This article is part two of five regarding hiring an outside trainer.

In bringing in a trainer/consultant you should decide what outcomes you want to achieve. If you have developed metrics such as square feet per hour productivity, valid complaints and quality control inspection scores you can better determine the value received from the investment.

Choosing the right trainer is very important. He/she should be knowledgeable in the industry and have either documented success as well as appropriate credentials to demonstrate their knowledge and experience. For instance, if the trainer/consultant operated their own custodial business with a specialization in hard floors, they should be better able to address these issues. Be careful of hiring a trainer who is “book learned” with little or no hands on experience in a particular area.

I evaluated a vendor recently who offered to train staff but did not understand the basics of microfiber mops and cloths. He had not stripped a floor in over 20 years and did not seem to understand how diamond pads and other technologies can have a major impact on productivity. He may have been a great salesman but I did not feel comfortable recommending him to train front line staff.

Having communication skills is also important in that some trainers project an attitude of superiority to those being trained. As soon as attendees pick up on this attitude they lose not only respect for the trainer but also interest in the materials being presented.

We will continue these thoughts in a future article. Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net


posted on 9/22/2015