How Podium Cut New Hire Ramp Time in Half with Real-World Training
50%
faster ramp time
33%
increase in resolution speed
Overview
Podium provides customer engagement and communication software that helps businesses manage messaging, reviews, and payments in one place.
Podium needed to speed up new hire training and ensure support agents felt confident troubleshooting real customer issues. By implementing hands-on simulations and structured coaching, they cut ramp time in half, improved first-contact resolution rates, and made training more engaging and effective.
Industry
Customer Engagement & Communication Software
user since
September 2024
Website
The Challenge: Speeding Up New Hire Confidence & Troubleshooting Skills
New support reps at Podium needed a safe way to practice troubleshooting without fear of making mistakes. But their existing training approach had gaps:
Lack of hands-on practice – Reps weren’t getting enough real-world experience before working with customers.
Nervous new hires – Many hesitated to dive into troubleshooting, slowing down their ramp-up.
No structured, ongoing training – There wasn’t a clear way to keep agents sharp and up to date on new processes.
New hires were scared to really dig into troubleshooting because they didn’t want to make a mistake. We needed a way to help them shake that hesitation before dealing with real customers.
Marissa Taylor, Manager, Product Support
Creating a More Practical Training Experience
Before making changes, Podium relied on slide decks, Google Docs, and WorkRamp for training. While useful, these methods lacked:
Real-time feedback – Making it hard to pinpoint knowledge gaps.
Engagement – Passive training didn’t prepare reps for live interactions.
They needed a more hands-on, structured way to get reps up to speed quickly:
Custom troubleshooting simulations – Mimicking real customer issues so reps could practice safely.
Clear performance tracking – Providing managers with actionable coaching insights.
Iterative improvement – The ability to tweak training based on rep performance and feedback.
How Podium Transformed New Hire & Ongoing Training
Podium fully integrated real-world simulations into both onboarding and continuous learning:
1. New Hire Training: Hands-On From Day One
Created troubleshooting simulations based on common customer issues.
Required new hires to complete certifications before handling real customers.
Managers reviewed certifications and gave targeted coaching based on performance.
2. Ongoing Training: Keeping Agents Sharp
Used scenario-based training for product updates and technical troubleshooting.
Uploaded real customer call recordings for analysis and skill refinement.
Provided structured feedback to help reps continuously improve.
After reviewing a rep’s certifications, I realized they understood troubleshooting but needed help with tone. A quick coaching session improved their customer interactions overnight.
Marissa Taylor, Manager, Product Support
The Results: Faster Ramp Time, More Confident Agents
Even before the full training cohorts completed their 90-day programs, the early results were clear:
50% faster ramp time – New hires resolved 90% of issues within 60 days instead of 90.
Better first-contact resolution rates – Issues were solved faster, reducing repeat customer interactions.
More natural customer interactions – Reps sounded more confident and engaged in conversations.
The Future of Training at Podium
By implementing a hands-on, real-world training approach, Podium has:
Doubled the speed of new hire readiness – Getting reps confident and customer-ready in half the time.
Built a structured, repeatable training process – Ensuring consistency and improvement over time.
Created a data-driven coaching culture – Giving managers actionable insights to guide rep development.
This approach has transformed how we train our team—more efficient, more engaging, and ultimately better for our customers.
Marissa Taylor, Manager, Product Support
