How To Ship Product Coaching Remotely
Remote training best practices
The shift towards remote working and social distancing has made distance learning almost the only option for many organizations. When it comes to product training specifically, remote options have a lot going for them. However, they also present some unique challenges, especially when training people on the pros and cons of a physical product.
Product training is an essential part of employee success. But how effective is it when people can’t try the product for themselves? Learn how to deliver successful training remotely and give your employees the experience they need to sell and support your products.
The benefits of distance training
Whether distance learning was your first choice or a choice sparked by the pandemic, there is definitely a benefit. Using an LMS to manage, track, and deliver product knowledge training benefits both employers and employees.
Online training is easy for employees
Remote training enables self-directed micro-learning. Working from home often means balancing work and family responsibilities at the same time. Offering flexibility and shorter lessons prevents the workout from feeling overwhelming. It enables people to learn when it is convenient without disrupting their workflow.
Remote learning is consistent
Lessons and training modules hosted by LMS ensure that everyone gets a consistent experience with the content. With online training, you can also quickly update content to notify users of new processes or features. For example, if you’ve released version 2.0 of your product, you can easily add lessons to bring those already trained users up to speed. You can also incorporate the new content into the basic training for future trainees.
Online training is scalable
With online provision, you can conduct training in your company quickly and efficiently. You can reach a wide audience while saving money and time. His flexibility also adapts learning to the needs of employees.
Just-in-time training gives people access when they need it
Even after the training, your sales reps and employees can log into your training platform to find quick answers to their questions. You can refresh your understanding of certain functions and quickly learn new ones. With easy access, customers can be better supported and a first-class shopping experience offered.
There is a clear case for remote product training. But what about physical products? At first glance, limitations seem obvious. With the right approach, you can overcome the challenges and take advantage of engaging, effective online training remotely.
The challenges of distance training for physical products
The real challenge with remote training is that people cannot always interact with the product directly. When you’re introducing new software or letting people know about your SaaS solution, eLearning is a natural medium. People experience reality just as they do outside of training. But what if you sell things like appliances, electronics, or cosmetics? How do you remotely pass on product knowledge about a physical product?
Remote training removes learners from the actual commodity, so the first-hand experience is limited or non-existent. This can lead to people having less confidence in their product knowledge. With the right approach, distance learning can improve employees’ ability to talk about, sell, and endorse your product.
How to Create Effective Remote Product Training
Whether it’s digital solutions or physical goods, effective simulations in training can provide useful, hands-on experience. Here are 4 tips on how to make your remote product training more effective.
1. Lean in video
LMS platforms are particularly good for video content, a living medium that can bring more life to your workouts. Concrete visual demonstrations provide a workable virtual experience with the product. They can also be more memorable than written instructions alone. Consider integrating videos in the following ways:
- Create a hands-on video tutorial to walk learners through using the product.
- Showcase the features and proper use or assembly of your offering.
- Use videos to demonstrate typical customer interactions. Share scripts to answer common questions or concerns.
- Add video case studies to help employees make the connection between features and benefits.
Observing virtual experiences can be a powerful way to learn about the pros and cons of a product. Seeing your solutions in action and learning about specific use cases can help you better understand the benefits and outcomes of employees. Observing customer interactions builds confidence in approaching similar conversations.
2. Offer interactive product tours
If you let learners interact with a virtual version of your offering, you can introduce it from a distance. Simulations can contain virtual product cards that learners can use to navigate themselves. You can also give users the option to “use” the product online. Have them work with work samples on digital products. Try out drag and drop activities with which the learners can experience putting together or operating physical offerings.
Regardless of your approach, focus on making the learning experience more interactive. Give them the benefit of trying the product without fear of failure.
3. Integrate role play activities
Through role-playing games, learners can gain useful experience with products and support. Help employees practice problem solving or respond to general customer concerns with training simulations. Consider showing interactions via video or written instructions from more experienced sales reps. Then use virtual situations where learners are asked to demonstrate the skills they have learned.
The situations may include sample Q&A sessions where employees are tasked with answering typical customer questions. They can also extend to more difficult scenarios where learners are working with a client who is having trouble getting the product to work.
Try to include scenario-based questions in the test elements of your training. Add quiz questions that recreate real-life situations and encourage the learner to answer them. As you put into practice the scripts you have learned, “muscle memory” will be built so you can move on to action quickly.
4. Get serious about the game
You can take scenario simulation to a deeper level with serious games. These are games designed for a purpose other than entertainment, such as learning and demonstration. They have caused a stir in the online training world and are a great option for engaging remote learners.
In reputable games, people can put their knowledge into practice by facing real-life scenarios. They move through the game by responding to affected customers or completing challenging tasks. When making decisions, they can also experience the virtual results of their actions.
Working through a challenge can help people get a feel for the steps being ordered for product assembly or operation, or for working through issues with customers.
The key to making these games helpful is to anchor them in real life. Base your activities on using or demonstrating the product to make it effective. Give learners an idea of what they might encounter in the future and let them test their knowledge in a risk-free environment.
Conclusion
Distance learning might be a necessity right now, but it is also an effective product knowledge solution for the future. The online options have been expanded to provide an unprecedented interactive user experience. You can give remote workers the ability to play with the product, examine its features, and control the benefits and results remotely.
Distance learning can dramatically change the cost and difficulty of introducing traditional training. The benefits of virtual experience, coaching, and practice are more than enough reason to choose remote product training.
TalentLMS
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