What are the most effective ways to train employees to use a UC system?
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A unified communications (UC) system can improve collaboration, productivity, and customer service for your business, but only if your employees know how to use it effectively. Training is a crucial step to ensure a smooth transition and adoption of UC features and functions. In this article, we will share some of the most effective ways to train employees to use a UC system, based on best practices and expert advice.
Before you design your training program, you need to assess your current and future needs for UC. What are the goals and objectives of your UC implementation? What are the pain points and challenges of your existing communication system? What are the skills and knowledge gaps of your employees? How do they prefer to learn and communicate? By answering these questions, you can tailor your training to the specific needs of your organization and your workforce.
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Dave Pope
Senior Level Director || Creator of engaging training, user adoption, and marketing for a #hybridwork world!
When I am building training for UC, I have a survey that goes out to every individual who will use the new system. I have learned that the challenges that may arise are known better by the every day users and less from leadership. Leadership has their needs and wants but the people using it every day will tell you what works for them and what doesn't. This is help assess deeper concerns and allow you to develop a deeper understanding of the clients true needs. I also host calls that allow us to discuss how the current system works and what is missing. I ask for department heads to discuss challenges and concerns and bring them to the call. When we are ready to deploy, I build my training off of these two things along with the leaders input
There are many methods and formats to deliver UC training, such as online courses, webinars, videos, manuals, guides, FAQs, demos, simulations, quizzes, games, and more. The best approach is to use a combination of methods that suit your budget, timeline, and audience. For example, you can use online courses and webinars for general and basic UC training, and then use videos and demos for specific and advanced UC features. You can also use manuals and guides as reference materials, and quizzes and games as assessment tools.
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Dave Pope
Senior Level Director || Creator of engaging training, user adoption, and marketing for a #hybridwork world!
I have found Live, in-person or virtual training is the best way to start, if possible. I like to keep the training to groups of 25 or less in the beginning, because I often find there are questions that come up that may be applied to later training. All training is recorded and provided later for follow up. I also have demonstrations and activities built in so that participants can interact and experience the new UC environment. I use these recording to build the eLearning. This ensures that training is specific to the company's needs and doesn't include things that don't apply to them; creating further confusion. Lastly, I recommend follow up Q&A sessions where users can jump in and ask questions after they have used the systems.
One of the biggest challenges of UC training is to engage your learners and motivate them to use the new system. To overcome this challenge, you need to make your training relevant, interactive, and fun. You can do this by using real-life scenarios and examples, encouraging feedback and questions, creating incentives and rewards, and fostering a culture of learning and collaboration. You can also use gamification and social learning techniques, such as badges, leaderboards, challenges, and peer support, to increase engagement and retention.
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Dave Pope
Senior Level Director || Creator of engaging training, user adoption, and marketing for a #hybridwork world!
I like to have people practice in group of 3 or more. This way they can experience all aspects of the environment. I have them place calls on hold, transfer calls, conference calls, as well as messaging and files sharing. I have them create teams and spaces, scheduling calls and meetings, and spontaneous meetings. Each activity is corresponds to the section covered. I leave time at the end of each session for questions and additional demos. The key is give everyone a chance to work in a demo atmosphere so that they experience the UC environment fully because they go live. A not one this, if it is a virtual training I use breakout rooms. If it is eLearning, I create fully interactive screens that allow them to use a demo system.
Training is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires ongoing support and reinforcement. You need to provide your users with the resources and assistance they need to use the UC system confidently and efficiently. You can do this by creating a help desk, a user community, a mentor program, or a feedback system. You can also monitor and measure the usage and performance of the UC system, and identify and address any issues or gaps that arise.
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Dave Pope
Senior Level Director || Creator of engaging training, user adoption, and marketing for a #hybridwork world!
I recommend team spaces to share quick reference guides, videos, and recordings. As well as a space as a Q&A. So that user can jump in and ask questions from other users. I also like 30 minute Q&A sessions that users can join for a few weeks after launch. This gives them an opportunity to user the system and then ask an expert any questions that may arise. Lastly, I send out a reminded every week for 4 weeks with a link to the recordings, quick reference guides, and user support areas. This ensures they are getting the support and the reminders of where to find answers when they need them.
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UC technology is constantly evolving and improving, so you need to keep your training content up to date and relevant. You need to inform your users about any changes or updates to the UC system, and provide them with the necessary training and guidance. You can do this by sending newsletters, alerts, or notifications, or by creating new or revised training materials. You can also solicit feedback and suggestions from your users on how to improve the UC system and the training program.
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Dave Pope
Senior Level Director || Creator of engaging training, user adoption, and marketing for a #hybridwork world!
Having an overall user adoption program helps to ensure that updates are getting communicated as well as reenforcing what has been learned and training for any new hires. Training is only a small part of the program. Having ongoing training, regular updates, communication plans and ongoing Q&A sessions will help to build trust and usability into the programs. The more ongoing support you provide, the better chance of success and the higher the ROI! Create a plan that includes marketing, communications, ongoing training, and updated quick reference guides. User the spaces provided to send out updates and provide support within the UC environment. Send out regular surveys and monitor us in Admin control centers so you can monitor and adjust.
The final step of UC training is to evaluate the outcomes and impact of your training program. You need to assess whether your training objectives have been met, and whether your users have achieved the desired level of UC competency and satisfaction. You can do this by using various evaluation methods and tools, such as surveys, interviews, tests, observations, analytics, and reports. You can also compare the results with your baseline data and benchmarks, and calculate the return on investment (ROI) of your UC training.