You are assuming the role of a Training Designer who has been tasked with creating a Sales Skills course for sales professionals at Vilexo, a pharmaceutical company. Vilexo has been losing revenue, with market share going down in key market sectors during the last fiscal year. A training needs assessment was conducted, and the results showed development opportunities in the sales team. Specifically, the TNA found the following:
An increased conversion time of new leads to customers from two months to six months.
Loss of 18% of existing customers to competitors with comparable products.
Customers cite lower prices and believing that the competitor’s product was better as the most common reasons.
Sales reps report that they are not confident in one or more basic sales skills.
Surveys indicate that sales reps often cannot accurately describe the benefits and contraindications for products they sell.
Surveys indicate that sales reps often cannot suggest other products in our catalog to meet customer needs.
Customer complaints indicate slow response rates to customer calls and questions.
Customer complaints indicate that sales reps have given them incorrect information about pricing and ordering.
Management has decided that they want in-person sales training for 40 local sales representatives, and the direction for the course budget is to do it as inexpensively as possible. You are tasked with identifying the training objectives for this course as well as establishing the room arrangements and other course arrangements as well.
Create five training objectives for this sales training course that align to the training needs analysis findings.
Develop the structure of the course (outline, duration, frequency, et cetera) and justify your decisions.
Select a venue for the sales training course and explain the details you considered in your selection process.
Select a course trainer and explain the factors you considered in your decision. For example, will you select an in-house trainer, a current member of management, or an outside consultant?
Describe how you will ensure the training is accessible to all training participants. What steps will you take to ensure that training is accessible to people with limitations in areas such as mobility, vision, or hearing?
Identify any other factors you will consider. For example, will meals be provided, or are there giveaways that will need to be ordered?
Full Answer Section
- Objective 4 (Addresses: Cross-Selling & Customer Needs): By the end of the training, 80% of participants will be able to successfully identify at least one complementary product from the Vilexo catalog during a simulated customer interaction, based on a stated customer need.
- Objective 5 (Addresses: Response Rates & Information Accuracy): By the end of the training, 90% of participants will demonstrate the ability to accurately provide pricing, ordering information, and next steps to a customer within 24 hours of a simulated inquiry, as documented in a role-play scenario.
2. Course Structure, Duration, and Frequency:
- Structure: 2-Day Intensive Workshop (In-Person)
- Duration: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM (Day 1), 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Day 2) = 14.5 hours total.
- Frequency: One single cohort. All 40 reps attend the same session.
- Justification:
- Cost Efficiency: A single 2-day session minimizes venue rental, trainer fees (if external), and participant travel costs compared to multiple sessions or extended programs. It also reduces overall time away from selling.
- Cohesion & Networking: Bringing all reps together fosters team cohesion, allows for shared experiences, and leverages peer learning. It ensures everyone receives the same core message and standards.
- Focus & Intensity: A concentrated block allows for deeper immersion in the material, skill practice, and immediate application focus, which is crucial given the urgency implied by the revenue loss.
- Alignment with TNA: The structure directly targets the identified gaps: Day 1 focuses on core sales process, objection handling, and foundational product knowledge. Day 2 emphasizes advanced product knowledge (cross-selling), service standards, and application through role-plays and simulations.
- Blended Approach (Implied): While in-person, pre-work (e.g., reading key product specs, watching short intro videos) can be assigned to maximize the value of the live session. Post-work (e.g., job aids, quick-reference guides) will reinforce learning.
3. Venue Selection:
- Venue: Vilexo's Own Training Room or Conference Room.
- Details Considered in Selection:
- Cost: This is the most critical factor. Using an internal space eliminates rental fees entirely.
- Capacity: Must comfortably seat 40 participants in a U-shape or similar arrangement for interaction, plus space for 2-3 facilitators and any AV equipment.
- Amenities: Needs reliable, easy-to-use AV equipment (projector, screen, sound system, microphones), reliable Wi-Fi (for any digital components), whiteboards or flip charts, and basic refreshments (coffee, water). Natural light is a plus.
- Layout: Must support various training activities: lecture, small group work, and role-playing. A room with movable furniture is ideal.
- Accessibility: Must be accessible for individuals with mobility limitations (ramps, accessible restrooms, adequate space for wheelchairs).
- Convenience: On-site eliminates travel time and costs for participants and makes logistics easier for organizers.
- Contingency: If Vilexo's space is unavailable or inadequate, the next best option would be a budget hotel meeting room booked for a single day (or block of two days) to leverage lower weekday rates and included amenities like AV and catering.
4. Course Trainer Selection:
- Selection: An In-House Trainer (ideally with strong sales or sales training background) or a Current Sales Manager with proven training/facilitation skills.
- Factors Considered:
- Cost: An internal trainer is significantly cheaper than an external consultant. They are already on the payroll.
