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Welcome to the latest edition of Training Today!
In each issue we bring you useful ideas, tools and information to enhance your training.
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There are a wide variety of reasons to keep certain training programs "in class" while others are moved "online." If cost is one of your issues, then make sure you are making the comparison fairly. In today's environment, online costs tend to be more visible while corresponding facilitation costs are masked in history. |
Using a classroom program as an example, one way to figure training delivery costs is to convert annualized figures to "an average cost per participant per training day." A simplified formula and cost calculation for a 10-day program might look like this:
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Average Cost Per Participant Per Day = (ATSB + APSB + OD) / 200 |
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ATSB = Annual Trainer Salary & Benefits OD = Overhead, Depreciation, Other |
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APSB = Annual Participant S&B 200 = Annual number of working days |
| Example for one student: |
| $32,000 + $19,000 + $4,000 = $55,000/200 = $275 per day |
| $160 + $95 + $20 = $275 - [1 student for 1 day] |
| $1,600 + $950 + $200 = $2,750 - [1 student for 10 days] |
| Of course, cost per student goes down with any increase in the number of participants, since the Trainer and Overhead and Depreciation (equipment) costs are fixed: |
| 1 Trainee $1,600 + $950 + $200 = $2,750/1 = $2,750 |
| 5 Trainees $1,600 + $4,750 + $200 = $2,750/5 = $1,310 |
| 10 Trainees $1,600 + $9,500 + $200 = $2,750/10 = $1,130 |
You might want to add the cost of class materials, i.e. manuals and printing of handouts, transaction practice exercises, etc. Costs may, of course, vary substantially from this model based on the design of your program, salary ranges, other costs, and your maximum number of participants. For a more complete and accurate cost analysis, you might also want to include an additional per participant allocation for the cost of program development.
- Article by Jay Bowden, President, TRC Interactive, Inc.
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| Watch Television - You'll Teach Better! |
Whether it's how to prepare Crepes Suzette or make an oak desk, there is a “how to do it” television show that will help you. In each instance, a Master demonstrates the techniques in such a way that you'll understand how to do it.
Think of your live Teller demonstrations as a TV show. Here are some of the “TV Secrets” that apply to you:
Show the Result
Have you ever heard a TV craftsman say, “Today we're going to show you how to plant an herb garden?” Then, the camera pans to a beautiful fully-developed garden. Tell your “audience” what they will see and learn. For example, start off by saying, “Today, I'm going to show you how to strap currency,” or “Today, I'm going to demonstrate how to enter a deposit.”
Then, show them the result, such as the finished deposit or the strapped currency. This way the Tellers will be able to see where you are going with your “show.”
Identify the Steps
Similar to woodworking shows, where the Host indicates “First we're going to… then we're going to…,” you need a means to help your Tellers track your demonstration. If possible, provide them with a handout or write the steps on a flip chart. You need to play the role of a Director. Cooking shows have multiple cameras and a Director to make sure that you can see each step as it takes place. Do the same for your class and make sure each Teller has an unobstructed view.
Further, look carefully at each participant as you demonstrate. Their body language often reveals their understanding… or lack of it. Where possible, involve them in the demonstration with questions like, “What do you think I should do next?” or “Why do you think we need to do that?”
Create Interactivity
A number of famous cooking shows involve audience members and the Host of the show. Give your Tellers the opportunity to practice what you've demonstrated, even when you can only use one from your group. The others will identify vicariously. For example, create a checklist and have one Teller perform the activity, while the group “checks off” the steps from the list. That way, everyone's involved!
Project the Result
Have you ever watched a cooking show and have been able to almost “taste” the result? Or, how about a woodworking project that you could just “imagine” placed in a specific spot in your home? The television show has masterfully helped you make the transition from demonstration to application. You can do the same thing in your class. Have your Tellers “project” how they will use this skill in the Teller window and have them talk about where it will be used. Also, have them imagine customers standing in front of them handing them a transaction. Ask them to think about what is going to happen next. This will create visual images with which they can identify.
So whether it's Bob Villa or Emeril Lagasse, you can learn how to demonstrate to your class… from the Master!
- Article by Jay Bowden, President, TRC Interactive, Inc.
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| Ice Breaker: What Your Candy Says About You |
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Here's an idea that can sweeten the start of any training! Upon entering the training room, have everyone select ONE of the following candies: Baby Ruth, Three Musketeers, Butterfingers, Snickers, Hershey's Chocolate Bar, Almond Joy with Almonds, Clark Bar, Good N Plenty, Energy Bar or Chocolate Coated Raisins (some can be hard to find in single serving size). | Then you can reveal to them “what research says about you”:
Baby Ruth – Sweet, loving cuddly. You love all warm fuzzy items. A little nutty. Sometimes you need a little treat like an ice cream cone at the end of the day.
Three Musketeers – You are adventurous, love new ideas, are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up, you whip out your saber.
