What are the Different Kinds of Business Process Training?

Business process training educates employees on the proper way to provide a product or service to the customer. The choice of business process training models depends on the size of the group being educated, methods available to the company, and geographic location of those who will take part in the training. Whether the training pertains to a tangible product or intangible service also impacts which business process training is used.

Lectures allow one educator to address as many participants as necessary. Whether the lecture takes place in a small break room or large office, or is shown on a screen in many locations at once, the lecturer presents material to participants. Some lecture business process model training allows participants to ask questions during the lecture. Other types require participants to hold questions until the end or to e-mail them to the lecturer following the training session. The lecture model typically allows participants to take notes and receive informational packets to supplement the lecture.

Problems with lecture business process training include the inability to gauge if all participants absorbed the same amount of information. A benefit of the lecture model is its cost effectiveness when large numbers of people need to receive the information. With the ability to video-conference, lectures can be done during business hours, with everyone seated at individual work stations.

Rotating positions within the company account for another business process training model. Employees are cross-trained by moving into different job positions temporarily. This model provides a foundation for employees to become adequately prepared in several areas. For small companies, this training method is cost effective because nobody has to leave the building, attend a seminar, or go to a class, and have a shift covered. Everybody is still at work and performing work duties while being trained.

Simulation business process training is used in public safety departments around the world. This model incorporates potential scenarios and requires the participant to resolve the issue as he or she would on the job. For example, a law enforcement officer's training might be to walk through a simulated abandoned warehouse and shoot at or talk to people he or she encounters. Once through the exercise, the officer receives feedback about performance and how to improve in weak areas.

Role playing is similar to simulation and is often used in management business process training. Educators will use real-life situations and play the role of the customer or manager, seeing it through to the end, while participants either take part or watch it unfold. Role playing can be an effective business process training model for customer service positions as well.

Technologically based training instructs employees using computers and other business equipment. Training can be self-driven, in which employees sign on, read the lessons, and take tests. It can also be interactive, in which the trainer e-mails lessons and critiques of completed work, and perhaps conducts an online chat-room with several participants at the same time. Textbooks are also used in this training model, which is a popular model for real estate agent and insurance agent training.