Name: (Jay) John Franciscus
 
Title: National Learning and Development Manager
           
Organization: Time Warner Retail
 
Location (where you work): Pittsburgh, PA (Home Office)
 
Educational background: B.S. Sports Management from Robert Morris University
 
How long have you been in the field?   The past 11 Years I have been involved in different levels of sales, management, along with administrative training and sales training.
 
What is your primary area of expertise?  During the past four years in training I helped develop a Performance Management System and Course Curriculum, Course Development and Administration of LMS.
 
How long have you been a member of SMT?  I joined SMT 4 years ago with the intent of learning from industry experts to enhance my skills and remain up to date with new training initiatives.
 
What has been your greatest accomplishment on the board?  Too new to answer, but I hope to enhance the quality and value we bring to our members by addressing their needs or concerns.
 
What will be your contribution to SMT this coming year as a board member? I will be developing the On-Line Web Casts bringing value to our members by introducing or re-introducing proven training techniques.
 
What is the greatest strength of the SMT organization?  As I see it, the strength is in its members.  Sharing their knowledge and expertise is something that I did not expect, but is never ending and of great value to all involved.  This network and professionalism of all members are vital to our success.
 
What are areas SMT needs to work on as an organization?  As an organization we need to increase our membership by getting the word to all Top Companies by showing our value as Industry leaders.
 
What do you think are the two most urgent long-term goals for SMT?  Marketing our value as an organization, by keeping the Sales and Marketing training public informed of our strengths and member expertise.  We also need to market our conference to all Sales Training and General Training professionals providing additional revenue for the organization. 
 
What do you think is the most pressing issue for sales/marketing trainers today and how do you recommend they deal with those issues?  There are two; keeping up with technological advances for distance learning and having the Training Department becoming strategically relevant with Senior Management. 
 
We can remain current with what’s new in technology by reviewing trade journals and networking with SMT constituents.  This will allow for better use of the limited resources we all seem to have.  This technology provides instructors to conduct pre and post work, develops a blended learning solution, self-paced engaged learning, and needs analysis from a distance.  
 
To become strategically relevant Sales/Marketing Trainers will need to engage all levels of senior management and gain “Buy In” by aligning sales/marketing training with the corporate goals.   They will need to provide an understanding that a well trained sales force is an asset to long term corporate growth and productivity.
 
What professional book would you recommend to other sales/marketing trainers?
For setting goals and achieving results:
The Game of Work by Charles A. Coonrandt
For Sales Trainers and Professionals – Two by Neil Rackham:
            Spin Selling Field Book
            Rethinking the Sales Force
 
Who is someone who has influenced your life and how did they influence you?
In my personal life that would be my Father and Grandfather who taught me the meaning of hard work, morals and unselfishness.  For business, currently that would have to be Don Sterkel, (no political agenda here) who is my boss, mentor, and the Past President of SMT.  Don’s influence with my career has helped me develop better business acumen by maintaining high standards and challenging me to achieve at a high level.  He is always willing to share and discuss ideas around the business initiatives at hand which have played a key role in my personal and professional development. 
 
Tell us about one training success and describe why the process was strategic for your organization.   Time Warner Retail institutionalized a training initiative taking our sales force from “product centric” to “customer centric” by what we called Creating Customer Value.  
 
Although we did have “Buy In” with Senior Management it was difficult for them to maintain focus in the initiative due time constraints.  In order to maintain and enhance the training, we put together a peer to peer mentoring group that utilized the already developed Extended Learning Program.  This allowed everyone to learn from each other, but more importantly achieved what the initiative set out to accomplish – becoming a “Customer Centric” Sales Force.
 
Have you been a salesperson in your career?  If so, what did you sell?
From 1983 I sold Home Medical Equipment and Physician Supplies for a Rep Group and a Hospital based for-profit company.  Then in 1993 I became a Territory manager for Time Distribution Services selling display space for Time Inc. Magazine Publishing.
 
A quote or words of advice you give to other sales/marketing trainers.
When performance is measured, performance improves.
When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates.   – Thomas Monson
 
Any other personal information (family, hobbies, sports)
Gerogia, my wife of 16 years and I have an 8 year old daughter Stephanie whom we could not be more proud.  I enjoy any outdoor activity, participating in all sports, and wood working.  All of which I do not have a great deal of time for due to work and family.