For years, ArcBest Learning and Development’s (L&D) instructor-led sales training class for field account managers, Solutions Bootcamp, was built around bringing participants from all over the country to the transportation company’s headquarters in Fort Smith, AR, for a full week’s worth of training. In an ever-changing sales environment, ArcBest L&D wanted to create a program that increased the speed to market of new training tactics and application. To accomplish this, L&D retooled the training program to provide the same instructor-led content but delivered virtually and over a period of time.
Program Details
Virtual Solutions Bootcamp is a three-week training program designed specifically for the modern day ArcBest seller.
- On Mondays, each week, a new ArcBest solution is taught. During these Monday sessions, subject matter experts lead the virtual training from a newly created Learning and Development Digital Studio that enables seamless audio and visual connection. At the end of the Monday sessions, each participant will not only feel more competent in the ArcBest solution covered during the class but also more confident in speaking about the solution to a customer.
- Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are dedicated to real-world application. The L&D team, in partnership with each participant’s direct manager, instructs participants to conduct a meeting with a new or potential ArcBest customer and specifically talk about the solution learned during the Monday session.
- On Wednesdays, a newly produced podcast, hosted by ArcBest L&D, is launched to each class participant. These podcasts feature ArcBest leadership and subject matter experts to help reinforce the concepts learned on Mondays.
- Fridays bring back each participant to the virtual classroom to answer questions, discuss the customer interactions, receive coaching, and reinforce the tactics learned to help each participant feel more confident in selling that week’s featured ArcBest solution.
Sales metrics are pulled to review the Virtual Solutions Bootcamp participant’s sales performance after completing the training. Each of the participant’s District Sales managers then have weekly and quarterly coaching conversations to help reinforce good sales behaviors.
Results
The participants who completed Virtual Solutions Bootcamp increased their Managed Solutions opportunities by 200 percent compared to the previous year.
