1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Area of expertise Quality of existing clients Reputation of principals and experience of staff Agency fees and methods of charging/payment In-house resources Geographical cover

While the selection of the agency should be based upon 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Credentials track record and feedback Creative techniques evidence of creativity and innovation Staff number, tenure and experience The agency resources, objectives, service level agreements Specialism focus Price clear and reasonable structure Legal methods to ensure compliance with regulations Pitch whether it met the requirements of the brief

Determine The Need To Take It Outside You may have decided that its impossible to keep training in-house, but before making any rash decisions, consider if this training is indeed needed. Ask yourself:

Is training needed? If so, what is it needed for? Is there another, less expensive, more efficient way to get the point across instead of through training? For example most people learn to use word processing software through unplanned on-the-job training. Do I need an outside company to do this?

Estimates vary, but experts say anywhere from 30%-70% of training is wasted, so there is a big payoff in identifying, and killing, training programs that are not going to address the business issue. Showing that you have seriously questioned the need for training helps elevate HR from the role of junior support staff to that of a business partner. Research Training Vendors If you decide outside training is necessary, the next step is to thoroughly research companies to ensure you get the most for your money. Consider companies that have expertise in the type of training you want; a company that has done great supervisory training for you may not have great sales training. Ensure the vendor fits your companys culture; a progressive media company doesnt want trainers who have geared their training style to uptight bureaucrats (and even more so in reverse!) You really have to see them in action to appreciate how their style may or may not fit your culture. Be sure the vendor understands what youre looking for in a training program; which means you have to write something down. As CJ Wallington says (see our interview), if you havent clearly defined the training objectives, your are still at step zero. Finally, remember training isnt delivered by a vendor company, its delivered by an individual. If at all possible choose based on the individual(s) who will be leading the training. This is easy to do for one-off courses, not so easy if you are getting many courses from a single vendor. If you are getting many courses from a single vendor make it clear that you want to have a say in which individual trainer is used. Dont be afraid to reject trainers who

are not top-notch and ask the vendor for a replacement. You are paying good money for these services and with so much hanging on the skill of the individual trainer its your duty to demand the best. Communicate With Everyone Involved Effective communication includes identifying all the key players, both internally and from the training vendor. You might think your Operations Manager doesnt care if his or her forepersons are trained internally or externallydont make that assumption. It is, at the least, polite to inform them. Beyond that it provides you with a good excuse to go see some of the managers (and staff) and talk to them about training. These excuses for engaging in conversation with your clients should be seized upon (as any management consultant will tell you.) so everyone understands the new process taking place. Once the program design phase has commenced, it is necessary to let the key players know the status of the process. Evaluate The New Program Once the program has been implemented, it is necessary to follow-up with the company to ensure your needs are being met. Work with the outsourcing company to develop an efficient method of reporting, so that each week, or month (depending on the length of the program) you receive a report the status of the new training program. When the program is finished, evaluate how it went. Was it effective in training your employees? Talk to the participants to gather their impressions. How did they feel about the company? Was it effective in getting the ideas across? Did the employees feel they learned new information that could be transferred to their job at work? Was this something that your company could have done on its own? Advantages To Using Outside Trainers

can reduce costs for a company. Effective for companies that dont consider training to be a core function, or that dont have a central training department.

Disadvantages

Company providing the training program most likely does not have a good idea of the company culture; what works best in your company, etc. Outsourcing may only be efficient for short-term training goals. If your company is thinking long-term, it may be wiser to consider in-house training for cost and retention purposes.

Conclusion Outsourcing your training program takes a lot of thought - you dont want to pay for a company that is going to train your employees poorly. The most important thing to do is your research. Know each outsourcing company inside out before signing the contract. Training is increasingly being seen as an optional spend. With more and more being managed and delivers in house, how do we make sure that any investment in training will add value to both individuals participating and the organisation as a whole.

We do not need to undertake level 4 evaluation to know this, but we do need to ensure that training is the tool of appropriate use not the first tool of choice.

With that in mind here are some factors to consider when arranging training:

What do you need to achieve?

Not all needs require training as a solution. Are you sure that training is required? If so is it a generic course or something niche and specific? Can you define precisely what the person is currently doing and what they need to do? How will you measure that the training has been successful? Remember for training to be successful each learner needs to know:

Why they are on the training, what is expected of them, what help, support and feedback they will get back at work

Train the right people

Training only works when the people being trained will use the knowledge/ skill straight away. If there is a delay then the training will simply not be effective so dont waste your time and money

Make the training relevant

It is all very well providing generic training for reasons of economies of scale and convenience, but if the training is not job/ role specific learners risk not seeing the relevance of examples given. Training should reflect the situation and context that the learners will be experiencing not some esoteric example that is impossible to transfer learning too.

Human are primary learning through trial & error or copying. The reason for training is to avoid trial & error so make sure they have something to copy.

The importance of support

Learning does not happen in the classroom on a 2-8hr course but knowledge acquisition and understanding does. Therefore to be effective any training needs to be appropriately backed up with on the job support and coaching. Who will do this? Has this been agreed BEFORE training takes place?