Butterfingers – Smooth, articulate, you are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time.
Snickers – Fun-loving, sassy, humorous. Everyone enjoys being around you. But you are a practical joker – others should be cautious shaking your hands!
Hershey's – Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people and can be counted on in a pinch. You tend to melt and get gushy if held too close.
Almond Joy w/ Almonds – Sexy, always ready to give and receive, very energetic, and really like to get into life. The opposite sex is always attracted to you.
Clark Bar – You like sports, whether baseball, football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote control.
Good N Plenty – You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to go to the movies with you. Children find you amusing. You are a very warm hearted person.
Energy Bar – You are very active. You are so active, life is passing you by. Get a life!! Go eat a plum.
Chocolate Coated Raisins – You go to the bathroom often.
If you have any great Ice Breakers that you'd like to share, send them to us at feedbacktrc@trcinteractive.com and we'll include them in future issues.
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Featuring…
Wanda Davis
Trainer, Southern Community Bank and Trust
Winston-Salem, NC |
Teller Trainers are the backbone of retail banking, so in this issue of our eNewsletter we are featuring Wanda Davis, Trainer for Southern Community Bank and Trust in Winston-Salem, NC.
Wanda has been in the banking industry for over thirty years and considers herself among an “elite group of banking professionals who fearlessly have chosen to train.” She describes what she loves most about being a Trainer is “the diverse needs and challenges of bringing each Trainee through the training process.” Wanda adds that, “A Trainee's learning expectations vary and can be clouded by excitement, fear, information overload, and impatience to begin working. Coaching each Trainee past individual learning barriers, and providing a safe learning environment is emotionally parallel to riding the world's largest roller coaster.”
Wanda feels genuinely rewarded as she trains the bank employees, who she considers the greatest bank asset. “Rewards of training materialize,” says Wanda, “each time a Trainee conquers technical and people skills and understand his or her importance to the bank. Training delivers an additional bonus as Trainees attain required levels of knowledge, begin applying new skills, and become productive members of our team.”
In the last few years, Wanda has used a training tool that has helped to improve performance, reduce training time and increase the skill level of her Trainees: TellerSolution™. “TellerSolution™ is a great program that presents banking basics and compliance issues in a user-friendly format,” notes Wanda. “Learning materials are straightforward and used easily by new and experienced bankers. TellerSolution™ allows Trainees to learn basic banking information in a shorter time, and to work at their own pace. Trainees express a good comprehension of their studies, and feel prepared to learn specifics about Southern Community Bank and Trust policies and procedures.”
When she's not training, Wanda enjoys working on remodeling projects, reading and craft making. She has one son who just celebrated his 31st birthday in February.
Thank you, Wanda, for your training inspiration!
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If you would like to nominate a Trainer for our Trainer's Spotlight feature, send an email to feedbacktrc@trcinteractive.com and be sure to include their name, financial institution, phone number and email address. |
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| 22 New BankTrainingOnline™ Courses Released in First Quarter of 2005 |
TRC Interactive, Inc. (TRC), the nation's leader in interactive bank training, is pleased to announce the release of 22 new BankTrainingOnline™ courses in the first quarter of 2005. BankTrainingOnline™ is TRC’s complete online library of Courses for Teller, Compliance, Sales and Platform training.
”I am very pleased with our progress so far this year,” says Ashley Bowden, TRC’s Online Manager. “Our focus for 2005 is on quickly developing and delivering the courses that our customers want and need while at the same time continuing to provide them with the quality training they've come to expect from us. We have developed a very aggressive schedule, and by year end we should have over 100 courses and at least four additional types of course categories.”
Newly released courses include:
| Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act |
Truth in Savings (Reg DD) |
| Suspicious Activity Reporting |
Office of Foreign Assets Control |
| USA PATRIOT Act |
Loans to Insiders (Reg. O) |
| Check 21 |
Community Reinvestment Act – Small Banks |
| Consumer Identification Program |
Community Reinvestment Act – Large Banks |
| Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) |
Fair Housing Act |
| Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Reg. B) |
Your Role as a Teller |
| Fair Credit Reporting Act |
Counting Money |
| Flood Disaster Protection Act |
Payment Processing |
| Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Reg. X) |
Consumer Products and Services |
| Truth in Lending Act (Reg. Z) |
Business Products and Services |
For more information or a free demo of the BankTrainingOnline™ courses, Click here or call 717.652.3100!
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Training Survey
The first ten respondents of the Training Survey will win one free month of BankTrainingOnline™ for themselves. Offer does not apply to current BankTrainingOnline™ customers and cannot be transferred to other bank employees. If you have any additional questions on this offer, please contact us at 717.652.3100. Thank you for your time and input!
If there are any topics that you'd like to see covered in our upcoming issues, please send your ideas to us at feedbacktrc@trcinteractive.com. We'd love to hear from you!
Next Issue of Training Today: June 1, 2005
Happy Training!
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