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Sunbelt
Rentals has pinned a big share of its success on
training employees to provide responsive and
professional service to customers.
Two
years ago, Sunbelt opened its National Training Center
near its Charlotte, N.C., headquarters, to keep Sunbelt
employees on the cutting edge of new technology by
increasing their product knowledge and to develop their
professional and interpersonal skills. The center
handles both operations and service training.
Store
managers, managers in training, foremen and rental
managers from every Sunbelt location receive intensive
training at the training center two weeks each year.
“We’re
the first rental company in the nation to offer this
program,” says Sunbelt President Bruce Dressel. “We
feel it’s an important component in our overall
commitment to providing superior service.”
“We
think our people make the difference,” says Jim Cowley,
training director and primary instructor for the
operations courses — he has 15 years of operations
experience, so he can teach from firsthand knowledge of
the challenges in running a rental business.
“What
we’re doing here is teaching our people how to deal
effectively with the challenges and opportunities they
face every day,” says Cowley. “We give them valuable
tools they can take into the field and help them run
their operations more efficiently and better serve their
customers.
“We
are constantly modifying and updating the classes we
offer. We receive input from employees and mix groups of
people from around the country to benefit from each
other’s experiences.
“Bringing
manufacturers’ representatives in further enhances our
ability to service and support the equipment we offer.
We currently have 16 manufacturers providing technical
service training three weeks out of every month, with 12
to 15 Sunbelt participants in each session.”
The
training center is committed to motivating employees in
an environment of structured, consistent learning and to
instilling the Sunbelt concept of customer service. The
end goal is to help employees develop into qualified
leaders.
NTC
classrooms feature interactive instruction for
participants using a combination of lectures, PowerPoint
presentations, workshops and lively group discussions
dealing with problem-solving issues. Students sit at
multimedia desks with built-in computers for performing
interactive course work. Attendees relate actual
in-the-field experiences that they have encountered,
which adds reality to a course’s effectiveness.
A
fully equipped shop provides hands-on service training
on various types of equipment.
The
training center offers courses in three main categories:
Rental Operations, Service and Manufacturers’
Training.
Rental
Operations courses provide store managers, managers in
training and rental managers with customer-service
skills and an in-depth knowledge of company policy and
procedures. Participants also gain product knowledge on
various types of equipment offered by Sunbelt. An
advanced course is offered to further sharpen their
business management skills.
Service
Training includes an in-depth service operations course
for shop foremen and store managers. This course helps
participants attain a thorough understanding of company
procedures and the role of the service department in
serving customer needs. Customized technical service
courses are also offered for service personnel and
rental managers covering a variety of topics including
small-tool maintenance and repair and an advanced
technical course covering electrical and hydraulic
systems. Service Training Manager Steve Costantini is
the instructor for these courses.
Manufacturers’
training courses provide shop foremen and other service
personnel brand-specific, hands-on technical training on
specific models of equipment offered by Sunbelt.
Instructors for these courses are technical specialists
brought in from the respective manufacturers. The
specific equipment covered is on hand, so participants
can work on the equipment during the instruction.
After
completing a course at the National Training Center,
participants are given a set of principles to take with
them and help them apply what they have learned:
-
Teach
whenever you learn.
-
Constantly
applying what you have learned will give us
knowledge to improve and compete.
-
Communication
and cooperation benefit us all.
-
Strive
to be a leader and constantly move forward with
relentless execution.
“Our
goal is not necessarily to be the biggest player in the
industry, but the best,” says Dressel. “We strive to
deliver a level of service greater than customers
expect.” |
