Tips for Employers in the Telco Industry

You are all thinking it, so I am just going to say it. Starting a new job in an unfamiliar industry is scary and intimidating. There are challenges that not only new employees have to overcome, but also the employers who are hiring them.

How many new grads can confidently say they understood what a PBX was, or the benefits of using VoIP before they got a job at a telecommunication’s company. We can’t sugarcoat it any longer; it can be complicated to understand the telecommunications industry. There is so much information to learn and process that even employers can get overwhelmed.

As a relatively new grad and new employee in the telco industry, I can testify I felt overwhelmed with everything I needed to learn. But your new employees do not need to feel like that! Keep reading to hear some tips to overcome the challenges your new employees may face.

Implement an Onboarding Kit
After the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed on the contract, but before your new employee starts, present them with an onboarding kit. Think of it as a bit of homework for them to read over before their official big day. The kit should include materials like:

• An overview of the company
• An overview of your products
• Common words and definitions they may come across
• Common industry knowledge

Obtaining this information before a new employee’s first day will make it easier and more comforting for them. Implementing a proper onboarding kit for new employees will also make the training process easier and will decrease the rate of employee turnover.

Training Tips
Training is obviously a given, but it is important to stress. There is so much information to digest and understand in the telecommunications industry. It can be difficult because you are not dealing with tangible products, and employees will have no personal attachment to them. For example, even if you are not a car guru, you know its basic functions. It is easy to sell and market the features because you can physically touch and see how they work. Even though everyone knows what a phone is, not everyone understands how VoIP or PBX works. It is also harder to explain because they are intangible and you can’t hold the features like you could in a vehicle.

1. 1. Go Slow
      Having to remember everyone’s names, where the lunchroom is, plus the process of placing phone calls over the internet is a lot to take in on your first day. Many times, employers will say the famous line “don’t worry, you do not need to remember this all now”. But isn’t it counterintuitive to explain it now, knowing they won’t retain the information to only later re-explain it?

      Instead of repeating the same information repeatedly, deliver it in waves. Some topics will require more time to understand, but it is important to go slow and avoid overwhelming new employees.

1. 2. Keep them Engaged
      I think we can all agree that telco isn’t the most thrilling industry. Therefore, when training employees, you must keep them engaged in what they are learning. Companies should use videos, infographics and explain the topics in layman terms. By doing this, new employees can relate better to the topics. The more they are engaged, the more information they will retain.

1. 3. Use Real Life Examples
      For a new hire to better relate to a topic, you should use real-life examples. An example that we use at Bicom Systems is called ‘The Bicom Burger’. PBX is a standard burger with two buns and a patty. Our product, PBXware, is the same burger, but with added toppings (features). The PBXware burger has toppings like cheese (archiving storage), lettuce (CRM integration) and tomato (CDR partitioning). Other companies sell burgers too (PBX software) and they could offer different toppings.

      It may sound silly comparing telephone software to burgers, but it makes sense! Someone new to the industry can use this example and add to it when further explaining other topics.

1. 4. Ask Other Employees for Help
      Everyone learns differently and although one employee enjoys reading and memorizing manuals, others do not. Employers should ask their seasoned employees what challenges they faced and what they wish they would have known when starting with the company. Businesses can use this information to their advantage and improve the training process for future candidates.

1. 5. Offer User-friendly Technology/Software
      Imagine starting a new job, in an industry you do not understand, and you must use software and/or devices you are unfamiliar with. That is a huge turn off for new employees. Offering employees the option to BYOD (bring your own device) will make them feel more confident in the system they are using. If the company cannot allocate this option, it is important to offer user-friendly software, so employees can learn more easily and efficiently.

We would love to hear from you!

What kind of challenges have you faced as a new employee or employer? Do you have any other tips to make learning the industry easier? Let us know in the comments below!