- Company & Product Knowledge: An internal trainer possesses deep knowledge of Vilexo's specific products, culture, sales processes, and competitive landscape, making examples and role-plays highly relevant.
- Credibility & Relationships: An internal trainer, especially a respected sales manager, has credibility with the reps and understands their daily challenges.
- Availability: Easier to schedule and coordinate with internal resources.
- Facilitation Skills: The primary factor is the individual's ability to facilitate engaging, interactive learning, manage group dynamics, and deliver feedback effectively. If no one internally has strong facilitation skills, this becomes the main drawback.
- External Consultant Consideration (Why Not): While bringing fresh perspectives and specialized sales training expertise, an external consultant would be the most expensive option, potentially less familiar with Vilexo's specific products and culture, and might be seen as an "outsider" by the sales team. Given the budget constraint, this is not the preferred choice unless no suitable internal candidate exists.
5. Ensuring Accessibility:
To ensure the training is accessible to all participants:
- Mobility:
- Confirm the chosen venue is wheelchair accessible (ramps, wide doorways, accessible restrooms, adequate space between tables).
- Arrange seating to ensure clear pathways and accessible seating locations.
- Provide materials in digital format (on USB or accessible online) so participants don't need to carry heavy binders.
- Vision:
- Use large, high-contrast fonts (e.g., 18pt+) on all slides and handouts.
- Provide handouts in both print and digital formats.
- Ensure presenter uses large fonts and avoids overly complex slide layouts.
- Offer large-print versions of key materials upon request.
- Hearing:
- Ensure the room has a functional sound system with microphones for the trainer and participants during discussions.
- Provide a sign language interpreter if any participant is deaf or hard of hearing (confirmed in advance).
- Face the audience when speaking and ensure speakers are clearly visible.
- Use visual aids (slides, flip charts) to reinforce verbal information.
- General:
- Pre-Training Survey: Include a question about any accessibility needs or accommodations required.
- Flexible Breaks: Schedule regular breaks to accommodate different needs and attention spans.
- Accessible Materials: All digital materials will be created with accessibility in mind (e.g., proper headings, alt text for images).
- Clear Communication: State clearly at the beginning of the session that accommodations are available and encourage participants to speak up if needed.
6. Other Factors to Consider:
- Meals & Refreshments:
- Lunch: Provide a working lunch (boxed lunches) on both days to maximize time and encourage informal networking. This is a reasonable cost for the benefit.
- Refreshments: Provide coffee, tea, water, and light snacks throughout the day to maintain energy levels. This can be done internally (catering department) or via a simple external order (e.g., bagels, fruit, pastries) to keep costs down.
- Giveaways/Reinforcement Materials:
- Essential Giveaways: Order high-quality, durable job aids as giveaways. These are crucial for post-training application and are far more valuable than trinkets. Examples:
- Laminated quick-reference guides (Sales Process, Objection Handling Scripts, Key Product Benefits/Contraindications).
- Pocket-sized product catalog summaries.
- Pricing cheat sheets.
- Optional Giveaways: If budget allows after essentials, consider branded pens or notebooks, but prioritize functional job aids.
- Materials & Supplies:
- Participant workbooks (printed or digital).
- Flip charts, markers, sticky notes.
- Name tents.
- Pre- and Post-Assessment materials.
- USB drives with digital materials.
- Technology:
- Ensure reliable AV equipment and a backup projector/laptop.
- Test Wi-Fi connectivity if needed for any activities.
- Have a printer available for last-minute materials.
- Logistics:
- Confirm participant list and dietary restrictions.
- Arrange parking or provide clear directions.
- Prepare sign-in sheets.
- Have a first-aid kit available.
- Budget Tracking: Maintain a detailed budget tracking sheet for all expenses (trainer time if applicable, venue, catering, materials, giveaways, printing, travel for external trainer). Prioritize spending on items with the highest learning impact (trainer, job aids, materials).
Sample Answer
Vilexo Sales Skills Training Program: Design Proposal
1. Training Objectives (SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound):
Based on the TNA findings, here are five training objectives for the course:
- Objective 1 (Addresses: Conversion Time & Basic Sales Skills): By the end of the 2-day training, 90% of participants will be able to demonstrate a streamlined 5-step sales process (Prospecting, Needs Assessment, Presentation, Objection Handling, Closing) using a provided framework, reducing the average time to convert a new lead to a customer.
- Objective 2 (Addresses: Customer Loss & Competitor Perception): By the end of the training, 85% of participants will be able to effectively handle common price and product-comparison objections by articulating at least 3 unique value propositions of Vilexo products over key competitors, as measured by role-play assessment.
- Objective 3 (Addresses: Product Knowledge - Benefits/Contraindications): By the end of the training, 95% of participants will pass a post-training assessment (minimum 80% score) accurately identifying the core benefits and key contraindications for each major product in their assigned territory.