ConMed is a Utica, NY-based global leader in the fields of arthroscopy, multi-specialty endoscopic medical video systems and powered surgical instruments. ConMed Linvatec, the company’s Orthopedic Division, turned to Lexington, MA-based Postwire to solve its new hire training challenge. Postwire offers a software product that enables businesses to capture, organize, and share content in a visual and personal way. From a training perspective, it provides one place to collect content, connect with training participants and converse in an ongoing dialogue.
By utilizing Postwire, ConMed Linvatec has been able to condense what had been a 90-day onboarding process for newly hired salespeople into just two weeks, and to deliver this training virtually. Postwire has allowed the company to not only increase efficiency but also to enhance communications and make its training program more effective. The elimination of shipping printed and electronic materials has reduced direct training costs and indirect cost by improving individual productivity.
The Challenge
ConMed had the challenge of bringing newly hired salespeople in multiple locations across the U.S. up to speed quickly. In the past, the company had shipped out binders and thumb drives, and followed those up with a series of phone calls and e-mails on a regular basis as part of its 90-day, comprehensive training program. Michael Hintz, manager, National Training for ConMed, wanted to make daily written assignments for trainees that were viewable by all invested parties, and also respect the trainee’s privacy. E-mailing written work then would make it hard to monitor and control the future distribution.
“The old process was labor and time intensive and sometimes led to duplication in communications with the new hires and their managers,” Hintz says. “I wanted to find a paperless solution that could streamline communications and make training more effective, with a better level of accountability.” While he considered the possibility of creating a blog, leveraging a social media platform, or setting up a mock Website, he felt there must be something better already available for his specific training needs. He then was introduced to Postwire.
The Solution
Postwire provided Hintz with the interactive online training solution he had been seeking. It is a visual, trackable sharing solution that enables content personalization.
Postwire offers a modern interface for Hintz to cohesively and quickly present a detailed syllabus, existing learning management system (LMS) course content and quizzes, as well as other resources such as videos, sales collateral, and HR forms, to newly hired sales staff. With everything located in Postwire, it eliminates the need for shipping materials and unnecessary follow-up e-mails and phone calls with staff. Personalized content pages connect new hires with training resources—and each other—before, during, and after training to bolster the training process.
“I use Postwire to deliver new hire training virtually,” Hintz says. “In the past, onboarding involved a flurry of logistical e-mails and hassles with thumb drives. Now, I can make a lot of information available to others very quickly. I can launch each trainee’s personal Website, including materials, in less than 15 minutes. Using Postwire, I am more nimble and able to tweak content up to the last minute.”
Hintz also can keep abreast of how new hires are doing with their training and keep others, including the new salespeople’s managers, aware of their progress. It’s an interactive resource, through which trainees can complete and share their homework, as well as share feedback with Hintz. It affords a multi-way dialogue, addressing Hintz’s need to easily communicate with and train staff located in multiple geographies.
The Results
Hintz has been able to compress a 90-day onboarding process into a two-week virtual boot camp. Leveraging Postwire, Hintz has been able to improve communications, increase the productivity of new employees, and also give salespeople a positive first impression of the company. The ability to present a professional, high-demand environment to new sales staff is essential in setting the tone and expectations for their performance after training is complete. “I have started to see the value of using this visually rich and nimble platform for special events, beta product launches, and temporary special project groups,” Hintz notes. “I also will be implementing a sales application trial to run concurrently with our tablet trials.”
Training departments are consistently asked to increase productivity and to do more with less. Leveraging this platform has helped Hintz’s department do just that. His creative approach will, no doubt, discover new ways to streamline, increase effective communication, and bring more engagement to the training environment at ConMed.
ConMed is a Utica, NY-based global leader in the fields of arthroscopy, multi-specialty endoscopic medical video systems, and powered surgical instruments.
Based in Lexington, MA, Postwire offers a software product that enables businesses to capture, organize, and share content in a highly visual and personal way.
