Problem:  How can you start an on-line learning environment without spending thousands on a Learning Management System and increasing your staff to manage the e-Learning function?

Solution:  CRM Learning!

Prison Fellowship Ministries (PFM) is a small non-profit organization (300 employees) with staff located across the United States.  Ongoing leadership & staff development are issues in PFM’s performance management process, but the costs associated with producing customized e-Learning programs and purchasing an LMS have made it difficult for them to move forward with a technology-based solution. 

PFM’s collaboration with CRM Learning and its products enables them to train employees on every topic imaginable and keep track of the training using the LMS component of CRM Learning’s Hosted Online Training System. (more…)

The Need: A major manufacturer of large vehicles and equipment with over 7500 employees was looking for a conflict management module to train their managers and leaders. The training department saw a need for conflict management skills to be taught in the event that conflicts were to arise in the company. 

The Solution: After previewing different programs, the company chose CRM Learning’s What to Do When Conflict Happens and implemented it into their management/leadership course. The trainer felt the video program provided them with exactly what they were looking for as it addresses conflict from different perspectives, both in office environments and on the shop floor.

The Success Story: All manufacturing management and team leaders will be required to complete the training. To date 70% of management has attended. The training is being done in a classroom environment, with discussion before and after the video is viewed. Discussions center around the topic of workplace conflict and how to spot and handle situations that may arise.

The trainer wrote his own curriculum for the class and uses the video and materials as a centerpiece to show examples of conflict situations and how to work through them. The training module that was developed includes several practical simulations where the potential for conflict is present. During the exercises, participants work together as a team to dispel and solve the conflict. The C.A.L.M. Model from the video is utilized as a tool and a solution for dispelling and resolving conflict when it happens.

The C.A.L.M model is a four-step process of: Clarify the situation, Address the problem, Listen to both sides and Manage your way to resolution. When used in this order, the C.A.L.M. model gives a process that is easy for everyone to understand and use to work through their disagreements.

Handouts of the C.A.L.M model are distributed for future reference. The managers and team leaders can refer back to them when they see a conflict arising on the floor or in the office. Participants are also to develop their own plan of how they will manage conflict resolution, and to follow up with individuals after they have had to step into a conflict situation.

In all, after they have gone through the training, managers and team leaders are giving more thought to the subject of conflict, how it occurs, how it can escalate, and how they can play their role as leaders in solving conflict between their team members.

Watch the trailer, full-length preview or learn more about What To Do When Conflict Happens.

The Problem:
A multifaceted manufacturing company with over 900 employees needed on-demand training that was ready to go when its supervisory staff was ready to learn. Outdated videocassettes, sent via interoffice mail, just weren’t doing the job – and they took forever to arrive!

The Solution:
The company’s three core divisions manufactured products ranging from high-tech electronics to precision agricultural tools. Each workgroup had different needs. The diversity of CRM’s online training offerings fit the bill for everyone. The CRM videos chosen included A Leader’s Guide to Delegating, Positive Discipline, and After All, You’re the Supervisor.

The Success Story:
Self-Study Manuals were created for supervisors within the various work groups. These Manuals provided information and post-tests that wrapped around the designated CRM Learning videos, which trainees viewed online via CRM Learning’s Hosted Online Training System. After viewing the videos, supervisors met one-on-one with a representative from HR to discuss the material and confirm learning retention.  Trainees were able to keep the Manuals for future reference.

Supervisors had up to four months to complete the program. The company’s existing intranet system tracked each trainee’s progress. 

Because CRM’s Hosted Online Training System allowed people to log on from work or home, trainees were able to watch what they wanted, when they wanted to. This helped trainees feel in control of their schedules and that the training was not cutting into their productivity.

CRM Learning was able to provide three of the four videos needed for this supervisory training program from its library. For the fourth video, CRM intervened and contracted with a second provider so that the client company only had to deal with one vendor. The client declared “That’s awesome!,” and was delighted with the relationship they built with the CRM representative, saying, “They really work well with me and our type of company.’’

