Offering training to customers, a major asset
Looking to improve and personalize your customer service while reducing your teams' workload? Training your customers to use the products they've purchased on their own could help you achieve this goal! Find out in this article when, why and how to set up training specifically designed for your customers.
What is customer training?
Customer training covers all the ways in which a company passes on knowledge and skills to its customers. Thanks to these resources, each user will be able to properly use the product they have purchased and take full advantage of all its functionalities. Effective training enables customers to understand how a product works, its features, the initial installation or configuration to be carried out, best usage practices and regular maintenance, thus enhancing their overall experience.
When to train B2B and B2C customers?
Training starts before the purchase, but continues throughout the customer's life cycle.
Pre-purchase
Training at this stage aims to provide potential customers with the information they need to make informed decisions. For a prospect to become a customer, he or she must be able to quickly find the vast majority of the features and information needed on their own.
A 3D product configurator is an excellent tool for letting customers compare their options. It's a technological solution with many advantages for manufacturers who sell customizable products online to their B2B and B2C customers.
After purchase
Once the transaction has been completed, training helps customers to use the purchased products effectively, minimizing errors and providing support when needed. In addition, it fosters loyalty, reinforcing satisfaction and creating a positive overall experience.
Over the next few sections, we'll be focusing on post-purchase training. We'll look at pre-purchase training in a future article. Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with new articles!
Why train your customers?
Customer training is becoming increasingly important as the buying journey evolves and becomes more complex. Whether an individual or a company, they are faced with a wide range of options on the market. Personalized, efficient customer service could make all the difference in the final decision to buy from a company. The same is true when a customer makes the decision to buy from the same company again, or turns to a competitor.
In fact, according to a recent survey published by Statista, 68.8% of Canadian companies found that improving customer experience (CX) leads to increased customer loyalty.
Improving the customer experience involves a series of actions and strategies implemented by an organization. Training can be an important part of after-sales customer service, offering personalized support. Many products and services are becoming increasingly complex, making it difficult to use them without proper guidance. So, the more a consumer knows and understands the product they are using, the more they will be able to take advantage of all its functions and benefits. On the other hand, incorrect use of a product, in addition to the risk to customer safety, will lead to consumer dissatisfaction, frustration and, by the same token, reduced use of the equipment in question.
What are the main benefits of post-purchase customer training?
- Proper use of equipment and better understanding of its functions
- Greater customer autonomy in solving common problems, reducing customer service workload
- Fewer operating errors, minimizing breakdowns, problems and frustration
- Increased customer satisfaction leading to positive recommendations
- Strengthens the customer-company relationship, making it more likely that customers will remain loyal to the brand
- Improved and simplified communications for maintenance and updates
- Improved brand image and increased trust in the company
- Reduction in the number of support requests, thus lowering customer support costs
- Creation of an open channel of communication with customers, facilitating feedback and the collection of comments for the continuous improvement of products and services
- Significant competitive advantage by demonstrating a commitment to customer satisfaction and offering a superior overall experience.
Did you know that offering quality training to your customers could be part of a sustainable development approach?
Training helps balance the three fundamental pillars of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental needs. It promotes a responsible business approach, contributes to the overall satisfaction of stakeholders and is part of a sustainable business model.
- Economic pillar: Strengthens economic sustainability by improving customer satisfaction and loyalty. Satisfied customers are more likely to maintain a long-term relationship with a company, which can generate ongoing revenues and increased profitability.
- Social pillar: Empowering each user, who constantly acquires new knowledge, thus contributing to the creation of a better-informed and more competent society.
- Environmental pillar: Contributes to reducing negative environmental impacts by helping customers to use products more efficiently and sustainably by carrying out the necessary maintenance. Quality training can therefore lead to reduced consumption of resources and waste.
How to set up customer training?
The first step is undoubtedly to get to know your customers and their training needs. The creation of personas for each customer segment can be a beneficial exercise in determining training content and the right means of communicating it. Once you've set up your first training course, it will also be essential to follow up and measure the results in order to assess its effectiveness.
Which tools to use to train your customers?
The choice of tools for customer training depends on a number of factors, including the nature of your business, your target audience and your available resources. From face-to-face training to 100% distance learning, there are many possibilities.
Automate your training process using new technologies
Opting for an online training platform is undoubtedly the most efficient way for a company to offer training to its customers. New technologies offer an automated and flexible means of delivering customized training, accessible at any time and from any location.
A training portal makes it easy to create, manage and update content, carry out follow-up, communicate with customers and tailor training to individual needs. Here are some additional benefits:
- Reduced costs
- Optimization of resources
- Automation of the training process
- Personalized customer experience
Immersive learning: Integrate 3D technology and augmented reality
Want to offer training on more complex equipment? Choose an online training platform that can integrate a 3D viewer. You'll be able to immerse your learners in realistic virtual environments, where they can interact with complex equipment in a safe, hands-on way.
At dvore, we develop customer portals with customizable modules. In addition to enabling you to sell simultaneously to your B2B and B2C customers, our team is able to automate your training courses by integrating modules, questionnaires and even a 3D viewer.
Contact our team to discuss your digital project and get a quote!
