team members in the XYZ

TRAINING model is time well spent?

Overall, the greater part of the Managers, 79%, stated that the time spent training

team members with XYZ TRAINING was valuable. One manager felt that it was

not useful at all. Another felt it was more useful for new hires. Yet another felt

that one-on-one training would be more useful if time would allow.

From observations, does XYZ TRAINING training help team members

understand the value of good guest engagement?

Overall, 86% of Managers feel that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training helps team

members understand the value of good guest engagement. One felt that the

training did not do so, and another manager felt that the outcome depended on

leadership attitudes.

Do you believe motivation plays an important part in training?

Nearly all (93%) of Managers responded that motivation is an important part of

training. They elaborated that it is important to understand the reasons behind

the training, especially for team members who lack experience. It is less of a


factor for more seasoned associates. Also mentioned as important are praise

and feedback, though the opinion was expressed that the repetition of feedback

tends to reduce motivation.

Do you think people learn better when they are motivated?

All of the Managers responded that people learn better when they are motivated

or when they want to learn. Sometimes learning can be affected by what type of

motivation is present.

What do you think motivates people to learn?

The results from this question varied since it was such a broad question. The

Managers stated that the following were motivators to learning: positive work

environment and feedback, incentives and rewards, praise, self-appreciation,

meeting goals, new information, opportunities to learn, and knowing that it will

benefit their job. Of these results, positive feedback and work environment were

mentioned by three different Managers. Receiving rewards and incentives also

had three comments.

What’s your impression of XYZ TRAINING COACH?


Most of the manager's responses mentioned that the idea behind the XYZ

TRAINING COACH was good. However, there were some areas suggested for

improvement. Some felt that there wasn't enough time to review it and had not

watched the video except for the first time. They suggested having a review of

the video in staff meetings. Others mentioned that the video came across as not

realistic and a little awkward. The suggestion was made that behavior modeled

by the coach on the video could be improved to show the person as being more

friendly and likable. Others mentioned that there was a lot of paper work that was

not useful in turning the observations into positive conversation that would benefit

the team members.

Did the XYZ TRAINING COACH video adequately prepare you to train your

Team Members?

The majority of the Managers felt that the video was helpful. Several store

Managers mentioned that their prior experiences agreed with the video, but

added little new information. One manager did mention that the video needs to

be adapted depending on whether it is being shown at a XYZ Corporation or a

Babies R Us location since, in their view, the two-minute selling isn't feasible in a

Babies R Us situation.

How could XYZ TRAINING COACH be improved?


The majority of the ideas on how to improve the XYZ TRAINING COACH

program focused on the video. There was a general sense that the video was

unrealistic and the acting (mostly the coach) was awkward and uncomfortable.

Other suggestions included having different observations sheets depending on

where the employee is working (cashiers shouldn't be judged on the same

criteria as team members doing sales), give techniques to motivate team

members, show how to take the form and transfer it to a conversation, and how

to do role plays. It was also mentioned that some branches implement the XYZ

TRAINING program differently than others. If true, in their view, the implication

that different stores should act differently leaves a lot of gray area.

Which part of XYZ TRAINING training do you find most difficult to present?

There were several Managers who mentioned that nothing about XYZ TRAINING

2.0 was difficult to present by citing such things as their own retail experience or

that the training was just simple enough and straightforward. Some Managers felt

the difficulties were in working with their employees, such as getting them to do

XYZ TRAINING consistently, comfortably, as well as having some consistency

with the observations.

Rapid was mentioned a couple of times as something difficult to present, with

one manager mentioning that the implementation of Rapid depends on how busy

the store environment is. The busier the store is the less relevant the Rapid


concept becomes. There was some mention of the difficulty of getting employees

to do the XYZ TRAINING approach as well as some lack of consistency in the

observations that were taken. One manager mentioned it is difficult getting others

to give good feedback while doing the observations. Another mentioned the day-

to-day activities do not look the way the video did. A couple of Managers

mentioned the difficulty of getting their employees to approach the guests

properly.

Finally, one manager mentioned the sales and specifically that rapid was not

possible at the check-out counter.

Not including scheduled observation/feedback, how much time do you spend

coaching your Team Members in guest engagement practices after they

complete XYZ TRAINING training?

Almost every manager said they are coaching their team members on XYZ

TRAINING training on a daily basis in the daily meetings, as well making it an

ongoing process. The Managers really seem to make this a focus and feel that it

is important. Others stated they would like to take more time for these coachings.

There seemed to be no dispute that they feel that it is more important to coach

their team members on XYZ TRAINING than to do some other things they are

required to do.


One manager did say he/she does not spend as much time doing the

observations because they feel that it is more important to have quality. Their

feeling was the “quality [of the guest engagement practice coachings] needs to

higher,” and prefers spending more time on feedback rather than working on a

great number of the coachings. Overall it appears the coachings are being done

on a daily basis. The manager that isn't doing the coaching consistently cited

time as the only issue preventing him from doing so.

Do you think the way in which XYZ TRAINING training is delivered effectively

transfers learning to sales for Team Members?

The majority of responses were yes, with suggestions that role playing, shorter

length videos, peer training and additional product knowledge training would be

helpful.

How would you rate the impact of XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training on guest

engagement practices?

The feelings of Managers on the impact of XYZ Training 2.0 were wildly mixed. A

slight majority rated the impact as high. The rest of the Managers felt XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 was insufficient. Some Managers even felt the training made no

difference at all. Managers did indicate the training gave their staff more

instructions and options than just greeting the guests and walking away. Being


able to go back and retrain their employees was a common proposal from the

Managers.

To what extent do you believe XYZ TRAINING training strengthens the guest

engagement practices of your Team Members?

The majority of Managers felt XYZ TRAINING training met the basic expectations

they had for providing skills their employees needed to get out of the training. It

helped team members to be aware of the guests and make the required

interaction. A few Managers expressed enthusiasm about the training, but felt it

lost its effectiveness with time. While a couple manages feel a lot of guest

engagement is more about the store getting high survey scores instead of

focusing on serving the guests needs.

Have you observed effective guest engagement techniques that are not currently

addressed in XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training? If so, what are they?

Topics that were not addressed in the training included techniques to offer

solutions for out-of-stock items, extra services for backroom employees, taking

packages to customers’ cars and getting carts, developing conversations and

adding personal customer approaches, making a connection with the children,

using the SOS and in-store pickup services, and providing guest engagement


training for no-sales employees.

From observation, which part of XYZ TRAINING guest engagement is most

difficult for Team Members to implement?

