In my last posting I spoke of how sales and service performance are optimized when learning and information are delivered in a "contextual" manner--in other words, when learning and knowledge are never more than just on click away from a person's work.  In this posting I will focus on the enabling technologies behind "Contextual Performance Improvement" (CPI).

Since our goal with CPI is to improve the performance of an individual in the channel, then it helps to understand the types of resources (knowledge and information) that we must deliver to the channel in order to optimize performance.  To do so we need look no further than the venerable "Four Pillars of Performance Improvement."  For this example I'm going to add a fifth pillar and that is one I will call "Alignment."  I've added Alignment because aligning the channel with corporate vision and goals is becoming not only critically important, but as you will see in this posting it's also becoming very possible even in an indirect channel.  In the graphic below I've used puzzle pieces to represent this performance-based methodology (note: click image to enlarge):

Now, let's flesh these out by adding the resources that make up the deliverables for each of the five pieces in this puzzle:

Communication

• News & Information: new product introductions, sales & service programs, corporate strategy & alignment, etc.
• Automatic Notifications: certification expirations, prescriptive learning, etc.
• Auto Calendaring: webinars, instructor-led training events, meetings reminders, etc.
• Upcoming Events: trade shows, webinars, etc.
• Alerts: shipment delays, recalls, etc.

Education

• Courseware & curricula: WBT/ILT/IDL
• Competencies: role-based competency maps and individual learning plans
• Performance Support: data books, pricing schedules, best practices, presentations, proposals, templates, videos, animations, etc.
• Collaboration: peer-to-peer, ask-the-expert and FAQ's.
• Knowledge Tansfer: expert systems, configurators, etc.

Motivation

• Certifications: sales & Service
• Incentives: sales, service, parts and finance programs
• Recognition: achievement and reward

Measurement

• Analytics: in multiple formats
• Metrics: by region, by role, etc.
• Reporting: user surveys, user transcripts, site usage, etc.
• And more

Alignment

• Corporate goals: sales goals, warranty cost reductions, customer satisfaction goals, etc.
• Strategic initiatives: value-based selling, product packaging, etc.
• Corporate marketing campaigns: sales, parts, finance and service campaigns

Now, let's take a quick look at the file formats that support these puzzle pieces.  Basically, whether you're applying CPI to sales, service, parts, finance, management, or just about any other target audience, virtually all of the common file formats most of us use just about everyday will need to be supported:

• HTML documents: such as websites, web-based training courses, hyperlinks, Webinars, etc.
• Animation formats: such as Flash files.
• PowerPoint documents: such as sales presentation, product slide decks, company presentations, training slide decks, etc.
• Word, Excel, Access and Acrobat files: such as product catalogs, spec sheets, pricing sheets, company information, company databases, etc.
• Graphic formats: such as .gif, .jpg, etc.
• Video formats: such as Windows Media and Apple Quicktime
• Special formats: such as those of certain online tools like product configurators, etc.
• And many more.

As you can now see, this is no simple task.  You may also surmise that none of the popular tools such as learning management systems, content management systems, portal technologies, or other popular off-the-shelf systems and tools will, on their own, support this solution.  In actuality, the system that properly supports CPI is a hybrid of the following:

1. Content Management
2. Learning Management
3. Collaboration & Communities of Practice
4. Incentive & Rewards Management
5. Portal Technologies

Introducing Channel Performance Management: The ideal solution is a system that extracts features from each of these systems, as they apply to the channel, and incorporates them into a single system that's affordable, easy-to-use and easy-to-support.

Fortunately, a new breed of technology is rising to meet this unique need.  This new technology is called a Channel Performance Management System.  A Channel Performance Management System leverages the best of each of these systems as they apply to the unique needs of the channel.  In so doing it deliberately discards the many features of these systems that have no value to channel management and only serve to add costs and complexity.  What you are left with is the perfect combination of features from content management, learning management, portal technologies, collaboration and motivation all rolled into a single, powerful system.

One-to-one Performance Improvement: Finally, one last important feature of a Performance Management System is that the system must be "audience smart".  In other words, it must be capable of delivering CPI in a "one-to-one" performance improvement interface.  For example, a dealer service technician in Beijing, China, should see only service-related content, only for products actually serviced in his/her region, and in Simplified Chinese.  Similarly, a dealer finance administrator in Seattle, Washington, should only see finance-related content, for finance programs sanctioned by that state and available in his/her region, and in English.  Without one-to-one CPI, usability and relevancy suffer and user rejection quickly follows.

Summary: In summary, a new breed of technology called a Channel Performance Management System is capable of delivering on the promise of 4th generation performance improvement, a.k.a. CPI.  These systems integrate the best functionality of existing solutions, are built upon a tried and true performance methodology and are capable of taking your channel to new levels of performance in all facets of a channel including sales, service, parts, finance and management.  To see a Channel Performance Management System in action please contact me and I will arrange a demonstration.