Selecting an external training provider

Once you have identified the need, now is the time to source a training vendor or provider. Ideally the provider will not just be delivering the training solution, the best ones need to be involved in the needs analysis so that they fully understand the need. Just handing a training provider some objective statements for a soft skills or management/ people effectiveness is just not good enough. You will fail to achieve any business performance goals.

Questions to ask a potential training provider

Will the course content be customised from an existing program or created for the first time? which the answer is does not matter it is how the provider answers that gives the key. If designing from scratch, then expect development to be 5-10 times the length of the delivery, e.g. a 1 day course should take between 5 and 10 days to write (classroom). If from existing material then a day or so per delivery day.

What is the anticipated length of the course?

If you want an effective training programme, the length of the course should be determined by the objectives required. Attempting to do 4 days of training in one day for budgetary or other reasons is just burning money dont do it!

What is the anticipated method of delivery?

Look for blended solutions off the shelf classroom and e-learning elements as well as custom classroom and on the job coaching for maximum benefit. tip no single delivery method will meet your learning needs in an effective manner.

What are the final deliverables from the training provider?

What are you going to get for your money both hard and soft so materials, guides and the classroom delivery itself. A good provider will work with you to ensure that the solution you purchase meets your learning and business needs.

What is the anticipated delivery date for the programme?

Always agree a project time table. If a programme seems too good to be true in terms of preparation time it is! Dont use the provider! Phoning a provider on a Monday and expecting a customised course for delivery on Friday is just not possible by any reputable provider. Remember a good provider may not be able to achieve your desired delivery dates due to other customers they do have them you know. If a provider says yes to all your dates be afraid.. why are they not booked? Ask! They may work mostly on a 4 week lead time (many do) others may have had a project cancelled this happens a lot and is happening more and more regularly.

What is the budget for this project?

Be realistic. If you are buying anything outside very basic skills training (software applications, health & safety etc) realistically the trainer/ designer needs to earn a living. So if they dont charge you for any design or customisation you should expect to pay upwards of 1000 per day (this needs to cover the design phase) If you are paying for design, then expect to pay 600+. If anyone charges less, then they are not operating a sustainable BUSINESS model. Walk away.

Ensure you are comparing apples with apples

Make sure that you give each training provider the same brief. Write out the brief, and if any provider requests clarity send that question and answer to all providers you are talking to.

Tendering for training provision

Unless you are looking for millions of pounds worth of contract do not tender. Invite 2 or 3 providers to submit proposals. Tendering causes provider to almost double their fees to cover tenders lost. Writing a tender is a time consuming and expensive process. You will pay for this somewhere. Ensure that proposals are no more than 5 pages per day of (unique) training required. If they cannot pitch in simple terms how can they deliver practical and pragmatic training?

Tips for the purchasing process:

When looking for a provider take the following into account:

Trainer/ Instructor: Know WHO will be delivering the training or facilitating the learning. Meet the individuals BEFORE agreeing the assignment. Make sure they are a cultural fit. Having the skills is one thing, but their style is another. The best trainers will recognise this and often turn work down as their style will not match their needs even if technically they can do the delivery. Does the trainer have the necessary experience and job competence? Many providers just train their trainers to deliver content. Great for a college to pass on knowledge but not what you want to improve business skills and efficiency. Test the trainer can they deliver training beyond the course? i.e. can they answer out of scope questions if a participant needs more information to gain understanding?

References: Check the provider and individual out. Remember that even the best providers have off days/ periods. What you are looking for is a good performance over time not just their last assignment or two. Ask references what you like about the provider and ask for 2 things you wish they would do differently. Guaranteed delivery: What arrangements are in place if the trainer is ill? Will you accept a replacement? Will you see them before or are you prepared to change dates. The golden rule here is the bigger the provider, the less likely it is you will get any say in who leads the training YOU are purchasing! Years in service: Are they new to training, or have they been doing this for some time? They do not need to have been freelance for years, but have they enough experience? Is their business model sustainable. TIP if they charge too little they will be out of business faster than you think! cheap has its costs! Course Material: If the training is to generate change in the workplace you need to know what is being covered and HOW it will be covered. A set of power-point slides are not handouts. The materials need to be supportive of the learning you need people to achieve. If you are buying a technical or statutory course, make sure the provider includes underpinning knowledge material for future reference. Course Designer: If using a large provider ask to see how they manage development and continuous improvement in both their participant manuals and trainers notes. One major UK provider just gives the trainers the participants manuals and says go write your own trainers notes this is not good or consistent training. If you are a large company and want lots of people to know the same materials, consistency in deliver is important. Test Development: If you are using a training provider to deliver courses that require progress tests (health & safety, statutory, financial etc), knowing who writes the questions can be important. Are they known to the trainer, so that people are trained to pass the test or is there some element of randomness to the test to really teat learning? Are the tests written by people that understand test and question design as a poor question can lead to lack of clarity/ understanding. Is the test item bank large enough? Etc.. Item Analysis: When tests are used, check to see how the provider evaluates their tests over time to see that under-performing questions are removed or modified.

