We've found that many companies are spending big training dollars and are not getting a decent return on that investment. Instead most rely on attitude questionnaires, which measure only trainee satisfaction. We've noticed that most companies have some sales training, however the effectiveness of that training is across the board. In many companies 2-3 months after training, the effect disappears. And for some it goes away in days.
People go back to doing things the way they did before the training.
That's 87 cents of every training dollar. The reason for this loss is that new skills feel uncomfortable and awkward. Here's a real life example. After most learning, we go through a very awkward period where the new behavior doesn't feel natural and doesn't bring the results quickly. Those who stick with it, usually gain results as the skill feels more comfortable and starts to result in better performance.