Learn more about CRM’s Hosted Online Training System and watch a free demo: http://www.crmlearning.com/onlinetraining/

How can your organization – and you as a trainer – benefit from the use of off-the-shelf video-based training materials? It’s an important question.
Here’s what your colleagues* told us about the value they get from using video-based training programs…

The bottom line? Video-based off-the-shelf training materials save you and your organization both time and money, they make you (and the organization) look good, and because they help build learning retention, they can improve the ROI on your training investment.
Want more detailed information on the long-term impact of training with off-the-shelf materials?
Contact your CRM Learning Sales Consultant for a copy of one of our recent evaluation reports, which measured the benefit from using three of our most popular titles: 5 Questions Every Leader Must Ask, Positive Discipline, and What To Do When Conflict Happens.

* Source: CRM Learning Customer Survey, June 2008

The ROE Report Results: A recent “Return on Expectation” (ROE) study for CRM’s popular training video Positive Discipline has shown that customers love the program’s simplicity and practical advice for turning a negative and dreaded part of work life, into something ultimately positive.

Customer expectations with Positive Discipline were met or exceeded more than 90 percent of the time, the study found. Both individuals and organizations have rated their experience as “highly satisfactory” in an independently-conducted study.

About the Video: Positive Discipline takes a common-sense, non-adversarial approach to one of the toughest parts of being a manager or supervisor. What’s usually a nightmare becomes an opportunity – the key is putting the ownership of the solution in the hands of the employee. This performance-based program offers practical, step-by-step methods for overcoming problem behaviors.

Survey Methodology: A variety of clients participated in the survey, from business, education non-profit and government sectors. Interviews lasted 30 minutes each, and each client was told that answers would be anonymous and aggregated into a central database in order to ensure unbiased feedback.

Training expectations: Training frequency varied widely – some clients reported using the program once every three to four months for managers and supervisors; others six times a year as part of a leadership training program, and one client uses it regularly as part of an ongoing supervisory program for all managers.

“I wanted scenarios, examples and I wanted a methodology to handle discipline situations”, one client said. The program delivered with a practical, step-by-step process. One client specifically mentioned the “journaling” process that was particularly helpful with tardiness and attendance issues. “Managers now have specifics when talking to employees.”

Most clients reported purchasing the program simply to help managers and supervisors deal with difficult situations. “They were struggling with this,” one participant said. “They don’t want to feel like the bad guy.”

Clients especially liked the program’s performance-based methodology. “We wanted something that provided a solid outcome.” Other respondents praised the program’s adaptability, saying the complete package provided solutions for managers and supervisors on a variety of levels.

How Behavior Changed: “After the last class, several managers in operations e-mailed me saying they’d been able to handle the difficult situations they’ve been dealing with,” one client reported. “Our front-line supervisors have used the skills from the program and reported it working well – they found it much less adversarial.”

One participant said the program was especially helpful for first-time managers. “It has the potential to reduce employee litigation, improve morale and reduce turnover,” another client thought.

And everyone agreed on this comment: “Anecdotally I have heard that it saves time and a lot of trouble – we’re learning to deal with things before they completely explode.”

View Trailer or Full Length Preview of Positive Discipline

The ROE Report Results: A recent “Return on Expectation” (ROE) study has shown that CRM Learning’s “Ethics for Everyone” video training program exceeds customer expectations nearly 100 percent of the time. Both individuals and organizations have rated their experience as “highly satisfactory” in an independently-conducted study.

About the Video: “Ethics 4 Everyone” combines real-world situations and practical advice for anyone confronted with ethical issues at work. The training program teaches participants to apply a quick “Ethical Action Test” to various situations – and the entire video runs only 15 minutes. A bonus segment for organizational leaders is also included.

Survey Methodology: A variety of clients participated in the survey, ranging from business, financial, education and non-profit sectors. Interviews lasted 30 minutes each, and each client was told that answers would be anonymous and aggregated into a central database in order to ensure unbiased feedback.

