Solutions to evaluate training program for sale department in golden summer fashion company

UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY
International School of Business
------------------------------

SOLUTIONS TO EVALUATE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR
SALE DEPARTMENT IN GOLDEN SUMMER FASHION COMPANY

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Tran Lan Thanh – Mbus 5.2
Supervisors: Dr. Nguyen Thi Nguyet Que

Ho Chi Minh City – Year 2017


Contents
CHAPTER 1 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION ............................................................................. 3
1.1.

Company background ...................................................................................................... 3

1.2.

Background of problem .................................................................................................... 8

1.3.

Problem Identification .................................................................................................... 14

1.3.1.

Problem definition: ................................................................................................. 14

1.3.2.

Justified Problem existence..................................................................................... 15

1.3.3.

Justified Problem important .................................................................................... 15

1.3.4.

Potential Causes ...................................................................................................... 17

1.3.5.

Causes Validation ................................................................................................... 17

CHAPTER 2

ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS .......................................................................... 21

2.1. Alternative Solution ........................................................................................................... 21
2.2. Solution comparison........................................................................................................... 27
CHAPTER 3

ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................. 29

CHAPTER 4

SUPPORTING INFORMATION ..................................................................... 38

2


CHAPTER 1
1.1.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Company background
Golden Summer Fashion limited company (GSF) is established in 2003, specializes in

retail market. Golden Summer Fashion company is the authorized distributor of over 15 brands
like bag, shoes in Vietnam market. In 2003, Golden Summer Fashion company brand Furla bag
from Italy to Vietnam, this is the first step of this retail company in growing path. In 2007, GSF
took the next step to bring Goex shoes from Italy to Vietnam. 2014 witnessed strong growth of
GSF when they opened ShooZ – multiple brand stores with over 13 brands. In present, GSF own
26 stores over Vietnam with 3 brands: Furla, Geox and group brand ShooZ. For each brand, GSF
focus on different potential customer. While Furla bag and Geox shoes aim to customer in class
B with price around 10million for bags and 5 million for shoes, ShooZ aim to lower income but
trendy customers with price around 1 to 3 million.
Name and address:
Vietnamese full name: Công ty TNHH Thời Trang Hạ Vàng
English name: Golden Summer Fashion Company
Address:
Website: giaybiettho.com
Havang.com
ShooZ.vn
Staff: around 300 employees
GSF has to face with a lot of competitors in retail sector like Hoang Phuc international

company, Maison Company, ACFC. As GSF, all retailer in fashion sector in Vietnam do not
focus on just one segment of consumers, they diversifies the product line to aim to premium and
casual as well.

3


Asia Pacific footwear retail market
Vietnam is one of Asia Pacific countries – the attractive retail market, especially footwear retail
market. Dự báo thị trường giày dép thế giới giai đoạn 2011 - 20181 said that total sales world’s
footwear industry in 2011 reached $185.211 million, in 2012 reaches $188.360 million and is
expected to reach $211.540 million by 2018. Asia Pacific accounted for the largest proportion
and forecast continued standing leadership position in revenue from now to 2018.

In terms of geographical regions, Dự báo thị trường giày dép thế giới giai đoạn 2011 20182 suggested that Asia Pacific accounted for the largest share on the world footwear market
with annual growth rates expected in the period from 2011 to $ 78.360 million and forecast to
reach about $90.644 million in 2018.

4


Vietnam retail market
Vietnam is at 11th spot in the Global Retail Development Index (GRDI) ranking from
Vietnam Retail Market Ranked 11th by AT Kearney3 and has been among top 30 fastest
emerging global retail market since 2008. Besides that, Vietnam has low market saturation and
has highest GDP growth in Southeast Asian countries in the GRDI.

GDP growth (annual %)4 from World Bank showed that Vietnam GDP has grown 5.2%
annually since 2013 and has reach 1684.866 USD in 2015.

5


VietNam GDP
In decade from, vietNam has intersting retail growth with over 3% growth from 2008 to
2013 and more than 6% for the next 5 years. Vietnam retail will become potentail market to
invest in this time.

