Software training and the value of saving time
Kitchen
Rebecca Ellison
What did you get up to at the weekend? Ours was mainly spent tackling some dreaded flat-pack furniture. This involved me keeping my partner supplied with copious amounts of tea while he struggled determinedly with what seemed to be an endless supply of screws. The reason why it took him so long? His point-blank refusal to even glance at the instructions. The furniture did, eventually, get made, and now looks lovely in the living room, but as I sit here admiring it, and my partner’s efforts, it’s striking me that many people just like to ‘get on with things’, rather than find out how to do something thoroughly. And in so doing, the task at hand often takes far more blood, sweat and tears (and cups of tea!) than it deserves.
As someone who trains others for a living, I can liken this to my day job too, where the majority of our kitchen designer customers use the Winner by Cyncly programme to around 55% of its capabilities. The reason? More than not it’s because they get comfortable with what they know and how to do the day to day and forget so many of the good bits that they learn during their initial training with us.
Investing in the latest design technology can undoubtedly help kbb retailers establish that important point of difference, but with technology evolving at such a fast pace making the most of the tools at your disposal really does come down to making an investment in training.
To really get the best out of the latest design software, even the most seasoned of designers should have some form of regular training. Not only will this mean they can experience new features of the software and ensure they are up to date with the best features of the system, but it will also make otherwise time-consuming procedures in CAD a thing of the past, so a designer’s time can be better spent on the most valuable aspects of the job.
This is why training should be seen as an investment in your business where you not only learn the basics of new-to-you software and improve the speed and quality of your designs, but also learn what it takes to get the edge over your competition.
One of the biggest drawbacks retailers often cite for undertaking training is the lack of time. When you're already busy drawing up customer proposals and advancing projects, it can be challenging to justify taking time away from the showroom, even if you recognise that it will yield long-term benefits.
This is where technology works in your favour. Digital and virtual training classrooms make it easier and more convenient to access the ongoing training your business and employees need. There’s no need to sacrifice days away from the showroom or incur significant travel expenses if in-person training isn’t suitable. Of if you prefer we will come to you to deliver training. Everyone needs training, but everyone also has different training needs; it shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all solution and at Cyncly we make sure our training is entirely flexible, with in-person, online and e-learning all part of our remit. You can tailor your training experience, to maximise your training investment with a bespoke course that fits your needs, and our training passes give you access to the training you need, either with a subscription or simply pay as you go.
Ultimately, it’s important I think to have a 360-degree view of things – yes, undertaking some training will mean time out of your day but how much is your time worth? If you could save yourself an hour a day, two hours, even three because you’re armed with the know-how to really make the most of your kitchen design software, just think what you could do to progress your business.
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