You’d be forgiven for assuming that anyone seeking a place on a course would know exactly what they’d like to do, why they’d like to do it, what they plan on doing following the completion of their course, and what they’d plan on doing after that. However, things seldom happen this way. More often than not, a potential learner walks into a training company unaware about what they would like to do, and then a customer services officer—or a student welfare officer—engages that person, probably sitting down with them, and walks them through what courses are currently on offer at that company, over a tea or a coffee—as the case may be.
In many cases, that’s where it ends: the learner is sold the idea of enrolling onto a particular course, they complete the course—or sometimes they attend a few sessions before dropping out—and then they’re never seen or heard form again. This is bad form. What should, in fact, happen—if a learner doesn’t currently have an articulable progression plan—is that they should be asked, first and foremost, what they’re seeking to do, secondly, why they’d like to do it, thirdly, what they plan on doing following the completion of their course, and, perhaps lastly, where they’d like to undertake a higher course—ideally at a partner institution, or a university.
Each potential learner should be given something that might be referred to as a goal action plan—or a progression plan—that provides a detailed, comprehensive, glimpse of their starting point—the intervening points, if any—and the end point. When a potential learner sees a comprehensive, detailed, and documented pathway—that they may revisit and revise at their leisure—not only will they, more often that not, undertake their course with you, they will also be willing to be directed by you when they come to the end of their course with your company. This kind of engagement requires a proactive approach—or a proactive attitude—in ensuring your potential learner—or your customer—leaves your premises with their mind made up, certain about their choice and their documented pathway, and satisfied by your customer service. It isn’t rocket science.
It’s not the customer’s job to know what they want. –Steve Jobs
I tweet at @iamhamidshahid, and can be reached via email at hsk@suigeneristraining.co.uk
For more information on what my company does, you may view suigeneristraining.co.uk at your leisure.