T-Mobile U.S.A. is the fastest-growing company in the extremely competitive wireless communications industry. Its position as the "Un-Carrier" fuels subscriber growth — no long-term contracts, excellent customer service, and high-value services are the norm. T-Mobile has been chosen as #1 Learning! 100 for unifying the Un-Carrier vision at the sales level.
The Challenge
When Bart Ons came on board, he found that while the telesales team was performing and meeting its revenue targets, the organization was highly fragmented — with call centers each using different processes, tools, management models, and training approaches. Knowing this was not a sustainable approach, Ons deployed a pilot engagement of Pathways to Growth. The intended outcome: change the sales management and coaching approach used by managers in six key T-Mobile call centers for more than 1,200 telesales agents.
The Approach
As the Pathways to Growth engagement launched, the project grew to include all call centers as well as a comprehensive and highly customized sales training curriculum, media campaign, and rollout. Branding focused on promoting the Un-Carrier culture with a theme to "Unleash, Empower and Excel U."
The teams worked together to build a series of e-learning preparation modules, on-site and virtual learning classes, coaching modules, reinforcement e-learning solutions, multimedia solutions, promotions, and more. The goal was cultural change, excitement, and a focus on working cohesively as one united T-Mobile to deliver an outstanding customer experience.
The Results
T-Mobile had already experienced measurable success through its efforts to fine-tune its sales manager coaching process in its B2B sales unit. Through the Pathways to Growth sales management program, T-Mobile's B2B sales group successfully shifted its management culture — accelerating the effectiveness of sales team members and improving the accuracy of forecasting by improving the health of the forward pipeline.
During the discovery process, consultants recognized a deeper need to manage a wholesale cultural shift within the sales group. In January 2017, early results from the training were presented to senior leaders, along with recommendations and plans for additional, bespoke change management training for the Digital Frontline built around T-Mobile's Un-Carrier culture.
The kickoff of the UEE program occurred in March 2017. The components of the program included:
- U-Unleash — Digital introduction to the Un-Carrier philosophy to onboard participants
- U-Train — Train-the-trainer program for Digital Frontline trainers and quality assurance staff
- U-Lead — Leadership training for Digital Frontline managers, supervisors, trainers, and QA
- U-Sell — Selling and soft skills training for Digital Frontline sales agents
- U-Call — Introducing a new sales call flow offering agents both consistency and flexibility
- U-Grow — Training on call review and coaching to ensure consistency and improved customer experience
- U-Start — New UEE-based onboarding and new-hire training program
