As with any business, your detail shop is as successful as its weakest link so when it comes to training new employees. You want to get it right so that they can hit the ground running on day one. The training program has to be in line with your detail shop’s core business values and procedures. It should begin with an outline of their role and responsibilities. Then comes  the business operations and processes that are in place. Moreover, we have the environment and last but not least, the culture of your detail shop.

Training New Employees Using Role Play

For the 1st aspect, you need to walk them through their responsibilities – be it sales and marketing, customer service, accounts etc. Next would be to show them what the procedures are for the tasks they are to perform. And where relevant, to let them have a hands on try at doing them.

Using a new customer service employee as an example, part of their training should be to brief them on your rules and guidelines such as how to greet customers in a positive tone and with a set phrase e.g. Thank you for calling DetailXPerts, Diana speaking, how may I help you today?.

Next would be to walk them through and rehearse with them several typical scenarios before handholding them through several actual customer calls to give them a feel of what it will be like. You will need to show them how to record the calls. Moreover, what are the different steps in dealing with queries or issues. If the issue requires clearance from a senior staff, show them how that is done.

Training New Employees To Be Accountable

A positive, energetic, clean, professional and engaging ambiance is always more inviting than one that’s high strung, melodramatic and crisis ridden. And this applies across the board in all the environments that is related to the business be it the physical detail shop floor or office; or on the telephone or virtually via the company website.

Moreover, it does not matter whoever the new employee is communicating with, it could be a customer, a supplier or a team member, as a representative of your detailing brand, the new employee has to be accountable for how they conduct themselves. You have to formally adapt these underlying expectations, although subtle, as an essential part of your course for training new employees.

Ensure Your New Employees Are Aligned With Your Culture

You probably selected these new employees because they seem a good fit with your company culture. Nevertheless, you have to ensure that they know and fully understand the company’s values and ethics. Perhaps you pride your company on its humane aspect, but they must be clear you also expect them to put in hard work and perform to your expectations on the job.

While these are part of the company culture and you cannot teach them per se, you can instill in them, your detail shop’s belief systems and ensure they commit to them while under employment with you. Do not let their impressive CV cloud the fact that if they cannot be on board with your values, they are going to be difficult to mold and train to meet your business needs.

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