The Managers reported that the most difficult to implement was RAPID. This was

because everyone operates at a different pace. Two-minute selling is hard

because of different customer needs and lack of product knowledge on the part

of the customer. Communication skills including follow-up skills were mentioned

along with approaching customers and how to follow the XYZ TRAINING steps

when other customers are waiting.

What guest engagement practice(s) do you feel Team Members most often miss

or neglect, why?

This question had many diverse responses that included Rapid. The thought

was that sometimes the customer needs help that will take more time. Two

minute selling, buyer protection plan, all of the product knowledge information,

add-ons, return policy and approaching guests were also pointed out as

frequently missed on the observations.

Do you feel the observation form provides the feedback necessary for improving

guest engagement skills? Why?


Of the Managers interviewed, 77% stated that the observation form does indeed

provide the necessary feedback to help team members improve guest

engagement. They described the form as “self-explanatory” and “clearly

delineated.” Another 38% of the Managers offered that there are possibly too

many aspects of guest engagement addressed on the coaching forms to give

effective feedback. For example, one mentioned how there are six items under

communication, which this participant thinks are too many. 46% percent of the

Managers referenced the effectiveness of the comment sections in giving the

manager the ability to record comments and feedback from the coaching

experience. Also, 46% of Managers described the experience of using the form

as an opportunity to teach team members valuable skills and attitudes.

Do your Team Members remember all the steps and sub-steps on the

observation form?

When asked how many team members remember the steps on the observation

form, 80% of Managers said their team members do not remember all the steps

and sub-steps. Managers suggested that team members know the XYZ

TRAINING model, but do not know the sub-steps. One manager said the form is

too specific and should include benchmarks instead of specifics. Another

agreed, saying there are too many bullet points. One manager said the form isn’t

used enough, and that could be a cause of why team members don’t remember


the sub-steps.

Have you observed inappropriate guest engagement practices that you found

difficult to provide feedback for? Please explain.

The majority of Managers (75%) said they have not observed inappropriate guest

engagement practices that they have found difficult to provide feedback for.

However, one manager expressed a need for training on how to handle loss

prevention, which is a scenario that can affect guest engagement. One important

concern that was mentioned was that many times Managers fill out the form

without much thought for the training, and as a result, what the manager

observes does not reflect what he or she records in the form. Another mentioned

providing feedback on how to follow through with instant credit.

List some ways XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training could be changed to improve guest

engagement in a measurable way:

A small portion (14%) of the Managers said that the training is good and no

changes need to be made. The remaining Managers suggested changes to the

training that fell into 2 categories: the content of the training and the process by

which the training is delivered.

Of the 50% of Managers who mentioned a change to the content, 21%


suggested that a change to the form should be made so that it is suited for the

front end of the store or for sales. Cashiers should use a different form than floor

team members. Additional content-related suggestions were to increase product

knowledge and adapt training to accommodate Babies R Us versus XYZ

Corporation. One manager suggested that the “Rapid” element of the XYZ

TRAINING model be more guest-oriented, and not time-oriented. Another

suggested a more thorough training on “2-minute selling” and a different

manager suggested in-depth training on add-on selling.

36% of the Managers asked for a change to the process. Three Managers

advocated the implementation of a more effective coaching process, with a focus

on quality over quantity, more hands-on training, and more opportunity to give

positive feedback. One manager suggested after the initial XYZ TRAINING

training that there be standardized refresher courses for Managers to cover with

team members during morning meetings or to have a monthly (or quarterly)

newsletter to cover various topics.

As a manager, what do you think is the greatest weakness of the XYZ TRAINING

training your sales Team Members receive?

Only 1 felt there were no weaknesses with the 2.0 training. The other 97% had

varying ideas on what the weaknesses were. The most consistent, with four

responses, was time constraints. The basis for this concern was caused by the


time it takes to do the observations or the time it takes team members to get up

to speed after receiving the training. Individual comments included the need for

product knowledge, consistency in implementing the training in all the stores, the

difference in sales techniques between XYZ Corporation and Babies R Us

brands and how each brand warranted its own training, how the training is too

general and unrealistic, and how team members acted differently when they

knew they were being observed.

What kind of program would you like to see if a XYZ TRAINING 3.0 was created?

Only one manager felt the current training was fine, with the qualifying statement

that Managers need less paperwork. The most consistent wish for 3.0, with 5

responses, addressed more training in selling and guest engagement. Other

responses included the need for motivation and incentives, peer training and

periodic refresher courses and follow-up, product knowledge, observation forms

tailored to various departments and positions, better examples in the videos, and

customer surveys.

Conclusions

Team Members

Team Members generally had a positive view of XYZ TRAINING 2.0, with

roughly 98% of those interviewed stating that their guest engagement technique

had improved as a result of the training, helping them interact with guests,

answer guests’ questions and ask open-ended questions. 60% percent of those


felt there was nothing from the training that impeded their ability to engage

guests. However, even with this response, many of the team members provided

feedback on additional factors that they felt were important enough to be

considered.

XYZ TRAINING 2.0 provides guidance on the ideal guest engagement situation,

but a small percentage of team members indicated that they dealt with situations

their training had not prepared them for, yet for which they were still evaluated.

Some of these included:

parents occupied with children

language barriers

guests talking on their cell phones

A bigger concern stemmed from the fact that there are several different positions

within a store, such as sales, back room, cash register, service desk, etc., which

allows for different types of interactions with guests, but that there is only one

observation form from which they are all evaluated. Team members at the

service desk or cash register, for example, cannot leave their posts to show a

guest a product and implement the Two-Minute Selling techniques, as indicated

in the survey responses in the previous section.

XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Model

Of the four points in the XYZ TRAINING model, Rapid was the one with which

most team members had difficulty. About 30% found Two-Minute Selling


challenging due to the realities of guest engagement. Team members spoke of

giving guests information, finding items, or even attempting to refrain from being

“pushy” as factors that often exceeded the two-minute mark. Additionally, being

short-handed also required team members to spend more time on a sale. Selling

a toy is also different from explaining the differences in a line of baby products;

the latter often takes more time.

Available was the next most challenging XYZ TRAINING point for team

members, with 21% stating that if a store is busy, it is difficult to be available for

every guest. This was especially a problem at the cash register, when cashiers

are expected to continue to engage guests but feel rushed by the lines that form.

Improvements

Team members cited four main areas in which the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training

could be improved:

1. Provide more realistic solutions in the videos; i.e., depictions of various

guest engagement scenarios (handling multiple guests, guests of different

ages, unapproachable guests, phone calls, and complaints). 19% of team

members mentioned it.

