Limo Training Plan

The training plan for Landslide Limousine Services includes the Needs Assessment, Training Method, and Training Evaluation Method. Which includes analysis, organizational analysis, demographical analysis, operational analysis and individual needs assessment. Secondly, the training methods are to be examined. The training methods include types of media, learning principles, training for learning skills or facts and effectiveness of training methods. Third, the training evaluation methods used to evaluate the success of the training. The training method includes the information necessary for success with Landslide Limo Services. Training Needs Assessment

The first step Atwood Consulting recommends is a needs assessment. The needs assessment will serve as a blueprint for development of Landslide Limousine training plan. The needs assessment will also assist with understanding the processes for implementation and desired outcomes for the company. By means of the assessment processes, improvements made to the operation, and implement a strategic change for the improvements. In order to meet the objective and mission of the company, the methods will alleviate some of operations that impede progress and allow for corrections. The needs assessment will focus on environmental, organizational, demographical, operational, and individual analysis. Environmental analysis highlights environmental factors that impact the business. Monitoring and analyzing the relevance of environmental factors assist in forecasting future growth and development. The strength of the company is an environmental factor that will sustain the company’s competitive edge.

The Landslide Limousine service entering a part of the industry market that is thriving. Market forecast determines that the limousine service industry will gross 1.2 billion by 2018, in addition government contracts are currently available starting in 2013. Limousine services received awards of over 283 contracts from the government (Austin Texas Gov, 2014). Austin, Texas provides hospitality to billions of visitors each year. The market is viable and equipped to sustain a new limousine service company. The industries weakness affects the environmental factors. The weakness is the substantial start-up cost for the Landslide Limousine Service. Landslide Limousine is a new company that has to establish relationships and reputation within the community, and develop a network within the community, which develops the company image.

The organizational analysis gives Atwood Consulting the contingency to present threats and opportunities to Landslide. Presenting contingencies assist in formulating effective marketing strategies to break into the market. However, with the limousine industry projecting to be a billion dollar market the company needs to position itself in the right place in order to take advantage of this market opportunity. Similar services are provided by companies that offer Landslide the opportunity to target a particular market. The opportunity is also available to secure the most talented employees. Research indicates; no company has gained 1% share in the town car market (IBIS, 2013). The opportunity to use technology by means of Internet services, Apps, and online booking to acquire market gains is a prospect. Threats to the organization are competition from franchises and established companies.

Also, fluctuations in the economy can also be a threat to Landslide, which means the company needs to focus on building a strong foundation in the market. Demographical analysis supports population growth in Austin, Texas. Census reports for 2013, report over 865,000 people living in the city (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). The female population is 49.73%, and the male population is 50.57% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). Forecast predictions suggest 1.50% annualized growth in the population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). 43.9% of the population has a bachelor’s degree or more (Austin, Texas Census, 2014). Advanced education and population boom will provide Landslide Limousine the opportunity to acquire the most talented employees. Operational analysis will set the stage for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the limousine service. Operational factors such as cost, labor, work processes, and training, sets the tone for how employees navigate daily in assigned roles, and how the business meets the demands of customers.

Start-up cost will impact the budget for training, labor, and work processes. Therefore, an operational analysis considers all factors involved in the market, to provide Landslide Limousine service the ability to maintain financial stability, and improve employees perform at an optimal level. Individual analysis provides Landslide the tools to manage people. Factors that influence persons in the work environment are behavior styles, challenges, self-awareness, other individuals, and the individual’s alignment with the business objectives. The individual analysis assists in people development. People development is part of the mission values and goals of the company. The mission value and goals of the company is to provide a high standard of customer service, and ensure that each customer has an exceptional experience. Training Methods

The goal of developing a training plan for Landslide Limousines is to produce highly trained employees. Highly skilled employees possess the knowledge necessary to safely and effectively perform the duties required by the company. When training employees for duties required by the company, several training methods are available. The training methods presented are different types of media, learning principles, training for learning skills or facts, and effectiveness of training methods. First, the various types of media can range from interactive, hands-on tools, electronic media, print and verbal instruction. To ensure comprehension and understanding what the Landslide Limousine Service requires from their employees, the hands-on method is the best method. The hands-on method is the optimal method due to increase of knowledge and at the same time implementing the behavior.

Secondly, individual employees at Landslide Limousines will all have a unique way of learning or retaining facts. “Student motivation determines the result of how the employees will learn” (Principles of Learning, 2014), which increases the support for the hands-on method training. The responsibility of Landslide Limousine will ensure each employees strengths and weaknesses are utilized. Along with focusing on the employees most significant training needs in order to increase the likelihood of success. Utilizing employee’s most significant training needs will allow Landslide Limousine Service to gain valuable knowledge about areas within the company that they were subordinate. It is important to allow the employees to venture outside of their normal scope of duties and try something new to avoid complacency.

