JB Hi-Fi builds NBN army

JB Hi-Fi is training sales leaders from across its 7,000-strong workforce to resell Telstra NBN services, CRN can reveal.

Sales and management staff will go through a 12-week program prior to NBN being deployed in their area. Training is conducted during normal business operations and includes approximately eight to 10 hours of content delivery.

A JB Hi-Fi spokesperson said the goal was to provide staff with the specific tools to be able to qualify and service customer’s requirements when signing up to the NBN with Telstra.

“Given data delivery into the home cuts across so many of our categories, it is our goal to provide all sales staff and managers with the training collateral,” the spokesperson said.

“Coupled with the appropriate knowledge of the customer’s circumstances through the qualification process, this gives the salesperson the knowledge to make recommendations on ISPs and NBN.”

JB Hi-Fi is geared up to start selling Telstra’s plans via individual stores as soon as NBN connections appear in their area. The intention is to have a member of sales or managerial staff undergo the program prior to NBN going live.

The company has been selling both business and consumer NBN plans from Telstra since they became available. The national retail giant also sells bundles from Telstra’s broadband subsidiary, Belong.

JB Hi-Fi also partners with Telstra for its cloud offerings from its enterprise business, JB Hi-Fi Solutions.

As of June 30 2015, JB Hi-Fi had 7,320 employees across Australia and New Zealand.

Australia's National Broadband Network has faced ongoing battles throughout its life, most recently copping flak after Fairfax Media published a leaked report claiming the network was behind schedule and over-budget.