2. Schedule reminders or refreshers; i.e., follow-up training and videos.

Responses from 26% of team members were divided between this and

the next point.


3. Use peer training and role playing; i.e., practice dialogues among team

members, the sharing of ideas in a group training, and having peers do

observations, shadowing, and feedback.

4. Provide more training on product knowledge. 9% of team members

mentioned this.

Managers

Sixty-seven percent of Managers interviewed stated that they like XYZ

TRAINING 2.0 training and appreciate the chance that the training provides to

interact with their employees on a personal level. Twenty-seven percent of them

feel it is helpful, but not vital to the success of a store. For the most part, they felt

it is at a level that is beneficial to employees, allows them to learn the sales

techniques and provides guidance as they do.

Managers see the main drawback to XYZ TRAINING 2.0 as a matter of having

enough time to do everything that is required. The training and observations

don’t always get the attention they deserve because of other time constraints.

Managers also regard paperwork as a hindrance that prevents them from

conducting more observations and one-on-one reviews with their employees.

Another complaint is similar to the one the team members have, in that they feel

the training is too general and does not provide instruction on the various types


of guests and situations. In this state, it serves as a good primer for a new hire

but does not necessarily help employees gain experience with the many

situations they encounter on the job.

Managers also cited the things they felt keep their employees motivated. Of

these, positive feedback and work environment, and receiving rewards and

incentives were mentioned most.

XYZ TRAINING COACH

Most of the Managers felt XYZ TRAINING COACH was a good idea that needs

improvement. Most of the comments were about the video: it was not very

realistic and didn’t add much to what they had learned from prior experience,

although several also thought reviewing the video periodically would be helpful.

One manager said there needs to be two XYZ TRAINING COACH videos, one

for XYZ Corporation and one for Babies R Us, addressing the different sales

styles in the two stores.

XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Model

For the most part, Managers did not find XYZ TRAINING 2.0 difficult to present to

their employees. Some felt Rapid was the most difficult part of the XYZ

TRAINING model to train on. The rapidity with which a team member can


successfully implement Rapid depends on how busy the store is, and is often a

problem at the checkout counter as well. Likewise, different customer needs did

not always fit within the two-minute time limit.

Managers endeavor to coach on a daily basis and feel it is important to do so.

Many of them would like to be able to spend more time coaching but have to

consider time constraints.

Even with daily coaching, not every manager feels XYZ TRAINING 2.0 has an

impact on guest engagement. A slight majority felt there was an impact, with the

rest stating there was little or no impact. While it meets the expectations one

might have for a basic training, some felt it did not improve on basics or provide

instruction that remained fresh over time.

Observations

67% percent of the Managers interviewed stated that the observation form is

intuitive and provides the necessary feedback to help team members improve

their guest engagement techniques. Thirty-eight percent said there was too

much detail in the form, which made it difficult to provide effective feedback. One

example cited was the six items in the communication category.


The majority of Managers, 79%, said their team members do not remember the

XYZ TRAINING 2.0 model in enough detail to be able to focus on every sub-step.

Some felt that Managers might be filling out the form without considering the

training and delivering feedback that does not necessarily reinforce the training.

Still, a similar number of Managers were able to provide feedback on

inappropriate guest engagement practices with no real difficulty.

Improvements

Eighty-six percent of the Managers felt there is room for improvement in either

the training content or its delivery. See the Recommendations section below for

suggestions on improving these aspects of the training.

All the Managers but one said time constraints were the biggest weakness in

XYZ TRAINING 2.0, with observations and paperwork taking up too much time

and team members taking a great deal of time to learn the training well enough to

put it into practice.

Others cited the difference in the XYZ Corporation and Babies R Us brands and

want training specific for each.


Summary and Recommendations

The overall conclusion is that, while XYZ TRAINING 2.0 is generally well-

regarded, it has some wrinkles to iron out. It has the basis of a good training

program that provides suitable direction for team members. Improvements

generally deal with details rather than the foundations of the program.

There are significant recommendations for both the training material and the

means by which the training is implemented and sustained. These are primarily

drawn from the suggestions and concerns of the team members and Managers.

This would indicate that XYZ Corporation would be justified in creating a XYZ

TRAINING 3.0 program to improve on the current 2.0.

For the training videos:

● Depict varied and realistic situations in the videos that deal with different

age groups, different numbers of guests, and different stress levels.

● Teach team members how to make a connection with children.

● Develop guest engagement training for non-sales employees (service

desk, cash register, etc.).

● Make allowance for, and provide training on, situations and store positions

where rapid selling is not always possible.

● Develop different training material and expectations for XYZ Corporation

and Babies R Us.


After initial training:

Provide refresher courses that include occasional supplemental videos

that train on a given specific issue (two-minute or add-on selling, for

example).

Allow Managers to review the XYZ TRAINING Coach video as a refresher,

and tailor it toward realistic situations.

Design peer training activities such as role playing and peer reviews.

Provide instruction on loss prevention/shoplifting.

Provide additional product knowledge training, especially for Babies R Us.

Make more time for coaching and observations with simplified observation

sheets and paperwork.

Create different observations sheets for different positions in the store.

Provide a system of rewards or incentives for team members.

Focus on quality feedback over a quantity of observations.

Do not stress Rapid at the expense of good guest interaction for the sake

of time.

An evaluator with experience in document control systems proposes one final

recommendation, which is that XYZ Corporation might consider investing in a

training software in which training is created on a given topic, trainees added and

the training configured to recur at defined intervals. Some such programs require

the trainee to pass exams before they can sign off on the training, making it more

probably that a trainee has absorbed the lesson. This will provide a consistent


cycle of refresher courses on many of the issues cited above and help Managers

organize their schedule accordingly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ APPENDIX I: The Instruments

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

XYZ CORPORATION, INC TEAM MEMBER SURVEY ON XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING) TRAINING Questions posed by TRU Learning: I) How are team members using XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING) to engage guests? 2) What does the next level of XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING) look like? Proposed Introduction: Hi, I’m _____ from the Utah State University ITLS department, and we are conducting an anonymous survey as a class project for XYZ Corporation to help discover how the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING) training is being used to engage guests. As a reminder XYZ TRAINING 2.0, also known as Super XYZ TRAINING Selling, was delivered to the field in 2010 via our All Store Meetings or Onboarding. XYZ TRAINING 2.0 focuses on the following: · Smile: Approach, Welcome, Initiate · Talk: Ask, Tell, Show · Available: Be Aware · Rapid: Use Two Minute Selling” This survey has been approved and authorized by (title, name ), at the XYZ Corporation corporate office. We’ll be asking you (#) questions, and it should take around 10 minutes. We appreciate your candid, honest answers -- Be assured that your answers will be completely anonymous. This is not a performance evaluation, but an evaluation of the training program itself. Your feedback is important to help us determine the state of the current training and what improvements might be made in the future. Proposed Closing (after the survey): Thank you so much for your help and sharing your experiences with XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING)! We appreciate your time and value your input. Do you have any questions for me, or any final thoughts?

