Continuous Improvement through Employee Training : A Case Example from the Financial Services Industry

Illustrates the results accomplished by an ad hoc committee established at a bank to conduct training throughout the organization, with particular emphasis on providing quality customer service. The ad hoc committee proved to be more effective and efficient than the addition of a training department or the use of external trainers. The primary criteria used for selection of committee members were strong technical competences in their primary functions and good presentation skills, as well as being considered informal leaders by their peers. The ad hoc committee was initially trained via utilization of external training consultants. The training programme conducted by the committee made a major contribution to facilitating integration among the various functions and geographically dispersed units of the organization at a very small direct cost. A key component for the success of this type of training is top management support and commitment.