Why Workshops Can Benefit Your Business

Have you ever sat at your computer frustrated by the fact that you know the software can create the chart you want or format the document the way you’d like, but you can’t figure out how to accomplish this? If you own, run, or even work for a company, chances are you use Microsoft programs on a daily basis. Despite the fact that these tools are ubiquitous, most people don’t use them to their full potential, and may not even fully understand their basic operations. At Excel Consultant, we’ve assembled an elite team of Microsoft experts qualified to train, consult with, and program for a variety of companies, from the smallest startup to multinational corporations (our clientele include such names as Pepsico, Toshiba, and even Microsoft itself). We frequently offer workshops, small group courses in which our Microsoft masters work closely with your team to help you get the hang of and expand your abilities with these programs. In the following blog, we explain how our workshops work and why they can benefit your business.

Why Workshop?

Some companies have pivotal programming projects or complex consulting queries, which require specialized care and expertise to handle. However, in many cases, it makes sense for executives and employees to work directly with Microsoft, learning how to dig in to the code and get more done on a daily basis. Workshops offer hands on instruction in Microsoft programs. During each session, our team will collaborate with yours, providing instruction, guidance, and assignments until you feel confident in your newfound capabilities. We’ve found that an interactive workshop environment is much more effective and practical than listening to dry lectures or reading jargon-filled guides on Microsoft programs.

Types of Workshops Offered

Excel Consultant caters to all types of companies and clients, so we provide a range of workshop formats. Our primary setups are:

The one on one workshop. With this service, it’s just you and us. One or two of our experienced trainers will teach you the ins and outs of Microsoft directly. We’ll come up with a customized educational program and address any questions or concerns you have while you implement your skills. We can conduct these workshops at our headquarters in Irvine or in your office. Working face to face allows us to quickly and easily correct any errors or quell any frustrations you have while you learn. We’ll help you overcome any confusion and come up with innovative solutions to technological troubles.
One on one remote coaching. We understand that not everyone can come in to our office or have our team travel to their location. To save time and hassle, we can provide remote workshop training, working with you online.
The small group workshop. We cap this format at six students so we can give each student the individual attention he or she needs while educating the group with lessons, demonstrations, and sample tasks. At least two trainers typically attend to students using this service. Generally, we provide instruction on a particular subject, answer any questions related to it, and have students practice executing the new operation they’ve learned. To make sure everyone is on the same page, we display the code on a white board and utilize “Go To Meeting,” a screen sharing application. We provide live models and encourage students to follow along, programming with their trainers. In a small group workshop, no one can blend in at the back of the classroom—we don’t move on to the next topic until everyone has mastered the latest one. To really up the ante, we can also include homework, tasks to be completed at home or in the office. If you choose this approach, our team will personally grade your assignments and, if satisfactory, award each attendee a certificate of completion.
The onsite seminar. If a one on one or small group workshop is totally impractical for your business or you want to give your entire workforce a better understanding of Microsoft programs, we can conduct an onsite seminar. Participants won’t get the same level of attention or practice with the programs, but they will see live demonstrations of programming and get excellent information from Microsoft pros.
The remote group training webinar. Companies that would like to provide a seminar but can’t find a suitable space can opt for a remote group training webinar. We’ll have everyone log on to a special service, with which they can listen to the instructor, see what’s happening on the screen, and get their questions answered in real time.

The Advantages

There are numerous benefits to taking a workshop with Excel Consultant. These include:

Customized instruction from some of the top Microsoft mavens in the world, including Microsoft MVPs (Most Valued Professionals), authors of well-known books on the subject, and more.
Flexibility to accommodate your business’s particular needs, preferences, and operations.
Practical application of and proficiency in these programs, especially with our live demonstrations and individualized assignments.
The ability to solve your own future technological issues with the coding techniques you learn. Learning how to better use Microsoft now could save you time, money, and annoyance for many years to come.
Guaranteed results. That’s how confident we are in our teaching skills and the strength of our workshop formats.

A Case Study

How do workshops work and what can they produce? Consider our case study with Numi Financial. We provided two four-hour workshops for this financial services firm’s core Excel users at our Irvine, California office. Over two days, we offered an overview or refresher of Excel functionality, then dove into the details of formulas and functions before covering data filtering, charts, graphs, and pivot tables. The six students were using three different versions of Excel (2007, 2010, and 2011), so we helped each of them handle his or her particular programs and problems.

In just eight hours of instruction, the Numi Financial team learned how to better handle cells, columns, formatting, data importing, formulas, charts, and more. They also discovered how to customize Excel, integrate Excel functionality with other Microsoft programs, apply advanced formulas, manipulate tables, and record macros. When they finished, they were ready to take what they’d learned and put it to use at work. In addition, we awarded them a certificate of completion, mouse pad, free training videos, access to our Microsoft help forum, reference cards, and a souvenir coffee cup.

Schedule Your Workshop Today

Are you ready to experience the value of one of our workshops? Contact Excel Consultant today to find out more about these services and schedule yours.