Training Matters

In this episode of Training Matters Honey Shelton talks to Yolanda Garcia, Executive Vice President and Chief Client Experience Officer at WestStar Bank. Yolanda has made it her passion to establish a climate in which team members can thrive and customers have memorable experiences. These are the two pillars that Yolanda built her philosophy on. Tune in to hear her story.

Mary Beth Guard discusses compliance concerns in a world where new privacy scandals seem to emerge weekly. What's your privacy policy? Do you have a fool-proof process in place for reporting malpractices? Mary Beth also brings up the repeal of Dodd-Frank and workplace equality in this must-hear episode of Training Matters.

Are you looking to smooth out a little wrinkle in your career life or are you in need of intensive help? Honey Shelton talks to coaching expert Pamela Grant about being stuck in a rut.
Do you have a coworker that interrupts you at the most inconvenient times? Pamela will teach you how to set boundaries and deal with intrusiveness. Learn to recognize and avoid the traps we keep falling for and the detours we keep taking in our daily interactions. Pamela and Honey also discuss the difference between an internal and external coach and how to recognize when you need coaching.

Why is the subject of human connection so important to your business now? Why should you pay attention to human engagement and how do you start deepening the connection you have with your customers? Joe Sullivan is an expert on the topic and today he shares why and how to deepen your human connections in an increasingly digital world.

Honey visits with Stacey Barnier about today's HR headaches. They discuss how to keep employees engaged, how a SHRM certification can help HR professionals and which challenges face the human resource department faces in 2018, one of which of course is the increased awareness and attention to sexual harassment.

Is this really the best use of my time? How often do you ask yourself that question? I bet quite often! We all strive to be more efficient with our time, effort, and money. Where we often fail is in deciding what on a process to make a meaningful change or break a bad habit. Honey Shelton talks to Karen Wiehoff, a process improvement expert, and InterAction Training's newest speaker! They discuss how to approach processes you want to improve in the call center, front desk, or any customer facing role. How can you make your call center more efficient? How do decide what processes need improvement and how do you curb resistance to change?

About our Guest

Karen C. Wiehoff has more than 30 years of executive management experience. Her career has afforded her in-depth expertise in such areas as leadership, consulting, relationship management, human resources, marketing, and regulatory and compliance initiatives. Before she joined InterAction Training, Karen was the Senior Engagement Manager for a national consulting firm where she partnered and consulted with organizations through strategic planning, change management, and process improvement initiatives. 

Honey invites Chad Knutson back to the studio to talk about the Equifax data breach. How did it happen? Could it happen again? How does it affect me? How do I protect my information? Chad also talks about implementing a business plan to prevent such a breach from happening at your institution and about the opportunity your bank or credit union has to help customers or members take appropriate action.

About our Guest

Chad Knutson is a co-founder and Senior Information Security Consultant for SBS CyberSecurity, a premier cybersecurity consulting and audit firm dedicated to making a positive impact on the banking and financial services industry, and has served as President of the SBS Institute since 2013. Chad maintains his CISSP, CISA, and CRISC certifications, and received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems and his Master of Science in Information Assurance from Dakota State University.

Chad is dedicated to educating industry professionals about cybersecurity. While consulting with financial institutions, he saw the need to empower employees to be better prepared to confidently handle cybersecurity threats, create and manage strong information security programs, and understand ever-changing regulations at their institution. He was a driving force in the development of the SBS Institute certification program, which is uniquely designed to serve the banking industry by providing banking specific, role-based certifications cyber education. The SBS Institute has grown to include over ten certifications and State Association partners in over 30 states.

Your brand on the outside is only as strong as it is on the inside. Honey Shelton welcomes Steve Schmidt to the study as they discuss how to identify and embrace a sales mentality at your bank or credit union, all while making sure you maintain your unique identity. question: What does selling really mean to you? This episode is all about the extended relationship with your customers and will help you answer this simple, yet tough question: Are you simply providing a service or are you a trusted advisor or even a partner to your customers?

Steve will introduce you to the 5 dimensions that impact sales performance and the 5 expectations customers have. Discover how to improve sales performance and the real value of a customer centric sales culture and how heightened trust can create win-win-win situations for your customer, financial institution, and employees.

Take your brand promise from a statement on a poster to something all your employees believe in!

About our Guest

Steve Schmidt is an Executive Partner with Integrity Solutions®, a professional services firm that specializes in performance improvement in the areas of sales, service, and coaching. He is involved in business development and managing strategic account relationships, with a strong emphasis in the Financial Service and Insurance sectors. Steve has 11 years of experience developing and implementing revenue generating tools and programs across the sales network. Steve’s broad scope of sales process and sales operations expertise combine to provide insightful and result-producing solutions.  Steve has an undergraduate Business Management degree from the University of South Dakota and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

From time to time, a conflict will arise between you and a customer. How do you keep your cool when a customer expresses a complaint? What's the best way to defuse the situation? Honey Shelton talks to customer service expert Teresa Allen about the types of complaints, where they are rooted, and how to react accordingly to each. Teresa and Honey also discuss the role of social media as an outlet for customer complaints. Tune in if you're interested in handling customer complaints the right way!

About Our Guest

Teresa Allen is a recipient of the Customer Service Training Practice of the Year Award from the International Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. She is an internationally recognized customer service expert and has been presenting customer service keynotes and training programs across the U.S. and abroad for over twenty years. Teresa is the author of Common Sense Service: Close Encounters on the Front Lines, and is the co-author of The Service Path: Your Roadmap for Building Strong Customer Loyalty. Currently ranked #1 on the GlobalGurus.org list of global customer service experts, Teresa is ranked in the Top 10 of U.S. speakers by Speaking.com. Teresa is a two-time recipient of the ASTD Professional Trainer of the Year Award.

Questions about how to make smart investment choices? Whether you’re just starting out, retirement is around the corner, or you’re somewhere in the middle: This episode of Training Matters is for you! Suzie Jones will inspire you to look at your investments differently and take action! Tune in to get a better understanding of how to make sure your investment portfolio matches you!

About our Guest

Suzie Jones has 40 years of experience in the financial industry. Suzie recently retired as an Executive Vice President with a large regional financial organization where she helped found and grow the Investments Division from a team of two to a team of 70 with assets in excess of $11B.  For decades Suzie Jones worked passionately with investors at every age and financial stage helping them gain financial peace.  She is known for her energetic and engaging training style and keen ability to talk about investing in terms people care about. She is a graduate of Leadership Houston Class XXV, a Senior Fellow of American Leadership Forum Class XXXII and holds the Certified Financial PlannerTM (CFP®) professional designation.