Should the sales support staff ask the IT department to rewrite the user manual as a maintenance project, or should they request more training for sales staff? Can you offer any other suggestions?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Of the two choices, a new manual rewrite might be better, because it is a long-term solution. However, a new user manual might not be available for some time, especially if the rewrite is not given as high a priority as other information systems department projects. Also, rewriting the user manual does not remedy the current situation.
In any case, the company should immediately hold a training session for the six new salespeople. Similar problems are likely to occur in the future whenever new salespeople are hired, however, and one training session will not solve the real problem. A possible action plan would include the following steps:
• The firm should hold a training session for the new salespeople immediately.
• The sales support department should assume responsibility for all future training of new salespeople on the customer sales system. All of the system's training materials should be turned over to the sales support department at the completion of the training session mentioned above.
• The user manual should be rewritten. If the information systems department cannot rewrite the user manual in a timely fashion, the sales support department should rewrite the manual themselves.