Remember every training provider will claim that they can deliver the training you require; as well as considering the above go with your gut feeling as well as common-sense to tell you how effective they will be. If you go purely on presentation the big providers will win every time but they will not be able to adapt and customise any deliver like a smaller, leaner and more innovative training provider can.

The ultimate measure of effectiveness of any training programme is the trainees performance after it has finished. The quality of their performance co-relates to the quality of the course design. So you need to evaluate courses prior to them being run. If you are going to use an outside supplier, firstly establish the criteria you will use in evaluating them. For example: Are objectives stated as outcomes relating to workplace behaviour? Is the message at a level appropriate to the audience? Are course materials effective? User-friendly? Current? Is there sufficient interaction, enough stimulus and response for the delegates? Are exercises well-designed, appropriate and time-effective? Is the cost reasonable and affordable relative to the benefits? Are processes to maximise transfer of training built in? Have evaluation tools been provided? Do they measure the desired behaviour? Has the course been run before and validated? Can the supplier provide customer feedback and results?

The benefits of using an outside supplier The contents and objectives of the course fit your needs The quality of the materials are superior to what you can produce yourself You cannot afford the professional talent of the kind used to produce the packaged course The training provider has a proven track record in the area they are training in The course objectives are more likely to be achieved with a packaged course By using outside companies, it frees up your time to create courses only you can design specific for your business The course has already been developed, so the cost is usually less than developing a course yourself You receive support from the designers and tutors of the course The quality of delivery is maintained through the continual development of the trainers delivering the programme Its more cost effective to buy a course that fits your needs

External - External trainers have often developed extensive training programs that leave no stone unturned. Theyre often filled with various exercises that give hands -on demonstrations of the techniques being taught. Theyre also likely to get your employees thinking about business in a broader sense, and not just as it relates to your company. Another benefit is that these public training events will allow your people to join trainees from other companies, allowing them to network with other up-and-comers from other businesses. These interactions could most certainly pay dividends in the years to come.

Finally, external training courses may come with accredited certification, which will give your employees added confidence in their abilities.

A quick internet search will reveal hundreds of companies very willing to provide you with training programmes that promise near-instant results. The proof often is not forthcoming until way after the event. So determine whether the outside supplier can meet your needs with a series of thought-starters: How much does the training company know about the subject you wish them to train? Have they worked with your industry/business before? How will they measure the success of any programme they run with you? Can you work with them during the preparation stages to determine the learning points are relevant to your trainees? How much of the material is off-the-shelf and how much of it is bespoked? Do you need a generic programme or does it need to be specific to your needs? What guarantees do the companies offer in respects to the quality of the materials? Will you be charged for design work, or is it a complete package price? Will you require follow-up work after the programme? Can they offer coaching and telephone support to the trainees after the events? What contingency plans do they offer if the programme doesnt hit the mark?

The answers to such questions will guide you toward the right external training suppliers. Remember every one of them will say they can deliver; go with your gut feeling as well as common-sense to tell you how effective they will be.

Disadvantages

External - The cost of external training programs may be an issue for some companies, including the cost of the training program itself, and any travel related expenses. In addition to cost, there are the issues of coordinating time off work for your employees to coincide with when the training program will be taking place. External training may also be either too narrowly focused, or too broadly focused to provide enough incentive to send your employees. In the former case, seminars or training programs may focus on just one narrow area of interest or study. Unless this topic is of great import, it may not be a worthwhile investment. In the latter cases, broadly based training events may be great for providing a lot of practical information, but may not do quite so well at providing tangible benefits for employees. Again, the rewards may not be worth the effort involved in sending employees out for the seminar or training.

Cost

Having external trainers is generally more expensive than using internal trainers for several reasons. One reason is that it is frequently necessary to transport employees to an off-the-job training site. Another is that external trainers are often hired as consultants, and they must be paid consultant's rates rather than a salary. In addition, external trainers may not be familiar with the specific equipment or procedures used by the company, which may cause some of their training material to be less applicable and less cost effective.

Lack of Specificity One disadvantage of hiring external trainers is lack of specificity. The material presented by the trainer is likely to be broad and general in nature, rather than being tailored to the specific client. The external trainer may not fully understand the specific needs of the company or any unique factors in the organizational culture that could make a particular training approach inappropriate to the context. This can produce suspicion or resistance on the part of the employee trainees.

Hype An external trainer is generally a consultant, in competition with other consultants who offer the same service. As a result, external trainers, in pitching their service, can indulge in too much hype or exaggeration in an attempt to convince the company to use them. An external training company may not be able to live up to its hype if it does get the contract.

Outsider Status An internal trainer is an integral part of the organization, with a long-term stake in the organization's growth and success. External trainers are outsiders, and may think of themselves as having only a temporary connection to the company without any lasting ties to it or to its long-term goals. Because of the external trainer's status as an outsider, employees may be more comfortable working with an internal trainer.