How Plano-Based SalesBoost Uses Patented Voice Tech to Train Teams With On-Demand Learning

When Gretta Brooks was working as the corporate director for global sales at Omni Hotels, she found herself wanting to implement on-demand role-playing technology for her global sales team. After researching the science of learning, Brooks realized there wasn’t any on-demand microlearning programs available for her industry.

So Brooks gathered a team of experts and developed the technology herself to provide all staff members with robust training 100 percent of the time.

The result is SalesBoost, a Plano-based SaaS company that uses voice technology to bring on-demand skill-based training and coaching to the hospitality industry. The intent is to improve the value of an organization’s human capital—through a scalable solution, SalesBoost is able to help adults actually change their behaviors.

And, around five years into the company, Brooks says SalesBoost is the only training provider to do so.

“SalesBoost’s patented voice analysis training technology challenges individuals and teams to operate at their highest level,” Brooks told Dallas Innovates. “SalesBoost can accelerate sales performance, increase time to proficiency, and enable employee readiness.”

How it works

SalesBoost’s cloud-based platform uses its voice analysis coaching and feedback with artificial intelligence and augmented reality. There’s no need for human interaction with a trainer, supervisor, or coach.

According to Brooks, who is SaleBoost’s CEO and founder, the technology is proven to develop the muscle memory necessary to learn a new skill. It’s entirely based on the neuroscience of adult learning.

The active learning approach works like this: Courses are delivered in bite-sized virtual segments for users to ‘learn by doing’ via unlimited practice sessions that are powered by SalesBoost’s training system. Users remain engaged with the relevant, role-based courses, which are easily accessible on any device.

[Photo: Courtesy SalesBoost]

“We learn best by doing. SalesBoost bridges the gap between learning and performance using augmented reality simulations,” Brooks says. “Learners practice real life scenarios and conversations to build muscle memory through practice. This increases learning retention, changes behaviors, and builds skills that ultimately leads to greater productivity and profitability for an organization.”

SalesBoost’s patent covers its voice analysis training system that provides on-demand role-based simulations. According to Brooks, the company also has its own proprietary catalog of universal and hospitality specific courses. She sees the opportunities as endless.

“[I’m most excited about] being able to scale our solution instantly to hundreds of thousands of team members to improve their skills across the globe,” she says. “Our technology is not language dependent so the opportunities for voice-based training are limitless.”

Becoming a COVID necessity

SalesBoost is currently looking to support travel and hospitality organizations as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The team says it wants to help accelerate rebound efforts and productivity, while positioning itself as a key part of onboarding, cross-training, and upskill employees.

Companies can choose to use SalesBoost’s services on a subscription basis or through a preferred vendor agreement.

“Today’s workforce is relying more on the presence of a virtual environment,” Brooks says. “Organizations need to have virtual learning that is scalable, easily integrates with existing platform, and has high user adoption—SalesBoost answers all of these critical points.”

Most recently, SalesBoost formed a strategic partnership with Beekeeper, an employee communications platform, to bring additional learners into its system.

Once signing on from the Beekeeper app, users are able to gain access to SalesBoost’s nearly 200 training courses that are relevant to them. That includes users in more than 2,000 hotels globally, per a statement.

[Photo: Courtesy SalesBoost]

“This partnership offers an exceptional opportunity for our users to advance their professional development and become better trained, better skilled and more confident,” Beekeeper Head of Hospitality Andrada Paraschiv said in a statement. “Robust training is essential at any time, and particularly during these unprecedented times, when employees come back to work in completely changed operating environments.”

Past the COVID-19 pandemic though, Brooks wants to move into other industries such as real estate, insurance, call centers, or technology sales.

She also sees a way to use the technology for use cases that are more personal.

“100% of human beings need to constantly improve their communication skills,” Brooks says. “Our technology is powerful enough to teach those on the spectrum to sound more empathetic, for police officers to learn how to deescalate a situation and for young adults to develop powerful communication techniques that could change the course of their lives.”

Though she’s steadily grown SalesBoost since bootstrapping the startup to launch in 2015, the technology could be today’s perfect solution to train any employee.

The edtech sector is growing, with the total market value worldwide expected to reach $252 billion this year, Brooks says. She sees a big opportunity to be a leader in that arena—especially as SalesBoost continues to expand.

She is right now leading the woman-owned startup and its three full-time employees, six fractional positions, and 17 outsourced positions, though she plans to hire for additional roles.

“SalesBoost has the highest efficacy of any training platform in the world. Learners retain 90 percent of skills and develop new behaviors through our modern, active learning simulation environment,” Brooks says. “And greater retention of skills leads to higher productivity and results”