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Question: Discuss about the Training and Development Harvey Norman. Answer: Overview of the Organization Harvey Norman, an Australian-based holding, is an online shop operating across the globe. The organization was established in 1982 as an online retail outlet for home-based products such as electronic, beddings, and furniture. The business has grown and is currently operating in conjunction with other subsidiaries across the globe. Harvey Norman Holdings Limited does not deal with the production and publishing of the brands available in their online stores (Harvey Norman, 2016). The firm collaborates with other company-owned stores in the designated countries such as Australia and Malaysia who assist in availing the products. On the other hand, the organization also has other stores operating on franchised basis. Currently, the organization has over 280 stores in Australia where the products displayed on the online shop are outsourced. Therefore, the business first depends on the correlation between the orders of the customers and the availability of the product in the designated sto res (Harvey Norman, 2016). Such a scenario makes customer service management a top priority to the success of the company. This training and development program is focused on improving the customer service at Harvey Norman Holdings Limited to enhance client base growth, high rate of acquisition, and increasing retention levels, which are indicators of customer satisfaction. Participants for the Program The training program is meant for the online shop operators for the Australian parent-subsidiary. The unit has depicted steady growth in line with the customer base; however, the trend has been characterized by a stagnant tendency in the recent quarters. Many changes have been attributed to the increasing competition in online retailing. There is need to develop the capacity of the online shop operators to handle the customer requests from the time orders are placed to the delivery stage, which will improve the trust of the existing customers and attract new ones. The online shop attendants interact directly with the customers seeking to understand the operation of the firm as well as looking forward to purchasing the items available for sale. The key responsibilities of the operation-based employees include the following. Preparation of products for online display Order acquisition and processing Payment confirmation and delivery arrangement Customer feedback and communication Implementation of refund, return, and repair policy Market trend analysis Consumer guarantee management and product notice recall implementations The Plan of the Program: Theoretical Foundation The changes in the training and development of the human resources in Australia has changed in the recent years. Although outsourcing and talent management has been part of the preferred strategies to enhance the competence of the workers and the efficiency of the organization, a move towards developing the existing employees is increasing (Drucker, 2013). Most organizations are focusing on improving their employees through skill enhancement rather that outsourcing the experience they desire. In such a case, training has become an essential part of HRD. The need for growth is central to organizational success; however, such desires can only be attained if the organization is in a able to grow the customer base (Drucker, 2013). In such a case, the client management becomes an inevitable component to be perfected for maximum revenue and competitiveness. The training and development program for Harvey Norman Holdings Limited is based on two major theoretical dimensions. The human capital approach has been selected based on the interrelation between the HR activities and organizational success. The dimensions such as on-the-job training, literacy programs, cognitive abilities, and migration of skills have been noted to improve the capacity and output of the human resources (Drucker, 2013). On the other hand, the social psychological approach is based on the evidence that exists regarding the level of benefits one gets while interacting with the environment and the people. The training program has incorporated the advantage of expertise consultation and environment interaction to enhance the awareness and competence of online shop attendants in line with customer satisfaction needs. Therefore, whenever the employees are aware of their surroundings then they can commit to advancing their skills when handling their respective duties; how ever, for such achievements to be made, there is a need for training and learning to create knowledge-based awareness (Rao, 1996; Caley Mason, 2002). Objectives of the Program Harvey Norman Holdings Limited has recorded tremendous growth rate in revenue and customer acquisition. As noted earlier, the firm needs to advance the client management approach to curbing the externalities of the stiff competition in the Australian market. The training and development program is targeting the online shop attendants to ensure that they incorporate modern approaches to customer management. In the end, the participants are expected to depict best competencies that will improve the satisfaction of the customers, which will encourage high retention and acquisition rates. The following are the objectives of the training and development program. To improve the skills of the attendants regarding online order management, which will include the handling of the customers from the time they make a purchase impression, proceed to inquire regarding their preferred products, decide to place an order, up to the delivery of goods To enhance the capacity of the employees to manage after sale relationship with customers, which will include addressing the complaints of the clients as well as making sure that one purchase will lead to future purchases or referrals from that client To review the current trends in online retailing to ensure that the attendants incorporate the changes in customer relations in the corporate sector in Australia in their daily activities, which is expected to boost the revenue and competitiveness of the company Schedule, Activities, and Methods Training and Development Dimension Resources Required Consulation and Communictaions Groups Method of Delivery First Group Second Group Turning Customer Impressions to Purchases Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 5 June 2017 6 June 2017 Handling Customer Orders: Pre-delivery Period Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 5 June 2017 6 June 2017 Handling Customer Orders: During the Delivery Period Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 5 June 2017 6 June 2017 Complaint management: Poor Quality and Defects of Products Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 12 June 2017 13 June 2017 Complaint management: Poor Services and Time Factor Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 12 June 2017 13 June 2017 Handling Customer Orders: Post-delivery Period Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 18 June 2017 19 June 2017 Handling Customer Orders: Post-Complaint Period Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 18 June 2017 19 June 2017 New Trends in Online Retailing: Customer Service In Australia Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 27 June 2017 28 June 2017 New Trends in Online Retailing: Handling Products Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 27 June 2017 28 June 2017 Monitoring and Evaluation of the Customer Satisfaction Trends Projector, computer, white wall screen, note books, printed handouts The unit administrators, human resource manager, and participant