System helps Nissan to keep track of training

Citation

(2003), "System helps Nissan to keep track of training", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 35 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2003.03735eab.001

System helps Nissan to keep track of training

System helps Nissan to keep track of training

A new learning-management system provides central tracking for 2,500 Nissan Europe dealers who will train more than 20,000 people in eight European countries in courses dealing with pre-sales, after sales, customer care and technical matters.

Nissan sales companies (NSCs) are responsible for the day-to-day management of courses, workshops, locations, hotel accommodation and facility scheduling. The learning-management system will automate many of these processes, making the service offered by NSCs smooth and efficient.

Dealers will be able to access a local online course catalogue of events offered by the NSCs in their own country. Bookings will eventually become a self-service process managed by the dealers, with instant booking online and automation of correspondence, reducing the manual processes previously performed by the NSC staff. Reports will be automated by the NSCs and Nissan executive management will have access to European-wide reports of activity and performance indicators.

Eventually, Nissan hopes to be able to distribute content online. Skills analysis will enable dealers to pinpoint where skill gaps exist, and recommend training activities to close the gaps.

The learning-management system, recommended to Nissan by TTS Europe, is Pathlore. The system is sold and supported by The Matchett Group – the result of the recent merger of John Matchett Ltd and Adkins, Matchett & Toy Ltd. The Matchett Group and TTS Europe have now set up a partnership.

"TTS Europe has been involved with helping Nissan Europe to implement its new training strategy at a number of levels and has been an integral part of the training team. TTS Europe's broad range of skills has provided a sounding board for Nissan ideas," said Paul Lazenbury, manager, network training and sales methods, Nissan Europe.

As TTS managing director Duncan Souster said: "It stands to reason that if you can apply the right training to ensure your staff are appropriately skilled to fulfil their job role and beyond, you will retain your competitive edge."

Meanwhile, an online development-needs-analysis (DNA) programme introduced by Land Rover to increase its understanding of the training and development requirements of dealer-network staff has enjoyed a 98 per cent take-up among its target group.

More than 2,300 members of the dealer network's non-technical staff took part in online DNA during the six-week launch phase of the programme – far more than took part during the whole of the 18-month period when the DNA process was paper-based.

Dealers have praised the interactive programme for its relevance and ease of use and for the immediate on-screen feedback of results. These are supplied complete with suggested areas for improvement, to provide managers and participants with a clear and concise personal-development plan.

"DNA is a central pillar of our strategy to provide network staff with industry-leading career-development opportunities, and already it has provided us with the most comprehensive analysis of the learning needs of the network," said Kevin Beadle, director of the Land Rover Academy. "This will ensure our energies are focused precisely where they are needed."

The Land Rover Academy – itself a new initiative – has been created to achieve two key corporate objectives. The first is to help dealers to recruit and retain the best people. At the heart of this is a commitment to provide everyone in the network with the opportunity and support to map out a career that is tailored to his or her unique ambitions and abilities. The second, which will be heavily determined by success in the first, is to achieve the highest possible levels of customer service.

The academy already provides almost 100 off-the-shelf training courses and six different apprenticeships, but accurate evaluation of existing capabilities is an essential stepping-stone to creating new programmes and courses that mirror the network's ever-changing needs. The online DNA developed for Land Rover by UK-based learning-development specialist BdM Development has revolutionized the process.

Accessed through the Land Rover dealer network e-business site, the bespoke programme involves analysis on a one-to-one basis, with the manager and participant having to agree on which characteristic best equates to the participant's current level of performance in a wide range of job responsibilities.

Participants can also take part in a DNA for a role they aspire to, helping all parties to identify what would be required to achieve such a move. And the process helps managers to identify training and development needs for their departments and to measure improvements in individual performance since previous assessments.

"Putting DNA online has improved the process tremendously," said Jason Cranswick, dealer principal of Duckworth Land Rover, Market Rasen, UK, one of the dealers that helped to develop the programme during the pilot phase. "It is easy to use, provides a sound framework for staff-development appraisals and, best of all, delivers immediate results."

Online DNA currently available only for non-technical roles, but service technicians will be included in the programme later this year. All members of staff must take part in at least two DNA programmes each year.