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Edu4Sure Admin
- March 19, 2020
We talk about Soft Skills training, leadership, Client servicing, etc but do we bother about training on the product which we have to sell?
One fine summer day at a showroom, a clearance sale is going on. Meanwhile, a customer enters into the showroom. He is curious to know about the newly released model of item X, whose advertisement is screened on the big, bright screens which are outside the showroom.
He starts asking questions about the product. For instance, the material that the product is made with and the lasting duration of the product. A sales rep. fails to answer with clarity. In fact, he has no clue and replies to them saying “Sorry Sir, I don’t think so or I don’t exactly know about it.”
What do you think he is exactly going to do?
Any guess?
Yes, you are right. He will move on to the next showroom.
The customer can simply sigh and check on the internet about the product with his eyes rolling at the sales representative.
We took a male customer in this case. Imagine if it was female (Hahaha). We are just kidding. The point is that product knowledge is important for the sales representatives.
Now, information regarding a particular product is easily available online. Therefore, it is a fundamental duty to train and provide the sales representative with extra knowledge about the product. This process of training a sales representative about a product or service that is sold by a company is called ‘product knowledge training.’
Now, as we have learned the importance of the product training, let us move on to understand, what:
- includes product knowledge training?
- are the different methods available for product knowledge training?
What includes Product knowledge training?
Product knowledge training typically includes
- Information about the product.
- Why is it beneficial for the customer?
- How does it function?
- What are the measures taken to prevent damage or maintenance methods?
- Price ranging.
- Now, the atypical question, how is the product of your brand is different from others?
The answer to the atypical question may be available online. However, when a sales representative illustrates the customer in a detailed manner, it will certainly persuade the customer to go for their product. This earns the trust of the customer.
4 methods of product training
Because we have figured out what includes product knowledge training, let’s check for the methods of product knowledge training.
1. Just-in-time training
In this, we prepare the sales rep through a quick revision session. Usually through fast learning aids like handouts with pointers.
We provide product information online and make easy access to it for the sales reps. which can save time and help them in instantaneous customer interactions.
2. Practice in Collaboration
This method includes role-plays, simulation, and gamification. Teaming up the sales representatives will prepare them for a real-life customer service interaction. This may help in presuming the possible questions from customers.
3. Microlearning with visual aids
This process generally includes one step at a time learning. Chunks of information will be easier to understand and quicker to learn. It helps in retaining the product knowledge for a time as visual aids like videos and PPTs are used to get by heart. It prevents from cognitive overload.
4. Teaming up with other departments
Often, there is a problem with a sold product and a customer approaches a sales representative of the showroom to complain. The sales rep leads them to the customer care representative. So, blending up these two department representatives will make up a good problem-solving team.
While the sales rep identifies the problem to an extent based on the customer complaint, the customer service rep solves it. So, training these two departments regarding the product will help in improving sales.
If disciplined product training sessions with persistence are carried carefully, it benefits a brand to improve their sales and form an impression regarding a particular showroom or outlet.
The last but not the least, positive customer reviews and word of mouth advertisements will always be perks of good product training. Sales person can ghave a happy customer and generate enough sales simultaneously too. In fact, every company which would like to have more and more happy customers should invest in customer service training because customer is God!
FAQ: Product Training
1. How can we prevent sales reps from giving vague or unsure responses to customers?
By giving them a structured product brief they must internalize before they hit the floor. Clear, centralized information eliminates hesitation.
2. What’s the best way to ensure reps stay updated when product specs change often?
Push micro-updates through a single internal channel so everyone receives changes instantly without needing long refresh sessions.
3. How do we make product training useful for reps who struggle with technical details?
Translate technical features into customer-friendly benefits. When reps understand the “why,” the “how” becomes easier to remember.
4. Should customer support and sales teams be trained together for product knowledge?
Yes. When both teams understand the product at the same depth, customer queries flow smoothly and handovers reduce dramatically.
5. How do we measure if product knowledge is improving sales quality?
Track two signals: fewer product-related escalations and higher first-contact conversions. If these rise, the training is working.
6. How often should product training be refreshed for fast-changing industries?
Weekly micro-briefs and a monthly deep-dive work best. This keeps teams aligned without overwhelming them.
7. What’s the most reliable way to deliver consistent product training across multiple locations?
Using a standardized online training module ensures every employee learns the same content, with no variation between branches. Many companies choose Edu4Sure for this because their structured modules make rollouts uniform and easy to manage.
FOR ANY TRAINING REQUIREMENT, DROP AN EMAIL AT PARTNER@EDU4SURE.COM OR CALL AT 95.5511.5533
