How to rely on AI to train salespeople through trial and error?

A salesperson in front of his computer, an actor in his e-learning and face-to-face learning (blended learning) thanks to concrete scenarios created quickly by Didask's educational AI. He receives explanatory feedback with each answer and progresses more quickly, which will allow him to reach his commercial goals!

Learning by trial and error is a fundamental pillar in the acquisition of skills, yet often overlooked in corporate training. While cognitive science shows its critical importance, many organizations are still struggling to effectively integrate it into their training programs. How to fully exploit the potential of this approach to optimize the learning of your employees? Find out why and how to set up a training strategy based on trial and error, And how artificial intelligence can help you do that.

1. The importance of trial and error in learning according to cognitive science

1.1 The acquisition: creating the first memory trace

The first step in learning is to acquire new information or skills. During this phase, the learner forms a first trace of what he must learn, a trace that will be materialized by the creation of new connections in his brain.

What you need to succeed in this phase: Focus the learner's attention by limiting superfluous information and by being well operational. In the case of a salesperson who is training in product knowledge, this means presenting product characteristics not in a factual way but in combination with a sales pitch.

This stage is fairly well mastered in the sales training courses we see with our customers, whether in person or in e-learning.

1.2 Consolidation: strengthening the trace through practice

The second crucial phase is consolidation of this trace in memory. We notice it on a daily basis in our professional practice: we forget what we do not practice regularly. The remedy for this oversight is to regularly encourage the learner to actively mobilize their knowledge to solve a task.

It is at this phase that the trial-error-feedback dynamics : in a Situation, the learner will mobilize his knowledge, observe the result of his action and receive feedback.

For our sales representative in training, this means regularly practicing presenting products or managing simulated objections. The more he will practice, The stronger the memory trace will be thanks to the neuroplasticity.

1.3 Transfer: applying what has been learned to new contexts

Through practice, in a variety of situations, the learner accesses the last phase of learning, which is often overlooked in training: learning transfer. It is the ability to mobilize one's knowledge in new and varied situations, different from the initial training context.

For the salesperson, it means being able to spontaneously identify situations where to apply its techniques for managing objections in the face of real customers, in unpredictable contexts. This step requires a intensive practice and varied to develop Automatisms that will improve the performance of employees in the field.

2. Learning by trial and error is underexploited in businesses

2.1 Too low a proportion of implementation in traditional e-learning

While the initial transmission of information is generally well managed, the phases of consolidation And of transferring are often overlooked in corporate training. On the one hand, the volume and variety of practices in formal training is insufficient: this leads to a rapid forgetting of knowledge and to a Illusion of mastery among learners. However, we observe a beneficial effect of putting it into practice up to a Ratio of two thirds of implementation to one third of transmission of information.

On the other hand, the lack of variety in the exercises limits the transfer capacity. Employees then struggle to identify relevant situations to apply their new skills once they return to their jobs.

2.2 The complex relationship to error in business

This underexploitation of trial-and-error learning is caused by the discomfort of businesses in the face of error. Practice is often confined to dedicated training sessions, hoping in this way to limit errors in the field. However, this is a counterproductive approach, because mistakes are inherent in learning : the challenge is rather to limit their influence.

Actively organize the post-training of an employee identifying opportunities to put them into practice in their daily lives, while minimizing the risk for the business, is a first step. A second would be for him to have the opportunity to exchange with a more experienced peer To make him Feedback.

2.3 The importance of feedback and mentoring

In fact, this relationship of mentorship is often set up more or less formally by companies: between colleagues, we actually have a large number of opportunities to do business with each other Feedback.

But to reap the benefits, it is crucial to establish a framework of trust where error is seen as a learning opportunity and not just as a sign of failure. This involves training employees in the keys to effective feedback and by The organization of rituals to get them.

No more”You were not good in front of the customer”, instead of”When we raised the question of price, you were too quick to offer a discount. Next time you could...”.

3. Didask artificial intelligence to unlock the potential of trial and error

But these keys to unlocking the potential of trial-error-feedback require time to implement because it is necessary to stimulate a cultural change both at the level of training managers and employees. However, some of your problems must be dealt with quickly: this is where our educational artificial intelligence comes in.

3.1 Quickly create a large proportion of scenarios

If traditional digital training has few applications in practice, it is not because of ignorance but because creating relevant exercises takes time. Didask's artificial intelligence is based on the principles of cognitive science to create high value-added training courses 10x faster than the market standard. Based on the verbatims of your experts or your documentation, it will produce adapted educational paths to the cognitive challenges of your learners.

In accordance with cognitive sciences, it gives pride of place to practical application and proposes, for each of them, Feedback that really makes progress. Indeed, she will not be satisfied with some feedback on product knowledge, but will be able to offer situations of increasing complexity.

3.2 Simulations to obtain tailor-made feedback

Resource people who are able to mentor their peers and provide them with relevant feedback are generally busy. Your employees often have to analyze their own practice themselves, which is a learning process in itself.

Our artificial intelligence includes a new fully customized format, where the learner will carry out advanced simulations and receive step-by-step feedback from our artificial intelligence. For example, a salesperson may be confronted with a customer case and must make a proposal to him. Our artificial intelligence will analyze what he needs to rework and guide him so that he can gradually correct his first proposal.

Of what train in an almost real situation, but with the benefits of step-by-step support.

In conclusion, learning by trial and error is a powerful tool for improving the effectiveness of corporate training. By building on the principles of cognitive science and harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence, organizations can create rich and engaging learning environments. This not only makes it possible to optimize the acquisition and retention of knowledge, but also to develop the ability of employees to adapt and innovate in the face of new situations. By integrating these principles into your training strategy, you invest in the sustainable development of your teams' skills and, by extension, in the long term performance of your business.

Partager sur les réseaux

À propos de l'auteur

Svetlana Meyer

Svetlana Meyer is Didask's scientific manager. A doctor in cognitive sciences, her role is to integrate the latest results of research on learning into our product to improve the effectiveness of the content created on Didask.

Envie d’en savoir plus ou d’essayer ?

Prenez directement rendez-vous avec nos experts du eLearning pour une démo ou tout simplement davantage d'informations.

Dans la même thématique