Forecast for Vietnam’s retail sales growth from 2008 to 2018, by volume5
Besides, Ryan6- CEO Nielsen Vietnam said that consumers have ability to self-eliance in
purchasing since the explosion of the middle class is increasing strongly in Asia in general and in
Vietnam in particular. In 2020, the middle class in Vietnam will triple the current number and
reach 33 million people.
The family in Vietnam is not much more extended family and the young generations are
independently sooner. This trend brings the result that people will purchase for themselves rather
than for family as the years ago.
Information above shows that Vietnam is the attractive retails market with rising
consumer demand in retail, especially in footwear market. Vietnam GDP has been rising
gradually in this decade and this country is in top 30 fastest emerging global retail market since

6


2008. With favorable external conditions, GSF has great chance in retail market and in
particularly in footwear market.
The changes in Vietnam family structure and customer behavior will brings the result that
the young generation will have more chance to make decision by themselves more. Therefore,
ShooZ – multiple brand of GSF will have more favorable conditions since ShooZ focus on
young and native generation.
Vietnam seem to be fertile land for retail sectors. However, it brings to GSF both

opportunities and threats.
Opportunities
GSF- one of fashion retail companies in Vietnam – potential market has a lot of
opportunities. First of all, Vietnam market attract a lot of department store operator as Parkson,
Aeon Mall, Vincom, Lotte, Takashimaya...They open many ranges shopping central from South
to North of Vietnam and provide space for many brands in general and fashion brands in
particular. GFS do not meet too much challenges to find the location to open new store with
reasonable cost.
Because of having many stores as food and beverage, fashion, coffee shop, entertainment
space, shopping center always have their own traffic. Revenue in shopping centre, GSF has
advantage to driving customers to their stores.
Secondly, from information above Vietnam become potential market for retail with
increasing in middle class customers. Through forecast of retail sale, GSF has good chance in
this sector with retail sale volume growth increase every year.
Threats
Vietnam market open good chance for GFS and brings threats also. Potential market for
retailer attracts a lot of investors who are competitors of GSF. If Vietnam market brings
favorable to GSF, it also share this chance for all members in this sectors.

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Competitors
Retail market in Vietnam has great growth number and is rising every year. There are a
lot of investors join in this market to share. One of competitor of GSF could be mentioned is
Hoang Phuc International Company.
Hoang Phuc has reputation as distributors of a lot of international brand which aim to
young people as ShooZ. With the same potential customers Hoang Phuc is the direct competitor
of ShooZ – multi brands stores of GSF.
Compare to ShooZ, Hoang Phúc has established for longer time and has reputation in

fashion for youth in Vietnam. Hoang Phuc distributes a lot of famous international brands as
Skechers, Kappa, Dr. Martin, Replay. Hoang Phuc become well-known brand name in youth
who are trendy and fashionable.
ShooZ also has their own strength in this fight. If Hoang Phuc distributes brands with
famous with cool design ShooZ bring to Vietnam fashionable brand with special technology. For
example, light weight technology or supporting for feet brands…
GSF in general and ShooZ in particular have good opportunities in potential market for
retails market as Vietnam, they also have to face with a lot of threats from competitors.
1.2.

Background of problem
Problem Symptoms
Golden Summer Fashion company has developed rapidly, especially when they decided

to open multi brand ShooZ. In more than one year, from the end of 2014, ShooZ has 18 stores in
Vietnam and will has 22 stores in the end of 2015. With over 12brands aim to youth Vietnamese
people who love fashion and trendy clothes but do not have too much choice in authentic
affordable shoes.
Beside Geox and Furla, two big brands in the world and became Vietnam for a long time,
ShooZ seem to be a young men in this sector. Although ShooZ has great development, it cannot
8


reach the target of sale revenue. In 2015, ShooZ witnessed increase of sale through but this was
not steady growth. ShooZ never can reach 100% the expected sale through number. Sell through
number of some brands in ShooZ has fluctuated.

