A remodeling industry advisor has identified ten common mistakes companies make with training, arguing that consistent practice is essential for growth. The key issue, according to the source, is that many businesses treat training as optional or an afterthought—especially during downturns.
During the 2008 financial crisis, only five of fourteen top remodelers increased training, and those were the same five that saw sales growth by 2010. The others, who cut training to reduce costs, stagnated or declined.
Why Training Fails, and How to Fix It
Making training optional in scheduling sends the message that it isn’t urgent. Mark Richardson stresses that training should be mandatory, similar to how athletes or soldiers commit to regular practice.
Over-reliance on leaders delivering all training is another risk. Instead, leaders should act as “orchestra directors,” coordinating team members to teach specific skills. This spreads responsibility and keeps the training experience fresh. Richardson also recommends conducting a sales fitness checkup to spot skill gaps.
How to Build a Training Culture
- Make training mandatory, not voluntary. One firm saw results drop when new leadership made sessions optional.
- Leverage veterans as teachers. As Richardson recounts, Larry Meadows used the adage, “You learn it, you do it, and then you teach it.”
- Schedule training like appointments, blocking time in calendars to prioritize it.
Practice itself demands focus, commitment, and time. Richardson notes that firefighters train one to two hours daily, and while remodelers may not have that much time, they need more than one to two hours each month to keep skills sharp.
He also says, “Think of your vehicle as a mobile university,” encouraging remodelers to use commutes for podcast or training material consumption.