Training expectations: Several clients have used the program multiple times over the past few years, and many have made it a core requirement of their employee training programs.

“We are a school who trains high school students in their trades to work in the real world,” one participant said, “and we wanted not only to teach the meaning of ethics, but show real-life situations.” Ethics 4 Everyone fit the bill for this client because it was a great introduction to industry-specific situations, and it illustrated the professional expectations the workplace requires. It also proved to be the perfect conversation opener when discussing the excuses and rationalizations that often happen when someone is in an ethical dilemma.

Ethics 4 Everyone truly lived up to its name, according to several clients. “I used it for leaders who need to set the tone for the entire organization,” said one respondent. But another said “I thought it would be very high-level, but it ended up that it applies to everyone.”

Other clients loved the fact that the video was short, so they could set expectations about company culture early – and often – and at any time. Others praised the program’s inherent flexibility, because it’s relatively short running time made it easy to fit into busy schedules. And for many clients, ethics training was required for compliance. “As a publicly-held company, we need to explain how imperative ethics are,” one client noted.

How Behaviors Changed: Several respondents noted that while they could not detect any overt changes in behaviors on the job, the subject of ethics was certainly top of mind after viewing the training program. “We received excellent feedback about employees increasing their self-awareness,” one client reported. “I heard comments like ‘Now I understand what I’m supposed to do’. Some people even mentioned there were things they had done in the past they didn’t realize they shouldn’t have.”

One client firmly believed Ethics 4 Everyone saved the company money in the long run. “I believe this program leads to avoiding regulatory issues,” the client said. “And we maintain and untarnished image with our customers.”

Summary: Overall, 95 percent reported the video training met or exceeded expectations, and all who used the program said they would recommend it to others. Finally, one respondent summed up the overall satisfaction level with this: “We just haven’t found anything better than this program.”

Get started with Ethics for Everyone, View Trailer or Full Length Preview

The ROE Report Results: The results are in from an independently-conducted “Return on Expectations” (ROE) study recently conducted with CRM Learning customers who used the best-selling video “Working With You Is Killing Me” – and they’re over the top!

The CRM customers surveyed reported that this program met or exceeded expectations 95 percent of the time. Customers were selected from the banking, insurance, energy and consulting world and interviewed over the phone by an independent research firm. Each client was told that all answers would be anonymous and aggregated into a central database in order to ensure unbiased feedback.

About the Video Program: “Working With You Is Killing Me” is an unvarnished look at the unique challenges in working with difficult people. One survey respondent noted that the title alone was delightful, which broke the ice at the beginning of each training session and led to more meaningful and honest discussion. “They loved the title,” the client said, “it sounded like fun, and people could really resonate with it.”

Training expectations: Clients said they used the program with a range of groups of all sizes, from supervisors to entry-level employees. Two had used the program for more than six months. Several planned to use the program as part of formal leadership, management and team-building training, but others found it extremely useful for “customized interventions,” to help in specific situations where both parties needed to remain calm. Several stated they planned to use the training specifically for management of conflict resolution.

“It was simple enough,” one respondent noted, “but the video didn’t talk down to anyone. I even showed it to a group of directors, and saw some taking notes, which is saying a lot!”

One client told a very personal story of how he used “Working With You Is Killing Me” to help with a specific employee, inviting him to sit down and view the video together. “We laughed when the video talked about ‘toxic relationships’,” the client reported. “This was just what he was dealing with. He’s worked on his problem and he’s now fine.”

Other clients noted they heard the language of the program being used in situations at the office, so it’s clear that employees have internalized the training.

When asked if they would recommend the program to others, all clients responded with an emphatic yes. “I already have,” said one, “several times.”

Watch a Free Full Length Preview of Working With You is Killing Me:
http://www.crmlearning.com/working-with-you-is-killing-me

The Problem: A manufacturing and sales company with five U.S. plants and 1,000 employees had one big problem – a major communication barrier between plant management and production-line teams. Productivity was low, defects were high, and both sides were in denial.

