Product Expertise: What Every New Hire Needs to Know.
It might seem simple. You have a new hire, so: “just teach them what our product is.”
Well… not quite. That little statement actually carries a lot of weight.
Know the product
Knowing about your product is more than knowing what your product is.
It’s about the what, but also the why, the how, and the what-makes-us-different.
- What the product is: The basics, in plain English.
- Why it exists: What problem does it solve? Why do customers care?
- How it serves clients: What’s the real-world value? How do people actually use it?
- What makes it unique: Why should anyone choose your product over the competition?
It’s not just a thing you sell-it’s your business’s value.
Know what to know
In filling in this month’s worksheet to prepare to onboard new employees, be sure you cover:
- Features: What are its main components?
- Benefits: How does it make customers’ lives better?
- Key use cases: Who uses it, and how?
- Technical specs: The nuts and bolts (as much as their role requires).
- Available alternatives: Who else is out there?
And don’t forget the role-specific details.
A sales rep needs different product insights than a developer or a support agent. Tailor the training to what each person will actually do with the product.
What next
Need your employees to update their work plans? Let’s talk about having them write their own job descriptions.
And you know what is coming next… come back next week to review information about your clients.