The time tested method of evaluating any type of training has been Kirkpatrick's 4 levels of evaluation.
It is always helpful to keep in mind the learning objectives in mind when deciding on measuring something like 'customer service'.
This is because 'customer service' can have different connotations for different people. It would therefore help that before the training the shared understanding between the trainer and participants is clarified on such fundamental assumptions.
- So, is 'service' giving the menu over and smiling ?
- Is it to make the customer feel comfortable?
- Is it to suggest him the food in keeping with his mood and personality?
- Reaction : How did the participants like the training vis a vis the learning objectives?
- Knowledge: Did the participants get to know what good customer service is and can he/she explain the same to other people?
- Behaviour: Are the participants behaving in the way the training programme asked them to behave (3-6 months post the programme also?)
If these are in the 'no' region then further diagnostics will need to be probed like ...is the block due to skill and knowledge level or is some more fundamental block like low motivation and negative attitude is coming in the way ?
If that is the case then it would be better that an OD workshop is conducted rather than relying on training as these would be more structural and process issues that need to be confronted.
Looking at my post today I am even more convinced that this piece is one thing we still do not do so well in training and development yet ! And yet, this is the first piece that needs to be sorted even before we start contracting with the business !
In addition to "learning objectives," there can be other objectives desired by the purchasing company or manager. In one recent training class I delivered, the "buyer" in the company had a very specific objective in addition to the learning objectives - he wanted his people motivated to start immediately using what they were using. In another, an objective was to "comfort" people in some sense that the IT Job market was strong and there was little risk of loosing their jobs.
ReplyDeleteBoth these objectives were valid: yes, they perhaps led to increased performance, but more importantly, they were what the buyer wanted. It both cases it also took some dialogue to find out what the desired objectives really were!
Ted
I agree with Ted. Besides the learning objectives, the goal of the training/learning program should be defined clearly and more importantly "evaluated" at every stage of the training process. Evaluation at every stage is critical to ensure that training meets the needs of the learners and consequently the business.
ReplyDeleteI feel, in the current scenario, Kirkpatrick's Theory does not give us the output that we need to evaluate training. Kirkpatrick's model does not clearly define the mechanisms to evaluate "reactions, learning, transfer, and results" You can view a detailed critique of Kirkpatrick at:
http://elearning.kern-comm.com/?cat=2&paged=2
We have evolved our own evaluation methodology and the outcomes have been fairly successful:
http://elearning.kern-comm.com/?cat=2
(Our detailed evaluation methodology)
Cheers,
Geeta Bose