Beyond Downloads: Empowering Partners and Customers through software simulation tools (Part3)

 

Sabine, the host and producer of the "Selling with Sabine" podcast, a consumer-to-business sales expert with a wealth of experience working for tech companies, including telecommunications and cybersecurity. She holds an Adult Learning Graduate certificate and utilizes her Instructional Design Graduate program knowledge to design and develop sales training assets such as job aids, and micro e-learning courses for her clients.

Podcast Script

Welcome to episode 10. I am Sabine Taylor, the host of "Selling with Sabine" and a ChatGPT and Google Bard business-to-consumer sales performance coach and certified sales trainer. Today concludes my three-part series on sales enablement. During our time together, I'll delve into the significance of incorporating simulation tools into your sales enablement practice. To fully appreciate the material covered in this episode, please listen to episode eight and nine where I discuss sales enablement and instructional design in more detail. With this foundation, Episode 10 will offer valuable insights and make more sense to you. 

Before diving into the practical applications, let's establish clear definitions. Simulation software is designed to capture the step-by-step process of completing a task within another software application. Instructional design, on the other hand, encompasses the systematic process of developing, implementing, and evaluating instructional materials to facilitate effective learning. 

So, with that said, imagine you're a travel app developer partnering with an airline. The airline call center agents earn commissions when their customers download your app to book travel experiences. However, the agents themselves are unfamiliar with your app, hindering their ability to explain the download and booking process. As a result, app downloads remain disappointingly low.  

So, Instructional designers can address this learning gap by utilizing screen capture tools like Tech Smith's “Camtasia.” This software can help demonstrate by recording every step of the app download process. This can also help booking agents gain a clearer understanding of what their customers will need to do. 

Alternatively, tools like Adobe Captivate offer a more interactive approach. They enable the recording of actions within software and convert them into many e-learning courses. This way, instead of passively watching a video, booking agents can actively click through the download process and simulate a customer's experience. However, Adobe Captivate has a steep learning curve. You can try their free trial version and take courses on platforms like LinkedIn Learning to familiarize yourself with the software. 

With that said, hiring an instructional designer to create a Captivate-based e-learning course is another option if your time is limited. Now you can use these recordings to upload them to a dedicated “Education” or “How it Works” tab on your website. This way, visitors on your website can watch the recording to understand how your app functions while also finding answers to their questions. 

 You see, very few companies take the time to provide a comprehensive customer education library. And this actually forces customers to seek information on platforms like YouTube, where influencers often control the narrative. This can be detrimental, as influencers might showcase problems encountered when using your app, negatively impacting sales and creating vocal detractors. With that said, ensure you create screen recordings for all compatible devices, whether it's Android, iOS, Windows, or Mac. 

Differences in user interfaces can dramatically affect how your app looks and behaves on different operating systems. Investing time in these screen recordings can significantly reduce app deactivations due to confused customers. However, when customers are empowered by educational content, they are more likely to download your app, leave positive reviews, and recommend your app to their network of family and friends.  

As I prepare to wrap up, make sure you listen to the previous episodes where I talk about sales tips and the benefits of using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard. If you find this information useful, I kindly ask for your support by liking and sharing this podcast. Your support will help me become more discoverable by business owners, sales leaders, and professionals who want to access valuable sales coaching tips. If you're interested in contacting me or working with me, visit linkedin.com. When you land on that site, you can type in the name Sabine Taylor in the search field. In the search results, you should find Sabine Taylor “The Sales Training Architect.” I respond to those messages faster. Have a wonderful day and thank you for listening. 

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