Comment [NE1]: If you wanted to make extra points with the client, you could work out a couple of training scenarios where you gave a hypothetical script (in an Appendix B, for example) of some additiona elements of training. For example, you might devise a short quiz on content to include with XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training. Or you might show some post training questions for discussion and feedback for Managers to use in engaging their new employees in direct problem solving. If there were more time, showing a couple of video scenarios acted out would be advisable, but I doubt that there is time available to develop these.


(If they ask for results of the survey, collect their email address). SALES TEAM MEMBER SURVEY QUESTIONS 1. How long has it been since you completed XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training? “On a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the least and 5 being the most,” 2. How helpful do you feel the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training has been in improving your guest engagement skills? 1: Not helpful 2: Somewhat unhelpful 3: Neutral 4: Somewhat helpful 5: Very helpful 3. Rate how confident you felt about engaging guests immediately after completing XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training? 1: Not confident at all 2: Not very confident 3: Neutral 4: Somewhat confident 5: Very confident 4. How useful are the observation and feedback sessions in helping you to improve guest engagement? 1: Very useless 2: Useless 3: Neutral 4: Somewhat useful 5: Very useful 5. How much, if any, did your product knowledge increase as a result of completing XYZ TRAINING 2.0? 1: None 2: A little 3: Somewhat 4: A lot 5: Very much “The next are short answer questions:” 6. Has your guest engagement technique improved over time? If so, in what way(s)? 7. Do you think your guest engagement technique has resulted in increased sales? If so, how? 8. Can you give an example of how XYZ TRAINING 2.0 created a solution in a guest engagement situation? 9. When you are helping guests, what issues do you encounter, if any, that XYZ TRAINING 2.0 does not cover? 10. Is there anything that prevents you from engaging guests according to the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 model? · If so, what? 11. What aspect of XYZ TRAINING 2.0 guest engagement do you find most difficult to implement? 12. How could XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training be improved to strengthen your guest engagement skills? (1) 13. How would you change the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 program if you could?


XYZ CORPORATION, INC TEAM MEMBER SURVEY ON XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING) TRAINING Questions posed by TRU Learning: I) How are team members using XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING) to engage guests? 2) What does the next level of XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING) look like? Proposed Introduction: Hi, I’m _____ from the Utah State University ITLS department, and we are conducting an anonymous survey as a class project for XYZ Corporation to help discover how the XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING) training is being used to engage guests. As a reminder XYZ TRAINING 2.0, also known as Super XYZ TRAINING Selling, was delivered to the field in 2010 via our All Store Meetings or Onboarding. XYZ TRAINING 2.0 focuses on the following: · Smile: Approach, Welcome, Initiate · Talk: Ask, Tell, Show · Available: Be Aware · Rapid: Use Two Minute Selling” This survey has been approved and authorized by (title, name ), at the XYZ Corporation corporate office. We’ll be asking you (#) questions, and it should take around 10 minutes. We appreciate your candid, honest answers -- Be assured that your answers will be completely anonymous. This is not a performance evaluation, but an evaluation of the training program itself. Your feedback is important to help us determine the state of the current training and what improvements might be made in the future. Proposed Closing (after the survey): Thank you so much for your help and sharing your experiences with XYZ TRAINING 2.0 (SUPER XYZ TRAINING SELLING)! We appreciate your time and value your input. Do you have any questions for me, or any final thoughts? (If they ask for results of the survey, collect their email address). MANAGER SURVEY QUESTIONS As a manager, 1. What do you like best about XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training?


2. What do you like least about XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training? VALUE: 3. What is your impression of the value of XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training? 4. Do you feel it is important for all of your Team Members to receive XYZ TRAINING training? 5. How vital do you feel XYZ TRAINING training is to the success of your store? 6. Do you feel the time you spend to train your Team Members in the XYZ TRAINING model is time well spent? 7. From observation, does XYZ TRAINING training help Team Members understand the value of good guest engagement? TRAINING/COACHING: 8. Do you believe motivation plays an important part in training? 9. Do you think people learn better when they are motivated? 10. What do you think motivates people to learn? 11. What’s your impression of XYZ TRAINING COACH? 12. Did the XYZ TRAINING COACH video adequately prepare you to train your Team Members? 13. How could XYZ TRAINING COACH be improved? 14. Which part of XYZ TRAINING training do you find most difficult to present? 15. Not including scheduled observation/feedback, how much time do you spend coaching your Team Members in guest engagement practices after they complete XYZ TRAINING training? 16. Do you think the way in which XYZ TRAINING training is delivered effectively transfers learning to sales Team Members? RESULTS: 17. How would you rate the impact of XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training on guest engagement practices? 18. To what extent do you believe XYZ TRAINING training strengthens the guest engagement practices of your Team Members? 19. Have you observed effective guest engagement techniques that are not currently addressed in XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training? If so, what are they? 20. From observation, which part of XYZ TRAINING guest engagement is most


difficult for Team Members to implement? 21. What guest engagement practice(s) do you feel Team Members most often miss or neglect, why? 22. Do you feel the observation form provides the feedback necessary for improving guest engagement skills? Why? 23. Do your Team Members remember all the steps and sub-steps on the observation form? 24. Have you observed inappropriate guest engagement practices that you found difficult to provide feedback for? Explain. SUGGESTIONS: 25. List some ways XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training could be changed to improve guest engagement in a measurable way: 26. As a manager, what do you think is the greatest weakness of the XYZ TRAINING training your sales Team Members receive? 27. What kind of program would you like to see, if a XYZ TRAINING 3.0 was created?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ APPENDIX II: Data Results

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Initial Report

Last Modified: 04/04/2011


1. What is your store number (and state location)?


# Answer Response %

1 8730 Florida 0 0%

2 6536 Florida 0 0%

3 5657 California 1 9%

4 8002 Washington 1 9%

5 9237 Indiana 1 9%


7 8729 Florida 0 0%



10 7515 Connecticut 0 0%

11 6321 New Jersey 1 9%

12 6379 New Jersey 1 9%

13 8303 Pennsylvania 0 0%

14 9203 Ohio 0 0%

15 6022 Illinois 1 9%


17 8361 Maryland 2 18%

18 6079 Michigan 1 9%


20 7820 Texas 0 0%

21 6040 Iowa 1 9%

22 5689 Utah 0 0%

23 5691 Utah 0 0%

24 6515 Utah 0 0%

25 9568 Utah 0 0%

26 8739 Florida 0 0%

28 6010 Illinois 0 0%


30 7808 Texas 0 0%

31 7713 Texas 0 0%

32 7811 Oklahoma 0 0%

Total 11 100%


Statistic Value

Min Value 3

Max Value 21

Mean 11.73

Variance 40.62


Total Responses 11

2. What do you like best about XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training?

Text Response

Allows the Managers to stop and pay attention to the conversations that are going on with their employees and look at the smaller details that they normally wouldn't pay attention to.