More so, employees venturing into different areas of their job duties will allow for a well-rounded employee. Therefore, a well-rounded employee will learn or retain facts better by using hands-on methods. Next, the best method for skills or facts retained would be classroom training. Classroom training allows for “quid pro quos.” Quid pro quos allows for training to be provided and productive service to be giving. However, scholarly sources and text books can also be used as a training method as well. Scholarly sources and textbooks also provide facts that can be proven and not misconstrue.

Also, as previously mentioned in the text, when conclusive facts are not required, the use of hands-on training will be the best option for training employees. Since this is a Limousine Company, a vehicle simulator would be a great start. A vehicle simulator will allow the employees to drive a simulated vehicle under various conditions such as rain, snow, hail and even other conditions such as severe fatigue. A vehicle simulator will also give the employees real-time knowledge of what to do in certain situations when under stress while transporting other customers for the company. Training Evaluation Strategies

Training evaluation strategies provide the optimum solution for training the employees. The results require testing to ensure that the training is effective. Training evaluations provide ways for a company to evaluate employee progress as individuals, a group or team. Cascio (2013) posits that the training methods provide guidance and knowledge to change behaviors to a positive outcome for the company. The evaluation methods for training provide the end results, notes employee behavior changes, and the company benefits from the change of behavior. The evaluation method usually displays financial gain or improvement over a loss. Several methods are available to assist with discovering the changes in behavior after training.

Tennebaum and Woods (1992) posit that companies spend a large amount of funding in training of employees. Due to cost of training, companies want to ensure that the training implemented is worth the money spent training employees. Landslide Limousine Service is in the first year of business. With Landslide Limousine in its first year, training budget limits the opportunities available in order to save money. Several options are available for companies to determine how to evaluate the system of training and the effectiveness of the training. One of the formal evaluations is the Kirkpatrick Model of evaluation. The Kirkpatrick Model of evaluation has four phases: Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results. The Kirkpatrick Model allows any size business to determine the effectiveness of the training. According the Rubenstein (2010) the reaction phase provides information on how the employee values the training. For instance, the reaction phase will require an anonymous questionnaire that employees fill out and give feedback pertaining to the value of the training. This step is simple and cost-effective for the company.

The learning phase determines the increase in awareness of the employee and how the employee received the information. For example, the learning phase will implement a two-step method. The first is testing the knowledge of employees prior to the training, possibly a week in advance of the training. The second part ofthe learning phase is a post-test to see what the employee learned from the training, and then compare the two tests. The post-test will supply information on the effectiveness of the training and the information retained from training. The learning phase method works both in the classroom, one on one (coaching), and hands-on training. Also, the Behavior phase provides details on whether or not the training changes the employee behavior enough to implement the information learned. For instance, the behavior phase will require some time to measure. At this level, a measure of behavior is whether or not the employee implements the training. The measurement of behavior is done through observation, which is time-consuming.

Due to the time constraints of this measurement, the company will implement the use of other techniques such as, progress reports (monthly coaching to determine what the employee implements and is it working, accident reports (is the training creating a positive behavior in safety and does it show on the accident reports, and customer service surveys (is the customer a repeat customer, and is current customers recommending the company to others). In addition, the Results phase of the program measures the outcome of implementing the training: did it create a positive outcome for the service, employee, employer, and bottom line for the company.

For example, the results phase comes from the reviewing of the reports as a whole across the company and determining if the training produces positive results such as, high customer service satisfaction, high employee satisfaction (based on surveys provided to employees), and financial gains or prevention of loss financially due to changes (fewer accidents mean higher revenue and lower insurance cost). Therefore implementing the Kirkpatrick Method of Evaluation will emerge the company and prepare for adaptations and changes for growing success. Conclusion

In conclusion, among the completion of the Landslide Limousine Service training plan, employees will be highly trained professionals. The use of the training needs assessment will serve as a blueprint for development and assist with understanding the processes for implementation and desired outcomes for the company. The use of training methods will equip employees with the knowledge necessary to safely and effectively perform the duties required by the company, and the training evaluation strategies will ensure that the training is effective. Therefore, the Landslide Limousine Service will be ready for the marketing industry.

References
Cascio, W. F. (2013). Managing Human Resources (9th ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc

Principles of Learning. (2014). Retrieved From: http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/principles/learning.html

Rubenstein, D. (Speaker). (2010). Measure Training in Terms of Business Impact [Video podcast]. Human Resources and Organizational Behavior. Retrieved from
https://portal.phoenix.edu/medialibrary/videodetails.50V101226002000110.html Tannenbaum, S. I., & Woods, S. B. (1992). Determining a Strategy for
Evaluating Training: Operating Within Organizational Constraints. Human Resource Planning, 15(2), 63-81.