Excited to introduce our new blog series, Ask a CSM! We’re talking with some of the industry’s leading Customer Success, Education and Training professionals about the ins and outs of their day-to-day. Stay tuned for new Q&As each month!
For our first edition, we’re eager to share insights from Amanda Truscott, Senior Consultant with Function Point.
What was your background prior to becoming a trainer? What attracted you to training?
I did a bachelor’s in English Lit and a Master’s in Journalism. I was attracted to training as an alternative to journalism because it suited my personality better. I love gathering and synthesizing information, writing and interviewing, but I lack the “killer instinct” of a journalist.
What does your typical day look like?
I spend half my time working remotely, producing and updating content in (our customer training platform) Skilljar. I collaborate with my colleagues on videos, exercises and quizzes. I spend the other half of my time meeting clients online or onsite to provide in-person training.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
It’s a tie between building relationships with clients and completing new curriculum development projects. I love hearing from people about how much easier their jobs are after implementing Function Point, and I love being able to hit the “Publish” button on a new course.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Working with clients who aren’t open to new ideas or changing processes. Implementing software like Function Point can create huge efficiencies, and sometimes that means adjusting current practices.
What team (outside of your own) do you work most closely with, and why?
Our sales team. They’re the ones who set our clients’ expectations, and it’s up to my team to deliver on those. Keeping the lines of communication open means clients don’t have to repeat during training things they’ve already explained during the sales process.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in training?
Ask your clients a lot of questions. Questions keep people engaged and help keep your training relevant. Getting clients to recall material you’ve already covered will help transfer the information from working to long-term memory. If you’re developing course content, the eLearning Guild has a ton of great resources, and their first tier membership is free.
In our Ask a CSM series, we’re talking with some of the industry’s leading Customer Success, Education and Training professionals about the ins and outs of their day-to-day. Stay tuned for new Q&As each month!
Want to be featured in a future Ask a CSM post? Email danie@skilljar.com!