Being able to train one-on-one with team members.

Could be better. It's been out for a while now. It's not that I don't like the training. Would like more time to re-train on existing materials.

Don't like it at all. It's not informative and too vague.

Good tool for GSL to have a baseline to judge behavior. Good to help team members understand areas to work on, also approach and product knowledge.

Helps associates have a good example.

IT asks for deliberate guest service. It is task-related. Their guest service wasn't deliberate before XYZ TRAINING 2.0. It is now specific and actionable.

It gives us chance to observe and focus on one person at a time

It makes our employees aware of responsibilities.

Likes that it is very straightforward, described it as "black and white, no gray area"

Like the selling. It's quick.

Self explanitory, what XYZ TRAINING stands for, this is more simple. Easy for newest employees to catch on.

The opportunity for interaction between manager and team member.

The video is "catchy". Good intro that draws you in. I like the different situations presented.

Two minute selling, in depth, covers basics, provides example.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


3. What do you like least about XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training?

Text Response

Doesn't go into problem solving phase of guest interaction. Doesn't give examples for not perfect customers.

Don't have time to do it

Don't like the "mgr" represented on the video. He is "weird" the way he peers around the corner to conduct observations. Makes team members uncomfortable.

Don't like to have GSL to do observations b/c they don't have time. Suggests supervisors and peers give feedback.

Felt that the number of observations of team members was too time consuming

I don't think you're training enough. When you're new, need more. Most of the new people don't know anything. They see when we on-board them but not after that.

It doesn't flow. We used to have MAGIC program, that was easier to follow, it was more linear. XYZ TRAINING is just kind of a word to follow. IT doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's just an acronym. Likes MAGIC better, MAGIC was easier to follow.

It is a formalized piece of paper. I am constantly doing coaching but not necessarily with the paper. When I see an opportunity for coaching I am not going to run back to the office to get the form so I can do an official coaching session.

Not really anything that they can think of. Likes it much better than other trainings that have been done.

Observations. Guidelines don't obtain to every situation.

There's too much information to train. I feel like I can't do it fully.

The way the forms are setup. It is black and white when people are in the gray area. Too structured. Example, 2 and 3 XYZ Training rating, unable to communicate isn't an option. Everyone communicates. 2 XYZ Training option isn't reasonable because no one does that terrible which makes it black and white (between 3 and 4 XYZ Training). A little manipulative by wording. It is negative and not positive towards the people being evaluated.

Too vague on what is expected - what does corporate want to see?

Would like to spend more time with every team member and wishes she had more time for the message. Observations take time, they like them but doing them has not been consistent.

You have to type in information on your associates - reporting/paperwork takes time.


Statistic Value

Total Responses 15

4. What is your impression of the value of XYZ TRAINING 2.0

training?

Text Response

better than nothing, but not good

Doing it as a scheduled exercise seemed to make a point with team members. Talking to team members on a casual basis was not as effective.

Emphasizing what XYZ TRAINING stands for and it helps with initlal guest interaction.

Good step up from initial XYZ Training training rollout, but thinks the selling part could be improved. Selling is different for Babies R Us and XYZ Corporation.

It's valuable. It gives us the opportunity to sit down and go over how to engage guests.

It has a high value. It goes a long ways for what we want in team members.

It is good, b/c it makes employees/mgrs aware of what they should be doing

It is good and gives the customers a good basis

It is valuable because it makes associates aware of the need for good customer engagement.

It tells team members what guest service should look like.

Some parts are good. Greeting them and selling to them. Hard to do every customer.

There is benefit to the on-going coaching in the training, but is becoming repetitive and redundant to team members because they hear the same things (feedback) over and over again. Getting tired of it.

To bring associates who are struggling more up to speed, with our expectations.

Valuable as far as finding out baseline information - expectations. Good measurement tool.

video was good except for not enough focus on how to constructively give feedback. How to take observations and have a positive conversation. The XYZ TRAINING 2.0 is a step in the right direction.


Statistic Value

Total Responses 15

5. Do you feel it is important for all of your team members to

receive XYZ TRAINING training?

Text Response

Absolutely

Absolutely.

Absolutely. It provides them with consistent expectations of what we want.

Very

Yes

Yes

yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

yes, but we need more coaching tools

Yes, definately.

Yes.

Yes. If they had it more than just on-boarding it would be good.

Yes. It provides a refresher on the most important part of our job. For many team members, this is their first job and it's easy to get lazy in regards to guest engagement.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


6. How vital do you feel XYZ TRAINING training is to the success

of your store?

Text Response

Everything XYZ Trainingts with guest service. One of the most important things that can be done with the store.

It helps when it teaches you to approach. The guest gets to see you more.

I think it's more important than I realize. I use the program itself more than I use the sheet.

It is vital but depends on the execution of the tools given. The form makes it difficult to give the right communication. More pencil work than communication.

Not vital. I have seen no change in store success. The training is good to redirect behavior, but not vital because Managers would redirect without it.

Really vital.

The staff here is very tenured, 15-20 years, it's not like we have great turnover, even cashiers have been here 3-5 years. It would be more important during seasonal times, they have to get up to speed in a 10-12 hours.

Utilize XYZ Training training daily, we are the leader in implement XYZ Training training.

Very

Very important, since the point is to retain guests

Very Important. Creates environment where guests want to come back.

very vital

very vital

very vital

yes, If it is not too vague

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


7. Do you feel the time you spend to train your team members

in the XYZ TRAINING model is time well spent?

Text Response

Absolutely

Absolutely.

definately

I do.

more so during seasonal with new hires coming on.

No, not right now. Maybe with improvements

Not sure. I could train them myself.

yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

yes

Yes, but one one one training would be better if time allowed

Yes, training is critical to the success of any business.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


8. From observations, does XYZ TRAINING training help team

members understand the value of good guest engagement?