100
90
80

70
60
50
40
30
20

10
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

Target of ShooZ from January 2015 to May 2016
Potential problem
We have to 2 interviews with Assistant of CEO and Operation Manager of ShooZ.
Assistant of CEO- Hoàng Thị Tình worked for this company around 8 years and she used to be a
Human Resource Senior for a long time in Golden Summer Fashion Company. Because of her
responsibility and workload, she can know clearly about symptoms and cause in HaVang. The
reason Operation Manager of ShooZ – Nguyen Ngoc Huong become the 2nd respondent cause
she is the sale manager of ShooZ brand and know all difficulties in this brand. This thesis will
explore on sale department and more specific is in ShooZ brand therefore, they are the best
respondents for 2 first interview.
After interview both of them, there are some common points between. There are many
reason which makes ShooZ brand cannot reach the target. The first reason is all brands under
ShooZ are still new in Viet Nam market. As the first time come into Viet Nam, these brands need
time to educate customers about the unique of these brand. Compare to HoangPhuc multiband

9


stores, ShooZ is the new comers and have to face with a lot challenge. The second reason that

people cannot realize which brands will be under ShooZ multi brand stores. One of the most
important reason can be mention that the sale staff do not understand what they are selling. That
is the reason why some products have fluctuated sell through number. Lack of adequate
information about brand what makes the product in ShooZ become unique compare to another
product, sale staff is not equipped enough to know and to provide information to customer.
ShooZ always has new staff in sale department. However, this turnover rate in ShooZ is not high
compare to retail segment. Both of them do not think problem become target is too high to
reach. As the operation manager said all of target of fashion retail in Vietnam is based on traffic
of central mall, operation cost… Besides that, when they have new stores the target is always
low to encourage staff.
The interview from Assistant of CEO showed that training process in company has some
problem inside. General in Geox, Furla and ShooZ in particular, there are no official material to
show to new staff and updated for the old one. Especially, ShooZ which has a lot of brands
under, training seem too important to staff to provide to customers what they are selling. In
fashion segment, concept, key messages and product will change quickly at least 2 times for one
year, it required people working in update new knowledge every season. GSF do not has official
training material for staff and seasonal training as well.
According to Assistant of CEO, training process in GSF do not has clearly timeline, it
seem to be an arbitrary training program. There no right process for training program. There are
no evaluation for input and output therefore the training team cannot collect the result of training.
The method of training is still not suitable and there no clearly about coaching and training. For
more details, if manager visit shop and recognize any mistake, urgent training will be organized
without evaluate if this is individual mistake. Assistant of CEO believes in that one people
cannot reflect all a team. The leader of training team comes from operation sale team so she do
not have enough skill and know deeply about which department should in charge in any parts of
training program. All of staff in GSF do not have chance to take an intensive course. She thinks
that not all of skill sale staff can get from the senior or marketing team, some skills need to
improve by intensive course. GSF do not have any motivation for training which will encourage
people join in. Besides that, Assistant of CEO believe in that the basic knowledge about
company and product should be provide to all staff, not only sale and marketing team.

10


Interview Operation Manager of ShooZ we received similar symptoms in training for sale
staff. Besides, she thinks that training not only about company profile, knowledge about brand or
product but also sale skill, consult skills… GFS is building training process and has to face with
a lot of challenges. Besides, after any training class, there is no test to evaluation the result. The
trainer cannot know if trainee understand all information. When she comes to stores and check
knowledge of sale staff, she met a lot of cases sale staff cannot remember the unique selling
point of product then they cannot consult customers. Especially, in Hanoi where sale staff cannot
be trained regularly, they lack of even basic information about brand. For example, sale staff in
Hanoi spells wrong name of materials.
Problem of Golden Summer Fashion Company is not only sale revenue but also in work
assignment. By interview show that staff in sale team is stress and seem to be confused which
their job descriptions. Staff in GSF in general and in sale team particular always work under high
pressure with overload working and not clear about what they need to do in their position. High
pressure in sale and have to take over many task in this this position in operation group of sale
team are the reason of low productivity. Operation of sale team have to take more tasks which
are not in their job description before. New task from another sector and overloading create more
pressure on operation sale team. The productivity is not as expected in sale revenue and another
task like layout stores and whole sale as well.
Keeping interview sale staff in stores, we collected more information in training program.
Sale staff who working in stores as the direct sale man to customers said that they do not think
they are not totally confident to all products cause too much brand to remember. We have 4
interview with 2 shop leaders – who worked for 2 years and 2 sale staff who just work in ShooZ
under 6 months. Listening to feedback from 2 leaders, we found that they have too many brands
to remember, they have joined some training class before but it too difficult to remember all of
huge knowledge. They said that sometimes they do not know how to make customers listen to
them. 2 shop leaders who have good performance with high revenue still they lacks of some
information. Besides that, they believe traffic of center mall can be count one reason make their

