How ADP Aces Live Classroom Training

By Margery Weinstein

At ADP, the Major Accounts Sales Trainee and Sales Office Week Program accelerates new sales associates' productivity and exposes them to the ADP culture by giving newly hired associates access to tenured ADP experts, exposing them to on-the-job sales experiences, and delivering relevant content using cutting-edge technology and a blended curriculum that makes hearty use of live classroom training.

ADP says the blended learning approach Major Accounts uses includes:

•    Individual instruction
•    Group discussion
•    Online assignments reviewed and commented on by nine different learning consultants
•    Experiential field learning
•    First-hand exposure to the ADP Sales Process
•    Asynchronous Learning via the ANGEL Learning Environment
•    Live classroom application

New sales associates complete nine weeks of training that blends ADP product knowledge with sales and messaging skills within the ANGEL Learning Environment. As they complete the lessons each week, they receive feedback and coaching from a learning consultant. Each week the new hires work with a different learning consultant so they will be exposed to a wide variety of knowledge through the course of the program.

Once the sales associates complete the nine weeks of baseline training and receive a territory, they attend live classroom training at the company's main training facility, Dolce Atlanta-Peachtree.

ADP says this classroom training gives the new associates a head start with their territory by allowing them to begin practicing the sales process with the guidance of a highly trained learning consultant.

The company is pleased with the results it has seen. Some 93 percent of sales leaders agree the new hire program has accelerated their new sales associates' ramp-up and readiness to assume an assigned territory; 93 percent of sales leaders agree the debrief calls they receive from the learning consultants identify key strengths/opportunities for development in their new sales associates; and more than 1,100 new appointments have been set in the Sales Office Week by new sales associates the first year.  

Vice President, Learning and Talent Management Karen Kichline-Ruef offers tips on implementing sound classroom training in a sales associate new hire program:

1. Constant Communication

•     Set proper expectations with sales associates and sales leaders around the learning goals and environment before, during, and after the training.
•     Provide sales leaders with debrief calls after training to provide observations of sales associates and support potential development plans.
•     Provide video testimonials to sales leaders to support post-training debrief where the sales associate can highlight key takeaways.

2. Preparation for Facilitators, Participants, and Managers

•     Support learning consultants to deliver content with excellence. ADP's approach includes checklists, updates on current marketplace issues, content refreshers, and engaging videos.
•     Support sales associates to gain maximum value through training.  ADP's approach includes pre-work, best practices, and requiring them to profile real accounts to bring to class where they apply learning to build an effective strategy.
•     Support sales leaders to leverage training in their approach to developing associates. ADP's approach includes scheduling them to observe role playing with their new hires through live video streaming, which enables them to provide timely feedback to their new hires, and the communications described above.

3.  Connect the class with the larger business environment.

Our approach includes engaging guest speakers, executive hosts, and leaders in partner functions such as Implementation. The voice of the client is a prevalent focus throughout our programs.

4. Align content with business goals and market changes.

Our approach includes a traditional competency-based approach, as well as a rigorous focus on ensuring content is field relevant and models the way we expect our sales associates to stay abreast of market changes to provide maximum insight and value to our clients.

5. Listen to the client.

We continue to improve programs and maximize their impact through a close partnership with sales leaders, front-line management, and participants as a key component of our ongoing research and innovation efforts.

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