In the years that we’ve been implementing Zoho, I’ve discovered something: people blow off Zoho training.
Yes, that’s right. It gets blown off. Sure, clients will talk a good game. They’ll tell me how important it is. They’ll say how “committed” they are. But it never really happens.
Why? It’s because training is usually left until the end. First you get the software installed and set up. Then you import data. Then you customize and integrate and configure and test and launch and…oh yeah…I guess now it’s time to train. Except when you get to that point, oftentimes, there’s no time left. Or money in the budget. So training gets significantly reduced. Or entirely ignored.
That is a huge mistake. Training should be your first priority. In fact, training can occur well before your system goes live.
Still not sold? Let’s lay out the four big benefits from getting Zoho training:
You’ll be working with Zoho experts
You made the investment in Zoho for a reason, right? You’re doing this so your salespeople can close more deals. Your customer service people can make sure no big issues are going unresolved. Your financial team has up to date numbers. Your managers have the data they need to do their jobs. And you, of course, have a system that’s making your people more productive, more proactive and more profitable. The training makes everyone expert in their specific use of Zoho. No one has to be a genius about the entire application. But they should be very proficient with the parts of the application that they need to do their job well. Having experts like us on Marks Group Live enables your people to improve how they do their jobs.
You don’t feel dumb asking questions
One thing I’ve learned in life is that the more you know about something, the more you realize how much you don’t know about something. Any expert will tell you that that their field has unlimited questions that need to be answered. No one expects you or your employees to become experts with Zoho. But once you get even the most basic level of training accomplished, you will soon realize that there are so many more questions you can ask and things to learn to really use the application the best way possible. Pilots don’t begin their careers flying jumbo jets. They have to start somewhere and ask the dumb questions. But once we get some training, we all begin to realize that there really are no “dumb questions.” Just ignorance.
You’re more self-sufficient
At The Marks Group, we have three types of clients: the ones who ask us to do everything, the ones who just do it all themselves, and the ones (who represent the majority) that share the work with us. One of the great things about Zoho is that not only is it easy to use, but there are plenty of resources—like the videos and services on Marks Group Live—that can help you be self-sufficient. So the more you invest in training in the short term, the more you’ll save on future services over the long term. Getting your people trained is a great way to control your costs in the years to come.
Finally, you’re smarter about future decisions
Sometimes, I meet clients who want to do a whole bunch of complex things with Zoho right out of the box. I try hard to reign them in. That’s because when people attempt to do too much too early on, they’re making decisions without all the necessary data. I tell them to use the system and get lots of training. Become experts in their Zoho apps. Then, in a few months, let’s all re-visit the integrations or customization you want to have done. Don’t be surprised if some of those changes aren’t really necessary. But even if you do decide to move forward, you’ll be so much more proficient with the technology that you’ll know exactly what you want. You’ll ask the right questions and know if an answer doesn’t seem right. Basically, your training will make you smarter.
The Marks Group offers expert-led Zoho training and support on all Zoho apps and products. Contact us at info@marksgroup.net to find out more and check out our YouTube video library!