Text Response

Depends on the leader. It also depends on if they are behind it.

I think so. Even the tenured staff forgets what to do.

It takes time for associates to understand what the value is, but as they progress they XYZ Trainingt to see the value of each step.

no

Yes

yes

yes

yes

Yes

Yes, when done in the right way. It's more than just filling out the paper. The feedback that team members get is most valuable.

Yes.

Yes. Feedback (coaching) adds to it.

Yes. The video gives good examples.

Yes. Training is only going to be as successful as the follow conversations.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


9. Do you believe motivation plays an important part in

training?

Text Response

Absolutely

Motivation is part of it. The lack of experience of team members is another part. This is their first job, and so giving them experience is very important.

No, I don't think they need to be motivated to use it. Especially tenured, they just do it usually.

Very critical to understand the reason behind it, motivation is a self directed attribute, each individual associate is motivated differently.

Yeah it does. They have to have a reason. A lot of the quick seasonal trained people don't use it - they weren't trained well.

Yes

Yes

yes

Yes

yes

Yes, and the initial motivation provided by the training is good, but the repetition of the feedbacks tend to reduce motivation

yes, motivation and incentives

yes - praise and being positive are important

Yes.

Yes. People want to hear how they are doing. Being able to coach them and give feedback is effective in this way.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


10. Do you think people learn better when they are

motivated?

Text Response

Absolutely.

They learn alot better when they want to learn.

Yes

Yes

Yes

yes

yes

yes

Yes

yes

yes, depends on the motivation

Yes.

Yes.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 13


11. What do you think motivates people to learn?

Text Response

Any benefit to the learner is motivational; in this case, what will make their jobs easier.

Competitive factor within themselves and departments.

Creating a positive work environment. Being honest & kind in the way that you lead others and in how you lead.

financially - more hours accolades

If you set goals to help them learn, they'll see progress. There's nothing they currently see.

incentives, rewards, telling about wins to store Managers

New information - keeps you stimulated, like new product knowledge content

People want to feel like they are good at their job. Internal confirmation of doing a good job.

Positive attitude, financial incentives, please thank yous,

positive feedback motivates, the satisfaction of knowing you're helping

praise

Praise. Others see that and try to do better.

When they know they have an opportunity to grow and improve from it.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


12. What’s your impression of XYZ TRAINING COACH?

Text Response

A little cheesy...having a variety of people would be better

Feedback is important but the form needs to be rewritten. Need to take results from form and transfer to a conversation.

good

good

Important in every aspect and should be utilized more often than it is.

I think it's good. Most employees know when you're watching them, then they step it up.

Its important.

It works if Managers dedicate themselves to following it well.

I watched it once. That's all.

needs to have fun, not necessary to fill out paper

The ones I've had were pretty good. They did a good job.

The purpose of it is to help people improve, which is good.

The video coach was "creepy", not realistic.

They need more time to review it each quarter with staff in the in-staff meetings. It needs to be mandated.

Video was awkward - the video c0ach was not the type of coach I would want training team members. He was weird and unfriendly. Their was no positive reinforcement to team members. I had to redirect my coaches after watching the video.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


13. Did the XYZ TRAINING COACH video adequately prepare you

to train your Team Members?

Text Response

Basic general breakdown. Gives knowledge on what to do and what not to do. Liked video.

It explained it well, but I didn't need it.

It is an okay video. I think it is lacking. The coach in the video seems like a stalker.

n/a. I already know how.

No, a little too vague, broadband approach. Not enough trouble shooting.

no - I go with instinct

The way that it is shown in the video is hard to do ni the store . To the leaders, "it's the spirit" of getting the observations done.

yes

Yes

Yes, as much as a video can.

Yes, but I also have 10 years of customer service experience and feel it is common sense

yes - good guidelines

Yes. It was an ok video.

Yes and no. The basics were good, but this manager feels the training needs to be adapted to each brand. The training required for BRU employees is different from that required for TRU employees. The emphasis is on 2 minute selling, which is feasible with toys but BRU employees typically take 20-45 minutes to complete sale. There is a difference between recommending a toy and telling a customer about several different makes of car seat or stroller.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


14. How could XYZ TRAINING COACH be improved?

Text Response

Add more realistic situations/examples of guest engagement. The ones on the video were too staged and easy.

By taking the awkward coach out - It is very staged and uncomfortable. He looked like he was "spying" on the team member.

Difficult to fill in different sections of the XYZ TRAINING levels. Different sheets based on what the employees are positioned. Cashiers should be looked at differently than people on the floor.

Explain how to motivate team members - give techniques to do this

Form. Need to take results from form and transfer to a conversation. The forms should be a pathway and not a staircase. Not every conversation is the same. There needs to be different forms based on the sales floor or someone at the register.

Gave the basics, felt that they had to stress the spirit of it with their employees. The video acting was rigid and elicited lots of giggles form employees while watching, although they still took it seriously.

How to role play between coach/team member

If part of the Coach program were a management meeting meeting to convey the importance of the training, I think it would help us to be more effective. Everyone has different perceptions and it would be good for us to talk about our differences and try to align ourselves more.

It's bad acting. It doesn't seem real. I think they could make it more productive looking and professional. Also, it isn't very realistic. For example, we are supposed to greet every guest. In the video the coach is too busy stalking the team member to greet the guests around him.

It's been a while since I watched it. Nothing stands out.

make it more black and white. Too much grey area, up to interpretation. Training needs to be streamlined - every store approaches it differently

Need to be realistic and allow them to be Managers

See above.

Troubleshooting information.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


15. Which part of XYZ TRAINING training do you find most

difficult to present?

Text Response

2-minute selling. Especially at the registers. When I am observing cashiers I have seen that it is really hard for a cashier to have to practice 2-minute selling to a guest.

Accountability factor, conflict management.

Approaching is a hard part for some associates

Attitude, dress code

Available and Rapid. Rapid is tough because it isn't always relanvant based on how busy it is.

Consistency in observations.

Getting associates to approach initially - TALK

It's all pretty easy and straightforward.

Making other people who are doing observations more comfortable giving feedback.

n/a

No. I've been in retail a long time.

none

No problems. However, sometimes a team member doesn't hit every point on the form, but they still do the job. The problem is the form makes it seem like they are missing something, when in reality they did great.

RAPID

The day-to-day activities in the store do not always loot how the videos did. The training video should combine multiple guest experiences.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


16. Not including scheduled observation/feedback, how much

time do you spend coaching your Team Members in guest

engagement practices after they complete XYZ TRAINING

training?

