Corporate Visions Launches Expanded Virtual Training Format

    SAN JOSE, CA, February 06, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- With an eye toward creating behavior change and reinforcing skills training, Corporate Visions has launched the Fluency Coaching program, a virtual service that aims to expand observable practice time and provide more opportunities for demonstrated proficiency--two areas where other virtual training formats, like e-learning modules and virtual classroom training, fall short.

"Most sales leaders aren't so naïve as to think that knowledge checks and self-paced online modules are the ticket to sales skills proficiency, but they still stress about taking time out of the field for training," said Tim Riesterer, Chief Strategy and Research Officer at Corporate Visions. "As a result, they're turning to virtual classroom events as a replacement for in-person events. What we're asking is, 'should they be?' Or does the virtual classroom actually compound some of the flaws of the in-person classroom?"

Some flaws of the in-person event that could become more acute in a virtual classroom environment include:

Time out of the field - With an appointed time, the virtual classroom still doesn't eliminate one of the biggest reservations sales leaders have about fixed training days: losing time in the field.

Inadequate practice and coaching time - With an in-person classroom, you're always up against the clock to get in the teaching and coaching time you need. In a virtual classroom, which is even more compressed than a traditional one, time pressures only get worse.

It's still just an event - Meaning it's still inescapably an event that comes and goes--just like the knowledge imparted and the coaching received. The fleeting nature of the classroom is even more pronounced in a virtual setup, where reps have fewer performance requirements and less review.

Enter Fluency Coaching --which can replace or complement classroom training by filling in for their inherent weaknesses. Fluency Coaching provides more observable practice time, increased coaching and personalized remediation, along with more quality control around demonstrated proficiency. This virtual recorded approach is based on the following learning cadence:

Participate in e-learning for knowledge transfer, a process that includes viewing online modules infused with adult learning principles that help communicate concepts through interaction and examples.

Perform recorded practice "challenges", or have reps record role plays or web conferences with prospects.

Have those submissions reviewed by an expert coach or consultant providing detailed scoring against a performance-based rubric, plus specific notes on strengths and weaknesses.

Push short coaching videos as remediation based on identified weaknesses.

Optionally require resubmission until the recording reaches a demonstrated level of proficiency.

Repeat the process on a scheduled basis with different challenges or exercises that align to your go-to market needs.

"Online, recorded fluency coaching may seem like a radical departure from the in-person, event-based classroom model that's been the de facto standard of the training world for decades," Riesterer noted. "But it shows the potential to deliver what sales training has always been about: behavior change and demonstrated command and ownership of the content. By shifting the focus squarely to observable practice, custom coaching, and demonstrated proficiency, this approach can deliver against those core training ideals."

For an in-depth discussion and analysis on the fluency training approach, check out Corporate Visions' latest State of the Conversation Report (https://corporatevisions.com/content-library/report-can-virtual-training-be-better-than-the-classroom/).

Corporate Visions (https://corporatevisions.com) is a leading marketing and sales consulting and training company. Global B2B companies come to us when they want to:

Create Value - with messages, content and skills that break the status quo and differentiate your solutions from competitors
Elevate Value - with messages, content and skills that build a more effective business case to justify executive decisions
Capture Value - with messages, content and skills that maximize the profitability of each deal and customer lifetime value

# # #