representatives, other assistant trainers Seminar presentation, Group activities, and Discussion, 27 June 2017 28 June 2017 Trainers Instruction The process of training is essential and complex especially when the sustainable impact is required. The success of this training and development program will depend on the corporation between the organization and the trainer as well as the participants. The following guidelines will enable the trainer to ensure a smooth process during the program period. The trainer should identify and meet with the unit coordinators before commencing the training. The first meeting will ensure that the order of the groups being trained is established. The trainer should collaborate with the coordinators to make sure that the attendants for each phase of training are aware when their schedule will take place. Therefore, the trainer should give a copy of the initial schedule plan with specific dates and time to the unit administrators. It is the mandate and jurisdiction of the trainer to determine whether each participant attended all the training session by tallying the register, which will ascertain the qualification for receiving the certification. The trainer should ensure that the training process is based on the emerging market trends in the Australian scope with practical examples and case studies. Evaluation of Feedback The process of feedback evaluation will be carried out in two phases. There is need to evaluate the outcome and the impact of the training to ascertain the success level of the sessions conducted. Once the program has been completed phase one evaluation will be focused on short-term outcomes while the second evaluation will be based on the long-term impact among employees. Phase One: The initial assessment and feedback evaluation will be used to measure the extent to which the employees understood the concept of the training sessions. Therefore, the trainer will prepare a group activity, which will include the avenues where members will demonstrate the knowledge learned. The activities will include current cases in the organization involving customer complaints, inquiries, and deliveries. Phase Two: The stage will include a long-term assessment of the organizational change in line with customer management approach. After the training, the metrics regarding the customer feedback, referrals, and subsequently purchased will be documented. Moreover, the number of the clients in the organization will be determined over a period of four quarters to determine the trends. Based on the statistics collected, the organization will measure whether there is a positive change that can be attributed to the training session. Required Resources The resources needed to facilitate the training and development program in any organization is the most crucial element of the planning. The program for Harvey Norman Holdings Limited is a skill and exposure program, which will require limited resources. The program is also based on a short period; therefore, the expected cost will be lower as opposed to the long-term training strategies. Nevertheless, the plan to improve the customer management competencies will require several resources. The training process will need a personal computer with advanced demonstration graphics. The process of displaying the training notes and graphics will need a projector. The training process will require the audio management devices such as microphone and speakers to enhance the presenter-participant interaction process. The trainees will require handouts and writing materials; therefore, during the training, notebooks and pens will be distributed to each participant. Moreover, the implementation of the program will require the help of the unit coordinators who will assist in arranging and controlling the attendance of their respective employee attached to their sections within the structure of the organization. On the other hand, the training will be conducted within the premises of the organization because of the need for convenience; therefore, the social hall at the headquarters will be designated for the training throughout the period. There will be the need to designated a budgetary emergency provision, which will be 15% of the total estimated cost. The emergency funds will be used only when an unexpected event has occurred to guarantee the continuity of the training process. The following illustration presents the summary of the fixed and variable costs associated with the procured resources. Estimated Cost: Fixed and Variable Budgetary Allocations No. RESOURCE COST TOTAL/100 PARTICIPANTS FIXED COST 1 Personal computer Provided by trainer NIL 2 Projector Hired at $ 200/day $ 200 3 Audio system Hired at $ 300/day $ 200 4 Training Hall Provided by the company NIL VARIABLE COST 1 Pens $ 100 for every 100 participants $ 100 2 Notebooks $ 150 for every 100 participants $ 150 3 Handouts $ 200 for every 100 participants $ 200 4 End of Training Test $ 200 for every 100 participants $ 200 5 Certificate of participation $ 250 for every 100 participant $ 250 GRAND TOTAL $ 1300 Possible Barriers The process of executing the training and development program in Harvey Norman Holdings Limited will be critical. The availability of the employees is a key challenge for the trainer because it requires a diverse and category based schedule. The possibility of the having the training conducted cumulatively would have been an added advantage both for the organization as well as for the trainer. Such complexities are directly related to the time factor and the cost of the training. On the other hand, availability of funds set to facilitate the program determines the extent to which the program will be successful. Other factors to be considered during and before the training includes the effect of conflicting priorities in the organization where executing duties related to the jobs of the attendants is deemed to supersede the need for training. Furthermore, the success of the program is subject to the perception of the participants. If the online shop attendants will consider this train ing as an essential tool for their professional development, then they are bound to improving their competence. Moreover, the rate of participation in line with the number of employees present per session defines the long-term impacts of the training based on the anticipated outcomes. Conclusion In conclusion, the training and development program is designed to improve the skills of the attendants regarding online order management. The plan will enhance the capacity of the employees to manage after sale relationship with customers. Therefore, the program will also highlight the current trends in online retailing to ensure that the attendants incorporate the changes in customer relations in the corporate sector in Australia in their daily activities. The program will include the handling of the customers from the time they make a purchase impression, proceed to inquire regarding their preferred products, decide to place an order. This plan will lead to the delivery of goods, addressing the complaints of the clients as well as making sure that one purchase will result in future purchases or referrals from that customer. The other outcome of the program is expected to boost the revenue and competitiveness of the company. References Caley, M. M. Mason, J. (2002). How do people learn? CIPD, London. Drucker, F. (2013). Training and development: A conceptual framework. Available at: https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/28732/9/09_chapter%201.pdf Harvey Norman. (2016). Harvey Norman Holdings Limited: About the Company. Available at: https://www.harveynorman.com.au/ Rao, T.V. (1996). Human resource development. Sage P