Text Response

10-15 minutes per day among the 50 team members.

A lot, upfront and after

Constantly. Every morning they emphasize how important it is to help the guest. in group meetings.

Daily discussions, ongoing process.

Go over XYZ TRAINING expectations on a daily basis. Going over expectations of the observing doesn't happen enough.

I am a stickler for training. I am constantly training team members.

Initially, more time. Now less b/c it is not feasible to take the time - redundant.

Less b/c it's not important. The quality needs to be higher. Would prefer to do fewer of them and take more quality time with feedback rather than a greater number of them.

Less than I need b/c of time

Less time, in the beginning it was more

Less time than required b/c of time constraints

Thew approach. How approaches guests and initiate/end conversations -- > The whole dynamic of working with the guest.

This manager is at it constantly, 8 hours out of a 10-hour shift.

XYZ Corporation is about XYZ TRAINING quality service to the guests. We are talking about XYZ TRAINING training constantly. In every meeting and every day out on the floor.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


17. Do you think the way in which XYZ TRAINING training is

delivered effectively transfers learning to sales Team

Members?

Text Response

1 on 1 interaction is more beneficial

Absolutely. Observations and people mentioning the video are good reminders to what they have learned.

Constantly. All day is XYZ TRAINING observation. Always giving feedback throughout the day. Employees constantly need to be reminded throughout the day.

I do, but at the same time I think that product knowledge is more important. XYZ TRAINING is nothing without product knowledge.

If we are hiring XYZ TRAINING quality team members, then yes. And I feel we are hiring the right people and that makes the difference.

Not ideal - should add practice-role playing

Videos not too effective. it might be boring. They don't catch enough. Many don't like to sit and watch them. Let them shadow someone instead, and they might get it better.

Yeah.

yes

Yes

Yes

Yes, always increasing talent in store.

yes, but I think role playing would be better...and experience

Yes - could be shortened.

yes - peer training would also be helpful

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


18. How would you rate the impact of XYZ TRAINING 2.0

training on guest engagement practices?

Text Response

Definately an impact, but could be better

Depends on how much the leader put into it. Not in other stores from what they have seen, for example in Sugar House. Murray has struggled as well as is not doing as well with guest interaction.

Employees are awar of what they need to do and it makes them more comfortable engaging guests

Has not had an impact.

High, it helps give guidelines.

It's ok, but it could be better. I'm not sure exactly what to make it better. But it would be nice to go back and re-train. They get it once and that's it. Unless there is a problem, you don't go back.

I think it has helped - have seen some improvement.

It is a good basis for them

Positive impact. Created more awareness.

Rates pretty high. It gives them actual steps to do instead of saying hi and walking away. It's a good things.

This goes back to the same observation about the difference in the two brands and the need for adaptable training.

Very High

Very high - get lots of good customer feedback

Very valuable.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


19. To what extent do you believe XYZ TRAINING training

strengthens the guest engagement practices of your Team

Members?

Text Response

alot

Helps a lot.

Helps guide.

Helps them to understand expectations.

Immediately after was good. Long term - minimal

It does strengthen guest engagement

It has all the necessary information in it

It separates those who do well from those who don't.

Makes them more aware of what makes and complete interaction with a guest.

The initial training for team members is okay. When the manager is able to use it to train the team members, it is great!

They was a high guest level last year but it was done dishonestly. They were focused more on numbers than guests. Employees can't walk with guests during busy months. Members were asking for a 100% result form the survey if the guest was satisfied when the survey printed off on the receipt at the register. Employees then circle it and place their name next to it. This is suggested at district meetings but this Store Manager does not agree with it.

yes

Statistic Value

Total Responses 13


20. Have you observed effective guest engagement techniques

that are not currently addressed in XYZ TRAINING 2.0 Training? If

so, what are they?

Text Response

Couldn't say yes. Offer solutions for out of stock and never let the guest leave empty handed.

Extra effort by back room employees - i.e. taking packages to car, getting carts, going the extra mile

Gives them guidelines. Its up to the leadership team to take it to the next level along with employees.

Going extra step to find what they need instead of talking them into buying something else.

How to develop a conversation. How to engage a guest and not wait for the guest to come to you. What open ended questions help stimulate conversation. Stimulate the conversation.

I don't think so. It would help if the team member knew the ordering system better to help customers.

Making a connection with the customer by adding personal experiences/similar interests into the conversation

Matching guest engagement practices with individual personalities - the team members sort of personalize their approaches

no

no

No.

None, they use the training.

Talking to the children to make a connection

Using the SOS and in-store pickup services are new and need to be addressed in the XYZ TRAINING training. Also, the behind-the-scenes guys who work in the back have a lot to do with good guest engagement, but they aren't addressed in the training.

Yes. My non-sales employees use good guest engagement even without seeing the training.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


21. From observation, which part of XYZ TRAINING guest

engagement is most difficult for Team Members to

implement?

Text Response

2 minute selling, for the branding reason explained above.

Approaching customers

Approaching customers - the initial contact

Available and Rapid with being available when there are multiple guests.

Follow up conversation

Hard to give a sales pitch, when other customers are waiting for help.

It depends on the team member. Some are somewhat shy, so they don't like talking to guests. We try to steer certain employees to better jobs if that's the case like truck processing.

Most of the team members say hi and walk away. To stay and assist the customer is difficult. They get the first step and not the rest.

N/A

Product knowledge

RAPID - everyone's pace is different. Quick response means different thing to different people. 2-minute selling is quite difficult to do.

RAPID - they want to help customers, but they don't want to do it so quickly that the customers don't feel helped.

RAPID. When team members are supposed to do 2-minute selling. Sometimes they need more time, sometimes they need less. But, what's rapid. That is hard to teach team members.

TALK - Communication skills - conversation with the guest and also Product Knowledge

When team members don't have product knowledge they can't practice 2-minute selling as well.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 15


22. What guest engagement practice(s) do you feel Team

Members most often miss or neglect, why?

Text Response

2-minute selling. Especially on the weekend. If a cashier has more than one person in line they can't take the time to sell to a guest.

Add-ons

All the services: buyer protection plan, etc. need to be presented for the guest as it won't be brought up.

Approach and 2 min selling

Follow up or confidence in buying.

Getting the product into guests' hands. Sometimes the opportunity isn't presented.

Product knowledge - a lot of information

Rapid, take them to an item and not finishing explaining protections plans and upselling.

RAPID - 2 minute selling is missed the most.

RAPID - guest don't always need "rapid" help, they need lengthy help. Don't like the term "rapid" b/c it implies quick help.