revenue do not high.
The two last interview are under- 6-month sale staff, they gave information that they
believe customers choose products depend on how it look like. They said almost knowledge they
11


got come from shop leaders, and some brands they cannot remember where it come from and
what is the key selling point.
After initial interviews with Operation Manager of ShooZ and Assistant of CEO and
some sale staff we can find out some reason which might the problems makes ShooZ cannot
reach the target. Information from 2 first respondents, ShooZ staff do not know enough and
clearly brand information which will help them to convince customers. Besides that, overlap in
working task put high pressure on operation staff and make them cannot have the best
productivity.

12


Initial Cause – Effect Maps
Overloading
work

Not clearly
setting
objectives

Not clearly job
description

Overlap

working task

Stressful job

Not to good
performance of
Operation
Not well
preparing
Material and
Audiovisual
Aids not too
good

Training
Method

Not clearly
subjects ’
content

Not confident
to consult
about the
unique point
of brand

Boring feeling
in training
session

Cannot reach
target

Not excellent
salesman

Ineffectiveness
training
Not have
strong believe
in products

Not reasonable
Schedule

Lacking of
improvement
of training
program

Right &
Reasonable
Target

Not clearly
determining
needs

Lacking of

evaluation
training
program

Do not well in
remember all
knowledge of
brand

Strong
Competitors
New Staff

13


1.3.

Problem Identification

1.3.1. Problem definition:
According to Landy7, training is a process of activities of organization which provide to
staff to help them more knowledge and skills to reach the goals of organization. Training can be
understand that improve knowledge and skills to staff for finished their tasks effectively
(Patrick8).
Noe et al9 showed that training effectiveness is the” bottom line” of most training
program. Training effectiveness is determined by using model of training outcomes with four
levels of training effects: trainees’ reactions to the program content and training process
(reaction), knowledge or skill acquisition “learning”, behavior change (behavior), and
improvements in tangible in individual or organizational outcomes or productivity (outcomes).

To know effectiveness of training program we need to evaluate effectiveness of training.
Not too different to the study of Raymond above, Honeycutt et al 10 said that training evaluation
base on 4 major categories: reaction, knowledge, attitude, and results.
Kirkpatrick et al11 said that training is a process with several parts which should be
carefully considered when planning:
1.

Determining needs

2.

Setting objectives

3.

Determining subjects content

4.

Selecting participants

5.

Determining the best schedule

6.

Selecting and Preparing Audiovisual Aids

7.

Evaluating the program

Come back to the Initial Interview, we found there are many several common points
between interview respondents and Donald and James study. Training program in GSF seem to
be ineffective with some issue in objectives, content, schedule and evaluation.

14


1.3.2. Justified Problem existence
Sale training evaluation is one of the major challenge of organization because the cost for
training must be cost-effective. Without training evaluation, it will be very difficult for company
to measuring the contribution of training program. Besides, evaluation training program can give
the useful feedback to improve training program. (Attia et al)13
According to Attia13, managers have their own reason to not evaluate training program: in
the success of company, there is less reason to mention about sale staff skills and abilities; the
managers’ general think that the training always better than no train; evaluation not prove
anything; and bad result could result in reduced in salary increase.
Kirkpatrick 15 said there are many reasons for training evaluation of each company. The
common reason they mentioned is giving to company the feedback of how to improve the future
program. The second one is determine which part of the program need to be dropped or keep
continued. And the last one is to justify the existence of training department and budget. They
said that training can find out and improve issues of training program.
For more information, the survey was made base on scale of Pettijohn12 for shop leader
and sale staff at shop, they though that they know about what they sell but not in deep knowledge
about brand. To evaluation the reason sale performance for each product, their answer just
around the fashionable items and not too much about function of product. All most brands in
ShooZ are provided to customer not only fashion but also function as good for healthy,
lightweight. Expect shop leader who work in GSF for a long time, sale staff in shop has been

