Individual skills training for Honda technicians
A programme pioneered by the Honda Institute enables technicians working for Honda (UK)-franchised dealers to train on what they want, when they want it and for as long as they want – and all for a one-off fee.
The Slough-based institute has registered to patent its highly participative and flexible programme, named individual skills training (IST), for all technical subjects.
The traditional “sit and listen” training sessions for car technicians typically run for three days. Dealers are charged per technician,per course attended. But they are often poorly attended.
Honda understands that its dealers must see the business benefits of training, otherwise they are reluctant to release staff. IST offers technicians interesting, effective and high-quality training, which tests skills and competence and fits in with the dealerships’ work schedule.
Sarah Beadell, technical-programmes manager, commented: “At the Honda Institute, we felt we could offer a more flexible approach that would benefit all stakeholders – Honda customers, technicians, dealers, the Honda Institute and Honda (UK). By offering a more flexible training programme,technicians can learn only what they need to know, when they need to know it.”
The Honda Institute uses customer-satisfaction scores, warranty claims, new products and technology to identify key skills needed by technicians. The technicians are assessed against these skills, by working with a trainer,one-to-one. Trainers provide feedback on where improvements can be made and the technicians decide what modules they want to study to fill any identified skill gaps.
An IST session enables technicians to develop at their own pace on their chosen modules, working through resource sheets and getting practical experience in the workshop.
Assessment-licence periods last two years, after which technicians are reassessed, to ensure their knowledge has kept pace with Honda technology.
Sarah Beadell said: “Honda’s pace of technological change grows ever faster. This means that Honda technicians need to keep updating and developing their skills throughout their careers. We are here to make it as easy as possible for them to do so.”
Dealers pay a one-off fee for each technician, who can then have unlimited access to technical training and assessment throughout the year.
The Honda Institute was founded in 1998 and moved to new premises in 2001 to accelerate its progress towards the vision of being “the benchmark in commercial and technical development in the UK”. It represents a £2 million investment by Honda (UK). The Honda Institute building, which covers 60,000 square feet, holds the largest collection of Honda products in Europe,ten fully equipped seminar rooms and a restaurant. Extensive training facilities are provided for all staff, from technicians to senior managers.
A previous winner of the training award in the Motor Trader industry awards, the Honda Institute provides personal-development programmes for around 10,000 people within the company’s three franchised networks of cars,motorcycles and power equipment. All trainers are experts in their field and,together with the administrative team, are able to provide one-to-one advice to any dealer employee wishing to make choices about personal development.
In addition to the training offered at the Colnbrook centre, the institute stages more than 800 training events a year at regional locations and Honda-franchised dealerships throughout Britain. This minimizes inconvenience to the Honda Institute’s dealer partners, cuts lost productive time, reduces participation costs and, of course, enables 100 per cent participation in product-knowledge training, with follow-on benefits in customer satisfaction.
The Honda Institute is always looking for innovative ways to deliver training. It has developed and launched three programmes on compact disc, and regularly delivers training and development over the Honda-dealer extranet and by correspondence. The Colnbrook centre offers various computer-skills programmes for people wishing to improve their knowledge in preparation for more online learning in the future. The institute even has a dedicated learning zone where delegates can learn as they surf the net during their lunch breaks.
Moreover, the institute is about to launch “InstituteOnLine”, a system that aims to provide a seamless connection between the Honda dealer network and the Honda Institute. InstituteOnLine will enable all dealer employees to track their training history, create their own personal-development plans, book training online and participate in e-learning programmes.
