“I didn’t know it could do that!”

When I purchased my current car, the last 15 minutes at the dealership had a big impact on me. During those minutes, a dealership employee, Rose, walked me to the vehicle, showed me around, and pointed out each of the buttons on my keys. Then she sat in the car with me and helped me set up my favorite radio stations.  After asking if I used a smartphone, Rose took the time to link my phone to the vehicle’s Bluetooth system and then had me place a call to her phone—from my steering wheel—to test it out. Finally, she made sure I saw the pages in the car’s manual listing the vehicle’s standard equipment and recommended maintenance schedule.

It was a small amount of effort on Rose’s part to provide a few minutes of training to help me better understand my investment. Her training reinforced my decision to purchase the vehicle, increased my satisfaction, and made huge strides in helping me get the most out of a significant purchase.

This is the power of training.

Getting the most from your system

Think of the investment you have made in your software solutions. You want to get the biggest return on your investment. Training can help deliver.

I have watched how the frustration of employees who do not know how to post a check in their system turns to relief after just a few minutes of training. Training can point out features, tips, and tricks your employees may never discover on their own. The tedious spreadsheet you’ve used for years already exists in a system report, a small bit of knowledge that can remove a ton of stress. These bits of training can take just minutes, but may save hours or even eliminate steps that currently seem indispensable.

Employee Satisfaction

In classes I teach, I have repeatedly heard from attendees “I didn’t know it could do that!” and “I cannot tell you the hours of work you’ve just saved me!” These are often veterans who have used their system for years. As time went on, the system’s capabilities grew, but these employees never discovered the new features.  Just a little investment in training yields a great return in employee satisfaction.

Trained employees become more confident in their job role, and they feel like their employer is investing in their growth and development. Satisfied employees are less likely to leave, have higher efficiency due to job and system familiarity, and are able to deliver better customer experiences.

A small investment in training, or even free training options, lead to improved skills and can pay huge dividends in your customer relationships. Between the trained and the untrained, which of your employees do you believe is going to bring your customers back again?

As you consider your investment in the tools needed to run your dealership, make sure your team is not missing out on valuable benefits simply because they don’t know they exist. I might never have discovered my car’s Bluetooth capability. Luckily I didn’t have to—I was trained.

For information on Reynolds and Reynolds training options, visit http://www.reyrey.com/training.

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