Communication training built for BAS techs 

Until now, industry-specific communication training for BAS technicians has been nearly nonexistent.

Most communication courses are too generic. They are not built around jobsite conversations, customer tension, scope creep, frustrated building staff, or the pressure techs feel when they are expected to have answers immediately.

This online program was designed around the real communication moments that shape customer trust in building automation:

• Arriving on site and reading the room
• Listening before acting
• Staying calm under pressure
• Setting boundaries without creating conflict
• Communicating clearly when you do not have the full answer yet

This is not theory-heavy training. It is applied practice for real field situations. 

Managers are part of the reinforcement loop

This program does not leave behavior change to chance.

At the start of the program, students complete an assessment of their customer communication skills. At the end, they complete an Action and Commitment Plan that identifies strengths, weaknesses, and how they plan to improve. That plan is shared with their manager to support continued growth.

Managers also receive a data report at the end that shows the soft skills skill level of the tech in the beginning and the skill level after they learned the material. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• When can a tech start?

  Anytime. Enrollment is rolling, so a tech can start as soon as they enroll and they have 3 months to finish.

• How much time does the course take?

  There are 5 modules, and each takes about 3 hours or less. In each module, your tech completes 1 to 3 Baseline role plays, the lessons (which include practice role plays that are unlimited), a quiz, an assignment, and then 1 to 3 Retest role plays. 

• What are the role plays?

  The role plays are spoken practice conversations that SBA designed for the student to do with an AI customer, built around real BAS service situations like a callback, a vague work order, or a customer who doesn’t say much. The student talks out loud just like they would on the job, and the AI customer reacts to how the student communicates. If the student communicates successfully, the conversation moves forward. If the student has poor communication skills, the conversation becomes more difficult - just like what happens in real life. 

  In each module, the student completes 1-3 Baseline role plays to see where they're starting at for certain skills. Then they can practice as many times as they want, throughout the module, with unscored role plays, so they can try new skills without any pressure. At the end of the module, they take the same role plays, but this time they are called a Retest, to see how much they've grown in the skill(s). After every role play, they get instant feedback from an AI coach on the skills they're learning, like asking good questions, paraphrasing, or explaining a problem and the fix. The AI coach gives feedback on what the student could have said instead, the student's pacing, how they sounded, etc. This is all designed and monitored by an SBA instructor. 

  All the student needs for the role plays are a computer with a microphone and a quiet area.

  Progress reports: When the student has completed the course, the Baseline and Retest scores are pulled into a progress report that shows how their skills improved from the start of each module to the end. Practice role plays are never included in the report, so they can practice freely.

  Student data privacy: All recordings and student information are deleted from the AI role play system at the end of 9 months or when the student completes the course, if completion is sooner than 9 months.

• Is this generic communication training?

  No. This program is designed specifically for BAS technicians and the communication situations they face in the field. This program was created by an SBA instructor who is a licensed clinical mental health professional with the assistance of SBA's instructors who are experts in BAS. 

• Do managers get visibility into progress?

  Yes. Managers can see their employee's progress on our learning management system. Each student also completes an end-of-program action and commitment plan that is shared with their manager.

  They also will receive a report at the end of the course that shows the baseline of the student's skills and the end result to demonstrate the student's growth in each skill. 

• What makes this likely to stick?

  The course is built around repeated application: self-paced learning, AI role play practice with instant feedback, assignments that build self-reflection, and manager reinforcement through the Action and Commitment Plan and a skills data progress report.