Perhaps not surprisingly, many rental companies have a “learn as you go” mindset for employees. There is often no structured education to speak of at all. Even when there is a small amount of show-and-tell teaching at some companies, it tends to revolve around rental inventory familiarization. (This topic is vital to the success of an equipment rental company and is the focus for next month’s column.)
However, there are plenty of rental companies with employees who are experienced with equipment. So, one way to stand out from your competitors can be through an effective employee educational program that concentrates on several skills in addition to product knowledge.
If your team is not properly educated in the use of your software and other technology, your company is missing sizable growth and profit opportunities, but it is also important to place a premium on the customer interaction portion of the employees' responsibilities. Many rental companies are still not investing enough in developing the communication skills of their staff.
Certainly, all employees with contact with customers should be trained to become skilled in the most effective rental salesmanship techniques. For example, it is important to have employees become skilled in attempting a “trial close.” Truly effective training bridges the gap from wishing that employees would attempt to “build the order” and “close the deal” to them actually doing so.
Concise communication coaching can be particularly important. Train your employees to give customers the appropriate amount of information; some employees tend to drone on and some are far too brief.
There are also benefits in training employees to enhance their verbal as well as their nonverbal communications such as body language. It is amazing how slight facial expressions and posture changes can improve the chances that your message of care, concern, knowledge, confidence and quality will be received by your customers.
Another big opportunity at many rental companies is to establish more efficient procedures. There are many ways employees can become more efficient, but it isn’t just the individual procedure; it's also the consistent implementation. The need for improved time management skills in the equipment rental industry is immense. It is wise to get employees to “buy into” the importance of time management.
One of the primary benefits of having a strong staff education program is that it helps with employee retention. If employees feel confident and strong in their duties and are continuously learning new skills, they tend to stay longer. Many of the employees you want to stay with your company for many years desire more education and have an appetite for growth opportunities. In many cases, employees quit because of their supervisor, not the job itself. Feed their need to succeed, excel and grow. Also, some workers want to learn and progress to higher levels of job responsibilities. If higher-level duties are not delegated to those with excellent potential, it is unlikely that these employees will view their positions with your company as long term.
Provide additional educational opportunities for your supervisors as well. Many of my clients ask me to conduct at least a few days of education for their key staff. Be certain that they are well-educated to excel in not only the technical portions of their positions but also in the “people part.” Educate them to become better leaders.
Also, having supervisor training at your location reduces the chances of your top people being “poached” by other companies when they are attending workshops away from your facility.
