Are You Using the Instructions?
How many times have you started something without reading the directions first? Whether it’s a “some assembly required” Christmas gift or that “but it looked so good in the store” table from Ikea, chances are it ends in frustration. Like it or not, you’ll end up using those directions—like you should have done in the first place. Why do we resist taking advantage of the help that’s right in front of us?
Many agencies do the same with agency management system training. System training is part of what you’re paying for—why not take advantage? All the old reasons come up: “It’s so busy right now. We just don’t have the time,” or “Everything’s working fine. We don’t need any training.”
And we all know if something is important enough, we find the time. For your agency, management system training is that important.
Why Take the Time to Train?
There are many reasons why training is vital to agency growth. For one, it gets your staff on the same page. Everyone learns the same methods at the same time. This uniformity is helpful as you work to document and streamline your operations.
Training also empowers agencies members to understand and utilize time-saving enhancements in your system. Good providers update their systems regularly, adding new features and enhancing others to quicken workflows. But, if your staff isn’t trained on these enhancements, chances are they’ll continue using a new system in an old way. Slowing down for a short time to train staff may seem inconvenient, but you’ll really save time in the long run.
Find out how to streamline operations and maximize agency efficiency
In that same vein, training helps your agency do more without spending more. When used to its full capability, your agency management system allows your staff to get more done with less time. You gain all the benefits of hiring new talent or upgrading systems without any of the cost.
Discover the management system enhancements your agency needs
Finally, investing in training simply means you’re getting your money’s worth. Training should be part of your provider’s services. If you’re not taking advantage, you’re essentially wasting money. It’s time to start putting that investment to work.
How to Get Training Started
If you haven’t had agency management system training before, you may not know where to start. Follow these steps to get training up and running at your agency:
- Determine where you need to improve: focus first on areas where you feel you’re moving too slow or aren’t seeing a lot of progress. Tackle these points in your training first.
- Decide who needs to be trained: does your whole staff need a reboot or should you focus on one department first? Figure out groupings and target trainings for each.
- Get in touch with your provider: find out what types of training (in-person, online, self-directed) they offer and decide what combination works best for your agency. Get their advice on how to structure training to best fit your culture.
- Delegate a point person: depending on your staff size, this may be one person overall or one for each training group. This person will be the “go-to” once training is over to help people put what they’ve learned into practice.
- Take advantage of continuing education: find out what your provider has to offer to keep you up-to-date with best practices and other training materials.
Read more on accessing continuing education around your management system
Get Those Instructions Out!
There’s more to an agency management experience than a top-notch system—you need to be able to use it. With regular trainings, you can be sure your agency is utilizing your system to its fullest, maximizing your agency’s efficiency and getting the biggest bang for your buck.
At SIS, we’ve seen the value of training in action. That’s why we provide targeted in-person and online trainings for our agency partners, and offer anytime access to great training resources on our PartnerNet user portal. Through a comprehensive KnowledgeBase, QuickGuides, and webinar recordings, as well as regular Regional Learnings, we keep our Partner XE community connected, informed, and educated.
We’re more than bells and whistles, we’re a partner working with and for our agencies to ensure they’re getting the most out of the Partner XE system. Find out more by reading what our clients have to say or get in touch at https://sispartnerplatform.com/contact-us.
Sarah Deak has been contributing to the SIS team since 2013, covering topics like agency perpetuation, workflow improvements, data security, and marketing. She has a background in small business, working with organizations to improve their online presence and client engagement. Sarah also writes for the SIS newsletters and website, and counts herself lucky to hear from our many passionate, hard-working clients for our client stories. Her favorite part about working for SIS are the dedicated, service-minded people.