Ahead of the launch of the updated Sigur Training Center, customer service development manager Alexander Vavilov and technical support team leader Elizaveta Grigorieva have given a detailed interview. They explained why knowledge sharing is important and how Sigur helps clients to learn complex technical solutions in practice.
This year the company has celebrated its 15th anniversary - it is a significant date for any organization. It can be said it is the time for rethinking many things, improving existing programs and launching new projects. Tell us how you came up with the idea of updating the Sigur Training Center?
Alexander Vavilov:
Not so long ago the training center offered one unified program: it was the same for all listeners and did not have an applied purpose. We tried, apart from specific products and brands, to convey to the listeners objective information about the technologies and approaches used in access control systems. Of course, we held training seminars on more niche topics but it was more the exception than the practice.
Having analyzed requests from the market, including our partners, we realized this approach needed to be reformed, first of all dividing programs according to the needs of different clients.
Elizaveta Grigorieva:
I would like to notice that the idea of updating the knowledge center did not arise from scratch. Working in technical support, we were faced with the need for internal training. The large growth of the client base in recent years has inevitably led to a greater workload on the technical support department and, accordingly, to a large number of new employees. Our team has grown more than 3 times over the past few years. Maintaining the highest level of client service, primarily due to the proper qualifications of our engineers, required special attention to their training.
Any person, for example, an engineer, a developer, or a system administrator, who came to work for the company, needed to be trained. At the same time, the security industry itself, although it is already in the process of 'migration towards IT (of course, more open and understandable to a large number of specialists), still has a lot of specifics. This is how the idea of creating a completely new training center was born.
How is the new Sigur Training Center fundamentally different from the previous one? What is the main purpose of opening a new Knowledge Center?
Alexander Vavilov:
New programs provide specialized knowledge targeted at different groups of listeners - direct users, as well as specialists responsible for the selection of system elements, their configuration and administration.
At the same time, the revision of new programs included not only rethinking their content, but also updating the methods of presenting the material. So, for example, we managed to combine organically theory with blocks of practical exercises. It allows listeners to perceive the material better, applying the information received on specific cases proposed by us or taken from our practice.
The main aim is to transfer our knowledge to different clients. For example, it will allow integrators and installation companies to offer solutions that will solve the customer's problems optimally, for the customers themselves and their users - to use this or that solution or functionality more efficiently, and for us, as vendors, to improve our service.
One of our main goals is to share our experience and to transfer the knowledge. We do not lock them on ourselves, but share them with all market participants.
What is the focus of the learning process exactly? Who will hold the courses?
Elizaveta Grigorieva:
Our courses are multidirectional: we explain how to use the data collected by the ACS, generate reports, configure the system, analyze technical specifications correctly and much more. Special attention should be paid to the programs of courses aimed at increasing the competence of end users: this approach makes the system more understandable and transparent for clients, which ultimately makes it possible to use the solution more efficiently.
During individual courses we fully adapt the material for the listener and tell exactly what this specialist needs.
Alexander Vavilov:
The courses will be read by Sigur technical support engineers. It is an absolute advantage of our knowledge center because these people are constantly increasing their level of expertise and have the practice of communication with clients and training them. Another important aspect is the content of practical blocks in each of the programs: we will acquaint the listeners with the work of not only our solutions, but also the products of third-party vendors, which, together with the ACS, are part of a single integrated system.
What prospects do you see launching a new Sigur Training Center?
Elizaveta Grigorieva:
Well, we are only 15 years old now - and we have already achieved certain results, but we can do more. We want our employees to develop, for this purpose we provide them now tools for personal and career growth. And the knowledge center is definitely one of such tools. It took us a while to get it right, taking into account both our previous experience and the experience of our partners.
Alexander Vavilov:
We do not want to stop at the current level. If we talk about specific prospects, first of all, it is the creation of a certified educational center with large-scale training classes. In the future we plan to issue certificates to representatives of design and installation institutes confirming the completion of our training that will be an advantage when passing tender procedures or confirming the competence of a specialist.
One of the main prospects for the development of this area is an increase in the percentage of clients who are able to work more autonomously and resolve a number of issues independently. After all, this is a matter of general awareness among market participants. We are confident everyone will benefit ultimately.
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