confused about how their product become unique. Lack of confidential, some products line
cannot inspire sale staff to consult customer at all. Sale staff do not know clearly when they have
chance to join training class and new staff will be trained by shop leader.
1.3.3. Justified Problem important
By surveying companies with the sample between 171 and 250 firms, Holzer et al14 run
by State of Michigan find the evidence of the relationship between training and productivity.
Besides that, Bartel15 with the survey 150 firms show the positive link between training and
productivity. Becker16 agreed that general training will increase productivity. According to the
15


measure used by Blacket al17 for the survey from 1993 to 1995, the reported productivity
increase 3.4% by total trained employees. There are many surveys, papers and measure prove
that training will have positive effect on growth up of productivity.
In retail sector, training for stall in general and for sale staff in particularly is so
important. Training for sale staff not only teach sale people how to identify and understand
customer’s need and requirement (Garver et al18 ). The research of Román19 showed that sale
training will give important outcome like job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and
customer orientation.
According to Attia et al13, the manager has less reason to think the sale skills and abilities
of sale staff will reflect on their success. Therefore, GSF need to build training evaluation to
measure the result of training and reward if the trainee has good performance.

16


1.3.4. Potential Causes

Not clearly
setting

objectives

Not well
preparing
Material and
Audiovisual
Aids not too
good

Not clearly
determining
needs
Not confident
to consult
about the
unique point
of brand

Training
Method

Not clearly
subjects ’
content

Cannot reach
target

Not have
strong believe

in products

Not
reasonable
Schedule

Lacking of
improvement
of training
program

Not excellent
salesman

Ineffectivenes
s training

Lacking of
evaluation
training
program

Final Cause Effect Maps
1.3.5. Causes Validation
After many interviews with HR Senior and Operation Manager, we found that GSF has
problem in training for sale staff. To clarify what make the problem in training process we had
the second interview with Operation Manager. Operation Manager will be the best choice for the
17

second interview because she is the direct manager of sale staff. Furthermore, every week she
always has to come to stores for coaching. Besides, she always collects feedback from her staff,
solves problem in sale system. Especially, the point of view of Operation Manager has
similarities as HR senior in the first interview.
Determining needs
Not clearly determining needs at the beginning is the reason made GSF do not have
objective for training program, they do not have clearly purpose to aim for each training class.
Therefore, the content, schedule and participant of each class seem to be not specific and
reasonable.
The second interview with Operation Manager go directly to training process in GSF. For
the first cause of problem in training, we talked about training needs. According to Huong –
Operation Manager of ShooZ, the objective of each training class is not clearly. Therefore each
made the training content was not clear. For each class of training process, they have subjects as
information about brands or sale skills. However, they just stop at discussing about the subject,
she thinks that they should finalize the content of each class specifically. More details, she think
that to improve her staff in skill and in knowledge training team need to list down what they will
transfer in class.
For example, for information about brand as brand guideline for display in stores, key of
selling point, history of brand. With around 15 brands, it seem to be a huge knowledge staff
have to absorb in one class and may be it must be separate to class for two class. After she
collected feedback from staff about training class, many sale staff said that with some class they
feel overload because of the quantity information they have to get. Someone said that in brand
information class, they just can remember some knowledge at the beginning. Preparing and
discussing the content for each class is crucial because more specific of content in each class
easier for candidates to follow.
According to Operation Manager, GSF built training timeline with many class and they
tried to equipped every skills for staff not only the basic knowledge about company, brands but
also advance knowledge as updating of seasonal knowledge, sale skills. However, they do not
18