The Solution: This company needed a riveting, mindset-changing, do-or-die example of great teamwork in action. No tepid teamwork training video would do. CRM Learning’s dramatic, true story, Teamwork in Crisis: The Miracle of Flight 232 was right on the money.

The Success Story: Plant managers and front-line teams together attended training events at each location, which began with the Teamwork in Crisis video and progressed to open, honest and sometimes difficult dialog about the obstacles that stood in the way of success.

But the preparation for these events actually took place several weeks before, when management met with production line supervisors for frank dialog on what was needed to improve efficiency and quality. Both sides felt this advance work was absolutely critical to build the trust necessary to make the company-wide training events meaningful.

On the day of training, after participants watched the Teamwork in Crisis video, the discussion turned to the unique situations at each plant. Facilitators wrote their own training plan around real-world facts. Plant management and production leaders recognized and admitted that a problem existed, showing that management had bought in to breaking down walls.

And most important: In order to facilitate open discussion, managers were asked to leave the room so front-line employees could be honest about their assessments of product quality and productivity, including their own.

Facilitators took notes, brought the problems, ideas and solutions back to plant managers, who in turn went to the shop floor to begin implementing ideas they were able to. The physical results from training were fast and obvious. Improvements, cooperation and communication flourished, and team members felt that their ideas were heard and acted upon.

Most important, team morale improved immeasurably and pride of workmanship became standard operating procedure. From a defective material rate averaging around 6 percent a day, defects shrank to under 2 percent – a number that has been sustained for the past six years!

The company reports that Teamwork in Crisis was partly responsible for the company’s own miracle turnaround. A company spokesman says: “Training videos provide a dimension to our learning events that we would otherwise have not had. The many films we have purchased over the years have provided inspiration, laughter (and some tears), and improvement to our everyday work lives.”

Watch a free full length preview of Teamwork in Crisis:
http://www.crmlearning.com/teamwork-in-crisis-the-miracle-of-flight-232

The Problem:
A financial services company with 260 employees needed leaders who knew how to get the most from their teams, especially when so many were asked to do more with fewer people.

The Solution:
Managers, supervisors and the company’s process improvement committee took to heart the mindset-shifting message in CRM’s compelling video, 5 Questions Every Leader Must Ask. The core concept? Managers don’t have all the answers, but they do need to ask the right questions to draw out peak performance from every member on their teams.

The Success Story:
Anyone who has ever managed a diverse team knows that it takes hard work to get every member to contribute, even when the chemistry is good. Many leaders at this company found 5 Questions Every Leader Must Ask to be a valuable new way to approach the philosophy of leadership, especially when so many were feeling the heavy weight of added responsibility resting on their shoulders.

Beginning with the premise that no one person is going to have all the answers – even the leader of the company – was definitely a mindset change for many of these managers and supervisors. Once that idea was established, they were able to shift their thinking to see that one of a leader’s most important responsibilities is to make others on the team think like leaders too.

On the high-performing teams that every company wants, no one is allowed to sit passively and wait for instruction or inspiration from the team leader. Instead, each member is free to take initiative himself or herself to share ideas, build consensus, and shape strategy.

The training was offered twice, once for all managers and again for the process improvement committee, which helped to impress the message upon the company’s culture.

The trainer gathered each group in a conference room to first show the video and then work through the exercises in the accompanying training manual. She took extra care to customize exercises so they reflected real-work situations that could happen, or did happen, at the company. She also passed out quick tips and cards that participants could keep to reinforce the message after the class was over.

The trainer noted that she began each session by letting participants know how much she valued their time, and acknowledging that managers have more responsibilities than ever before.

She reported that many managers thought the class was particularly valuable because it was so timely, given what was going on at the company. One supervisor, who had to take on a second team due to the retirement of another long-time manager, said she conducted her very first meeting with her now doubled team by asking “The Five Questions”. Things started out on the right foot and set a positive tone for all future meetings.