Training rollout is a large commitment in a call center, and not one that you want to start casually.  One unique challenge for the contact center environment is determining when you will actually deliver the training.  For many businesses, once a training need has been identified, it’s relatively easy to pull all of the trainees together during regular business hours for training.  For your contact center employees, this is often unreasonable if not impossible.  Many contact centers operate around the clock and likely do not have a single timeframe where all employees are onsite and available for training.  This additional challenge makes it even more critical for contact center managers to accurately identify the best time for training delivery.  The easiest way to break down your timing options are to consider whether your training will be best offered real-time or asynchronously.

Real-time, or synchronous, training occurs when an instructor is actively involved during the training delivery. This can occur in a variety of environments, but the key is that the instructor is available to lead the training or to assist with comprehension of material.  Real-time training could include an instructor onsite in a traditional classroom environment, remotely connecting with trainees at separate training stations, or providing on-the-job training.

In contrast, asynchronous training does not include the same-time engagement of the learner and an instructor. Feedback is either provided automatically (through a computer programmed response) or is returned by an instructor at a subsequent time. Asynchronous training could include typical web- or computer-based training packages or correspondence-style coursework.  There may or may not be a live instructor available for assistance; but, if there is, that instructor is not directly connecting with the trainees while they are actively engaged in the learning.  Instead, the instructor is evaluating learning or answering questions at a different time.

I suppose in an ideal world, where budget and time were unlimited, real-time on-site training would be the preference; we all know this is never the case!  When on-site delivery is the best choice, but too challenging to realistically implement, you can often blend the two options to find a suitable solution.  A few examples to consider:

• Content that involves more recall or comprehension can often be successfully delivered asynchronously.  The basic nature of the content makes it relatively easy to evaluate through simple question and answer sessions, either through computer-based methods or via an asynchronous instructor.  Even with “simple” content, though, there may be a  need for some on-the-job follow up by a supervisor to ensure proper comprehension and transfer.
• If your training material requires higher level thinking (remember Bloom’s Taxonomy?), a real-time instructor may be best choice because the instructor can provide customized and immediate feedback; the ability to promptly identify and correct incomplete comprehension reduces the chance of faulty knowledge transfer.  If a full-blown course with a real-time instructor is not realistic, you could consider introductory sessions to introduce the content with subsequent small-group sessions with a live instructor to practice implementation.
• Training that involves soft skills (i.e., leadership, management) or diversity is often best offered real-time and on-site.  Having an instructor on-site makes it easier to handle sensitive topics.  To reduce the time frame of the training, material can be delivered prior to the training session so trainees are familiar with the content and the training session can be used for higher level discussion.
• Training that may affect morale may be best delivered on-site so the instructor can encourage buy-in.  However, this can often be addressed through a single kick-off meeting, with training subsequently delivered asynchronously.

It is difficult to consider synchronous and asynchronous training in a vacuum, of course.  When trying to choose whether training should be offered real-time or asynchronously, you will need to balance your space and personnel availability with the pros and cons of each delivery method.

About Kelly: Kelly has been working as a contract technical writer for Inova Solutions for nearly three years. As a recovering high school English teacher, she enjoys the opportunity to still employ her ‘red ink’ when writing, editing, and formatting documentation. You can contact Kelly at kelly@insideinova.com.