have the specific timeline for this each content. From sale staff interview, they do not know
which class they will join, they just waiting for email ask them to come for training class.
Besides, the participants for each content are not reasonable. At discussion to design
training timeline for each content, training team had talked about the time line for each content.
For more details, new staff will join in basic brand information, basic sale skills, and basic to use
sale IT systems while the old one will be in advance class. In fact, timeline is not relevant with
the content as expectation. To save time, there are some over-3-month staffs do not have chance
to join in any basic class, all information they get come from shop leader. Furthermore, over-3month staff need to join in advance class while they never joined in any basic class before.
Not clearly in training content and the conflict between content and schedule and
participants are the reasons make the trainee cannot get all the knowledge and skill which they
need to have.
Training Evaluation
From the interview of HR Senior, Operation Manager and some staff GSF do not
evaluation after training class. Although GSF has a lot of training class from the knowledge to
skill to improve their staff, they do not know exactly what training program outcome. In the
report of training program in quarterly report, the training team do not responsibilities to mention
the training results. Board of director do not ask them to present about this.
The method to measure the result of training in GSF is observation and asking staff in
stores. After training class, there are no test for the trainee to evaluate which they can remember.
The Operation manager said that, when she came to stores for asking her staff about brand
information and the result make her disappointed. Her staff cannot remember what they learned
from training class. This issue happens not only one stores, the result is worse in Hanoi and Nha
Trang- a long distance from headquarter. For example, she asked them how to clean the product
and there are a lot of staff cannot give the right answer with confidently. Besides, not only asking
staff, operation manager usually observed the way her staff convince customers. There are many
staff do not be active and confident to talk to customers, she though that her staff need to
improve more in sale skills.
19

Although operation manager and operation supervisor usually tested their staff by asking,
it cannot reflect on the general staffs’ training outcome.

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CHAPTER 2

ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS

2.1. Alternative Solution
Determining needs
First of all, to build effective training program we need to know what the needs is. After
determine needs we will have clearly objective and we will know what we should evaluate the
effectiveness of training program.
Kirkpatrick et al11 said that if programs are going to be effective, they must meet the
needs of participants. There are many ways to determine these needs. Here are some of the more
common:
1. Ask the participants.
2. Ask the bosses of the participants.
3. Ask others who are familiar with the job and how it is being performed, including
subordinates, peers, and customers.
4. Test the participants.
5. Analyze performance appraisal forms.
Participants, bosses, and others can be asked in interviews or by means of a survey.
Interviews provide more detailed information, but they require much more time. A simple survey
form can provide almost as much information and do it in a much more efficient manner.
From the beginning, training programs has to find out the needs in organization. In
details, they need to survey from staff, boss and other participants for the details information.

(Hamerlynck22)
Participation by an advisory committee accomplishes four purposes:

21


1. Helps to determine subject content for training programs.
2. Informs committee members of the efforts of the training department to provide
practical help.
3. Provides empathy regarding the needs seen by their subordinates.
4. Stimulates support of the programs by involving them in the planning.
Besides, this survey can bring several benefit to both trainers and trainees. The use of
tests and inventories is another approach for determining needs. There are two practical ways of
doing this. One way is to determine the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that a supervisor should
have and develop the subject content accordingly. Then develop a test that measures the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and give it to participants as a pretest. An analysis of the results
will provide information regarding subject content.
The other approach is to purchase a standardized instrument that relates closely to the
subject matter being taught. The sixty-five-item Management Inventory on Managing Change
(Kirkpatrick et al 11) is such an instrument. Here are some of the items in it:
1. If subordinates participate in the decision to make a change, they are usually more
enthusiastic in carrying it out.
2. Some people are not anxious to be promoted to a job that has more responsibility.
3. Decisions to change should be based on opinions as well as on facts.
4. If a change is going to be unpopular with your subordinates, you should proceed
slowly in order to obtain acceptance.
5. It is usually better to communicate with a group concerning a change than to talk to its
members individually.
6. Empathy is one of the most important concepts in managing change.

