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COLUMBIA, S.C. (January 28, 2003)
–– Colonial Supplemental Insurance has launched a national sales training initiative called Colonial College—a comprehensive program that takes the best practices in sales and sales management training and applies them to the unique sales approaches used in the emerging worksite marketing industry. The goal of Colonial College is to provide consistent skills-building training across the country in a variety of worksite marketing subjects, ensuring that Colonial’s sales force continues to deliver superior products and services to customers.
During the college’s opening semester, which began January 13, 2003, nearly 500 reps and managers will participate in dozens of classes nationwide. Enrollment is expected to be even higher for second semester offerings.
“One of the first questions recruiting candidates ask is how they’ll be trained to market Colonial products at the worksite,” says Cherie Tibbetts, vice president, Recruiting, Sales Education and Management Development. “Colonial College gives us a very strong answer. We can say that we have an extensive training program that helps new reps learn the tools and skills necessary to be successful quickly. In fact, our training goal for new reps is to have them generate the results needed to qualify for our prestigious incentive trip by the end of their second year.”
Tibbetts adds that providing consistent, professional education and training for reps and sales managers benefits Colonial’s customers—both employers and employees. “Our accounts and customers can have confidence in the fact that our reps are some of the best-trained professionals in the worksite marketing industry,” she says. “In addition, accounts that cross state or regional lines can be assured that all employees will receive consistent, professional communication and delivery of their benefits from our sales team.”
Colonial College operates from 45 training sites across the country, as well as from the company’s headquarters in Columbia, S.C. Staffed by 22 instructors experienced in worksite marketing, the college offers a variety of instructional methods: on-line and off-line self-study, classroom training, field-based activities, joint field work and weekly coaching sessions with sales managers. The college is set up in four six-month semesters with each semester offering a variety of three- to four-hour classes. Courses range from freshman classes for new reps and sales managers to junior- and senior-level classes for more experienced salespeople. Many classes are approved for continuing education credit. In addition, the college offers certification training for enrolling sales reps.
A new rep’s recommended first semester consists of beginner, freshman-level courses with each subsequent semester building in complexity and experience. A new rep could complete Colonial College training in four semesters (two years) or less, depending on the rep’s experience and drive. There’s also a special eight-week Fast Track to help new reps get the knowledge and skills they need to begin producing right away.
“Reps who have some worksite marketing or insurance experience may accelerate the speed in which they take the classes,” Tibbetts says. “Others who are new to the industry may take a little longer.”
Colonial College’s basic rep courses, designed for both new and experienced reps, cover subjects such as Colonial orientation, marketing, prospecting, presentation, products and services, account opening, enrollment coordination, enrolling and enrollment technology. Sales manager courses include: manager basics, business planning, communicating with sales team members, recruiting, inducting, training, measuring and monitoring, and growth strategies. In addition, the college features a Welcome Center staffed by coaches who provide new reps with start-up information, training tools, encouragement and class registration assistance.
“Colonial College is taking us to a level that has never been seen before in training—a quantum leap!” says Allen Waldrop, Colonial College regional instructor for Louisiana and Mississippi. “Every class is doing the same thing on the fundamentals. For example, our presentation class is the same in Jacksonville, Florida, in Los Angeles and in Washington, D.C.”
This new training initiative provides a standard method for teaching sales skills and product knowledge across the nation. “Every rep and sales manager in the nation can embrace this training program,” adds Tibbetts. “We have one way of going to market and we’re training with one heartbeat nationwide. Colonial College is truly a team effort between the sales organization and home office. It will give our salespeople the confidence they need to achieve superior sales and to provide customers with the insurance protection they need.”
Colonial Supplemental Insurance is the marketing brand of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company. Colonial is a market leader in benefits communication, enrollment and customer service while providing supplemental insurance to employees and their families at the worksite. A subsidiary of UnumProvident Corporation, Colonial is based in Columbia, S.C. and operates in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Colonial underwrites a broad line of insurance coverages, including personal accident and sickness, disability, life, cancer and critical illness insurance policies. Similar products, if approved, are underwritten in New York by a Colonial affiliate, The Paul Revere Life Insurance Company. For more information about Colonial’s products and services or opportunities with the company, call (803) 798-7000 or visit www.coloniallife.com.
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