Return Policy. 2 minute selling.

Same as above.

They just have a hard time with approaching guests

Statistic Value

Total Responses 13


23. Do you feel the observation form provides the feedback

necessary for improving guest engagement skills? Why?

Text Response

Absolutely. It's self explanitory.

Gives basics, but mgrs have to elaborate

Good walk through steps in form, but hard to subjectively choose b/n XYZ Training Quality and Three XYZ Training. Not much difference b/n the 2. Having more choices on form would be helpful. Would like separate form for non-sales people b/c some things are not applicable to them but they still do guest engagement. Doesn't need 6 aspects of communication.

I do, when it's used in its totality.

if done properly

No, it's a good reference for you, but it doesn't help provide good feedback.

Yes

Yes, but the form does not need to be filled out

Yes, I like the spaces to add my own words

Yes, the expected behaviors are clearly delineated.

Yes. Most of the team members haven't had experience is selling techniques. Data is good but has to be turned into a teaching experience.

Yes. some don't like the criticism.

Yes. There are an awful lot of areas to talk about on the form. I think there should be a comment section on the bottom of the form to mention feedback that we give team members.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 13


24. Do your Team Members remember all the steps and sub‐

steps on the observation form?

Text Response

A lot do know the XYZ TRAINING. A few forget sub steps.

I think so.

N/A

no

no

No

No.

No. Just, some won't remember what XYZ TRAINING stands for, they just know they need to smile and talk to the guest, they do it in a round about way.

No. The form is kind of too specific. there needs to be more benchmarks than specifics.

Not all of them, there are too many bullet points in each.

Not always

They don't.

yes

Yes and No. The form isn't used enough. Team members know the steps, but it would be better if we used the form more often.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


25. Have you observed inappropriate guest engagement

practices that you found difficult to provide feedback for? Please

explain.

Text Response

Individuals not providing training properly. What she calls "pencil whipping," which is just flying through the form filling it out without much thought. There is no fidelity between ratings and what is actually being observed.

Instant credit follow through

Loss prevention - how we react to loss prevention affects customer satisfaction

No

No

no

no

No.

No. Except in the case when team members group up and XYZ Trainingt having conversations with each other. That happens quite frequently and can be bad for guest engagement.

No. I am constantly coaching on the spot. If I see an opportunity to train a team member, I take it. I don't think we use the forms enough.

Not really.

Yes, and no, she is very straightforward with them.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 12


26. List some ways XYZ TRAINING 2.0 training could be changed

to improve guest engagement in a measurable way:

Text Response

Add training about add-on selling

All ready talked about. Likes program

Ask different questions so it isn't always the same thing

Break it down into smaller parts and give more suggestions for each section on what to say. Do's and dont's in each category. Application for register and not just the sales floor. Maybe use different forms.

Explain 2 minute selling more thoroughly.

It's a great model and XYZ Trainingting point. I think product knowledge needs to be a bigger part of the onboarding process.

It is already good.

Overall feel of the store, not measurable.

RAPID should be changed so it is more friendly and team members don't seem in a hurry.

Refreshing of the training. TRU will come out with a program and once you're checked off in the computer, you're done. Refresher courses or little things added to it we could touch on at morning meetings, would be nice. Or they could mail out a monthly or quarterly newsletter they could add some excitement.

The form needs to be improved to allow for more positive feedback and the help generate conversation between the observer and the team member.

The forms are measurable already. It would be good to have a form for the cashiers. The form applies to salesfloor workers, but the cashiers need their own form that applies to what they do on the front end.

The observations (number of) should be changed to reflect quality over quantity. More time for hands-on follow-up

This goes back to the same observation about the difference in the two brands and the need for adaptable training.

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


27. As a manager, what do you think is the greatest weakness of

the XYZ TRAINING training your sales Team Members receive?

Text Response

All ready talked about. No weaknesses.

Attention to detail and troubleshooting.

Being a manager, we'd like to observe more, but there are time constraints. Even if you observe you might not be able to give the feedback right away. They might not remember who the guest was that you rated them on.

Expectations aren't realistic, allow Managers to be a little more personal with guests

Finding a way to make the time or find the time to do the observation when the person would be engaged. Takes to much time to find a good option to observe the team members.

It is too generalized, not realistic. Need larger crowds/more customers on videos to show how to interact on realistic basis.

Not enough about add-on sales techniques - not a lot of showing customers how to use toys, like taking them off the shelf and handling the product

Product knowledge! I think there needs to be a large training on product knowledge for new team members. Our guests need more help than we realize. Also, there needs to be a consistency of information below the store manager in how we should engage guests.

Same as above.

The discipline of the management in using the form. The training is underutilized.

The period of time it is given. The team members are too new with a lot of information to remember all at once. Think we should wait awhile before using the training.

There needs to be better guidelines on how to plan it. Stores assign it differently. 1/2 the leadership team doesn't do it and makes excuses.

timeliness-it is hard to get all the observations in

When they know they are being observed b/c they act differently than normal

Statistic Value

Total Responses 14


28. What kind of program would you like to see, if a XYZ

TRAINING 3.0 was created?

Text Response

A certificate for when team members achieve a certain level. How do we motivate the team members so they continue to improve? What is a reward that is meaningful to them? One idea is to have a 3x5 card to use for less formal training when we can't run back to the office to get a form. Another idea is to have a XYZ TRAINING recognition form to put in the breakroom. Like a slip of paper that we give to exceptional team members that we can put in the breakroom. Get their name up in lights. It would tell everyone that this team member is a XYZ TRAINING.

Add guest surveys in the store

Add peer training/observation

Address forms to be flexible depending on what position the employee is working.

Eliminate the repetition. Have more clear behavior choices on feedback form or have just pass/fail. Expand 2 minute selling techniques and how to improve selling.

Focus on the art of a conversation and turning a conversation in to a selling opportunity.

Integrate product knowledge.

More shadowing and more on internet sales or store-to store orders.

N/A

One where they could roll it up to the management and then we could roll it out to the Department Supervisors and work with them to roll it out and help with the observations. It would help the Managers because we have a lot to do.

Same as above.

Selling.

She likes what they are doing, they are going in the right direction, the key important things are in it. If they could just let the Managers manage and not require so much paperwork it would be better.

Use a streamlined video with better examples. Add hand-on training/feedback with groups rather than individuals b/c some people don't like individual feedback - feel threatened More follow-up - a couple of times a year or quarterly

Would like more focus on how to engage guests in actual touching/showing the product


Statistic Value

Total Responses 15