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7. it’s a good idea to sell a change to the natural leader before trying to sell it to the
others.
8. If you are promoted to a management job, you should make the job different from what
it was under your predecessor.
9. Bosses and subordinates should have an understanding regarding the kinds of changes
that the subordinate can implement without getting prior approval from the boss.
10. You should encourage your subordinates
The simple survey of determining needs will be mentioned at chapter 4 supporting
information.
Setting objectives
After determining needs of training program GSF need to clarify what they want to gain
after training program. From the study of Kirkpatrick et al11 the objective of training program has
to answers these questions:
1. What results are we trying to accomplish? These results can be stated in such terms as
production, quality, turnover, absenteeism, morale, sales, profits, and return on investment
(ROI).
2. What behaviors are needed to accomplish these desired results?
3. What knowledge, skills, and attitudes are necessary to achieve the desired behaviors?
To improve training content
From theory written by Kirkpatrick et al 11, trainers should ask themselves the question,
what topics should be presented to meet the needs and accomplish the objectives?

23


The answers to this question establish the topics to be covered. Some modifications may
be necessary depending on the qualifications of the trainers who will present the program and on

the training budget.
According to Operation Manager, the training team has discussed about training content
but they just stop at the subject of each class. She thinks that training team should go further in
details to finalize what will need to trained in one class. In GSF, we have several classes with
many content as: company background, brand knowledge, fashion trend, mix and match, sale
skill, sale software system… Finalize the content in details will be useful to prepare training
material which should be equipped for every sale staff. Besides, clear content for each class will
help trainer control the quantity knowledge their staff need to be get and avoid phenomenon of
over- learning.
There is the conflict between timeline and content of training as the interview with
Operation Manager and sale staff. Sometimes, the new staff who need to be get the basic
information of knowledge and skills do not be trained in the first working month. The first
information they get in the first months came from shop leader and they think it is not adequate
compare to the training class in headquarter. They think the official training material with basic
knowledge will be good solution for the new one and good tool to remind the old one.
Training Method
From the feedback of sale staff, some training class take a long time with huge
knowledge and without activities made them become boring. They suggested that more game,
more question and answer activities in class will make them more satisfy. According to Kahn23
the engagement will enhance job performance. Besides, Macey et al24 the goals are extremely
important for employee engagement because without purpose the engagement cannot occur.
Therefore, changing the way to train sale staff they should be have some reward to encourage
their staff to join in training class.
Kirkpatrick et al11 said that sometimes the instructor coordinates as well as teaches. In
other situations a coordinator does not do the teaching. For those who coordinate and do not
teach, there are two opposite approaches.
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To improve training material

Having official training material will solve a lot of problem of training in GFS. Sale staff
hop that they could remind themselves about necessary knowledge which is provided in basic
material. With basic material, the shop leader can be more self- confident to transfer information
to the new comer who have chance to join in training class.
According to Operation Manager, official training material should be included company
background, basic information of each brand (country, unique selling points), culture in stores as
greeting, apologize, basic sale skills. She think that they are working in retail fashion which will
change quickly and require adaptation each member in seasonal. Therefore, basic information
will be equipped for each person and the trainer should update new trend of each season for
trainee.
Besides the material audiovisual aid plays important role to make an effective training
program. Kirkpatrick et al11 showed that an audiovisual aid has two purposes: to help the leader
maintain interest and to communicate. Some aids, hopefully only a few minutes long, are
designed to attract interest and entertain. This is fine providing they develop a positive climate
for learning. When renting or purchasing video tapes and packaged programs, we have to take
care to preview them first to be sure that the benefits for the program outweigh the cost.
The extent to which such aids should become the main feature of a program depends on
the instructor’s knowledge and skills in developing his or her own subject content. Some
organizations rely entirely on packaged programs because they have the budget but not the skills
needed to develop and teach programs of their own. Other training professionals rely primarily
on their own knowledge, skill, and materials, and rent or buy videos only as aids. Some
organizations have a department that can make effective aids and provide the necessary
equipment. Other organizations have to rent or buy them. The important principle is that aids can
be an important part of an effective program. Each organization should carefully make or buy the
aids that will help it to maintain interest and communicate the message.

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