Introducing off-the-shelf sales training
With ready made training content, off-the-shelf sales training are pre-built programs that offer straight out of the box solutions.
The courses are curated on a variety of topics such as project management, customer service, health and care etc.
Advantages
- Economical : Off-the-shelf training is quite affordable due to its one-size-fits-all model. It eliminates the need of hiring any external vendor to design the courses.
- Time saving : Since this training offers quick implementation, it saves a lot of time.
- Programs created by SMEs : Off-the-shelf sales training includes courses curated by industry experts who are highly knowledgeable and experienced in their domain.
Recommended read: 10 Common Sales Training Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Disadvantages
- Lack of customisation: While tailor-made training programs focus on the needs and wants of every individual, off-the-shelf training programs lack this feature to personalize.
- No social interaction : Since off-the-shelf training programs are pre-designed without requiring any trainers, it becomes learner’s responsibility to grasp the content correctly.
- Limited flexibility : These training programs have generic content and are not adapted to the industry’s evolving needs.
Introducing Custom sales training
Unlike off-the-shelf sales training, custom sales training is a tailor-made training program designed as per every individual’s or organization’s or team’s goals.
Advantages
- Engagement : Learners feel more engaged and motivated since the course content has been curated as per their needs.
- Real time feedback : One of the major highlights of custom sales training programs is real time training and feedback which enforces personalised development and skill building.
- Relevant content : Since these courses are personalised per every individual and aligned to company’s goals, they have highly relevant content to offer.
Disadvantages
- Expensive : Tailor-made training programs require more resources and high upfront investment. Hiring top leaders with specialised knowledge adds to the training cost.
- Time consuming : It takes a lot of time to design and develop customised training material. In order to ensure that learners develop an interest in the training, pilot testing is performed before the training is fully implemented.
A must read: 10 Sales KPIs That Every Team Should Track and Why
Identifying the right training for you
- Team Size : If you have a larger team of people, off-the-shelf training programs can prove to be beneficial for you. However, small teams can benefit more from the focused approach of custom training.
- Product complexity : Consumer goods or B2B business usually tend to benefit more from the generic training or off the shelf training technique. On the contrary, complex products such as SaaS, cloud computing or technical products require customised sales training.
- Budget : If your organization is looking for cost effective and quick deployment solutions, off-the-shelf training is a go to approach for them. However, one needs to be beware of the fact that this may lead to a lower ROI in the long term.
In contrast to off-the-shelf training, customised training programs offer a long term ROI thereby paving a way for enhanced productivity and development.
- Learning objective : Educational goals is another factor to be considered when identifying which training is suitable for your organization. If your learning objective is negotiation or cold calling, off the shelf training would do wonders unlike custom training which is required for in-depth understanding of a product or service.
Still unsure? Let’s discuss the best training approach for your team.
Is hybrid approach the solution?
Combining off-the-shelf and custom sales training offers the best of both worlds. The hybrid approach will not only offer you a scalable solution but also holistic comprehensive learning. Finally, it will enforce a continuous improvement and efficient learning.
On the whole, it’s also essential to assess your time, budget and ultimate goal to identify the right sales training for your company.
