What I Say When Clients Ask If My Training Really Works

It’s one of the first questions clients ask in our discovery conversations. And I always answer honestly.

“I’m confident I’ll deliver an impactful session – one that more than 90% of participants rate the trainer delivery, the skill applicability, and their confidence in using the methodologies a full five out of five.

What I’m less confident about is what happens after they leave the training room. Because sustaining and reinforcing the learning depends on you and your team.”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth. Research on what psychologists call the “forgetting curve” suggests we lose around 70% of new information within 24 hours, and close to 90% within a week, unless it is actively reinforced.

So what do the brands that transform their clienteling performance do differently?

I always feel reassured when the request for support comes from the top – when a CEO reaches out directly, or when senior executives genuinely want to be part of the journey. 

Whether they shape the project vision, open the session, record a short video on why every frontline interaction matters, or lead by example in reinforcing a client moment across departments, their presence sends a powerful signal to the team.

My dear friend Joseph, former GM of The Peninsula Bangkok now at Morpheus Macau, once walked me through his back of house. On the wall hung an inverted organisational pyramid – the frontline at the top, every manager beneath them, there to support. As we walked, he greeted each person by name.

It was no coincidence that Peninsula Bangkok had one of the most authentic, client-centric cultures I have ever experienced.

Before a training, I often interview leaders to understand their clienteling challenges and opportunities. Very rarely can one articulate their challenge in a specific way, and rarer still do they see their own role in creating momentum for consistent, high-performance habits.

My conversation with one boutique manager at a Canadian luxury department store stood out. “Gogo,” she said, “my team are great at retaining the top – two appointments booked a day on average. My challenge is the tier below: the clients they know by name but haven’t yet built rapport with.” Her role, as she saw it, was to listen in on client calls, coach how the team invited people back, and sit in on appointments so they could compare notes on discovery and align on the next step.

A side note: You’d be surprised how many frontline leaders are never invited to — or never prioritise attending  the training in the first place.

More and more leaders start to monitor clienteling KPIs – retention rates, appointment numbers, data capture. That is already a good sign. But the ones who create real impact go further.

They shift from giving instructions to turning data insights into specific actions, with clear ownership and accountability.

They coach in the moment. A daily “client delight” moment shared at briefing. Supporting one team member each day practising a clienteling scenario – how to open a conversation, how to create a lasting goodbye, and so on – followed by a structured debrief.

They protect the team’s energy, foster the psychological safety that makes new behaviours stick.

If you are serious about turning clienteling into a commercial advantage, start with your leaders – their buy-in, their ability to coach, their commitment to helping their teams grow.The training lights the spark. Your leaders keep it burning.

Ready to elevate your leadership team’s clienteling coaching capability?

I’m here to help.

Step into The Art & Science of Clienteling™ Leadership Coaching – a workshop designed for the leaders shaping tomorrow’s client culture. Reach out for a conversation to explore how we can bring it to your team.

Whenever you are ready, here are the ways we can support you (or your business) to thrive in your industry:

• Review Your Customer Loyalty Strategy

• Design a Clienteling Learning Ecosystem

• Evaluate Your Clienteling Capability

• Master The Art and Science of Clienteling™

• Deliver an Inspiring Keynote

• Support Your Leadership and Communication Development