Why Organizations Make The Switch To An Extended Enterprise LMS: 8 Common Reasons
Replacing your LMS isn’t something that should be taken lightly. In fact, it can be an arduous process that requires research, vetting, and training needs analysis. However, staying loyal to your LMS may hurt your bottom line and employee retention rates. This is especially the case for external partner training that’s out of your current system’s scope. Can your organization relate to any, or all, of these 8 reasons to switch to an extended enterprise LMS?
1. Must Provide Online Training Resources To External Partners
The most popular reason for investing in an extended enterprise LMS is to deliver relevant online training resources to external partners, such as franchisees, vendors, sales channels, and other crucial stakeholders. These vital members of your team must be able to get the same training as their in-house counterparts. An extended enterprise platform allows you to assign roles to provide targeted training based on their position, tasks, and job requirements.
2. Need To Train Customers
Customer training has the potential to increase sales, consumer loyalty, and even your brand image. An extended enterprise LMS gives you the opportunity to provide targeted product knowledge resources to a global audience. From online training tutorials and FAQs to interactive demo videos that showcase every feature and benefit. Customers are more likely to make a purchase and refer friends when you care enough to train them. Keep them in the know about your latest products and how to use them effectively.
3. Require More Advanced Tracking Capabilities
With an extended enterprise LMS, all reports can be collected, analyzed, and maintained under one virtual roof. You can monitor individual progress, as well as the overall performance of certain departments or groups. For example, you notice a steady decline in profits for your regional sales team. Then evaluate your LMS metrics to trace it back to the source: low engagement scores and infrequent logins. An extended enterprise LMS often features more advanced tracking capabilities so that you can improve online training effectiveness and ROI.
4. Current LMS Does Not Allow For Brand Consistency
Many organizations find it challenging to maintain the same brand consistency across the board. For example, their sales channels convey a different public face than their franchisees. This is primarily due to the fact that external partners are unclear about your brand image and what you stand for. Fortunately, an extended enterprise LMS allows you to deliver branded online training content and ensure that everyone is on the same page. They all log in to the same system that features your logo and messaging, and every member of the team gets the same compliance and company policy resources. Thus, they’re able to reflect an accurate image to your consumers.
5. Want To Generate Extra Revenue From Their Existing Online Training Resources
One of the most overlooked benefits an extended enterprise LMS can bring to your organization is an added revenue source. You have the ability to sell online training content you’ve already developed to the general public. For example, your amazing negotiation skills online training course might be useful for sales professionals who want to take it to the next level, while your health and safety certification online training courses can help other organizations improve their compliance stats and avoid fines. Many extended enterprise LMS platforms even have built-in eCommerce features that allow you to start selling almost immediately.
6. Remote Sales Teams Lack The Necessary Support Resources
Remote sales teams are out there every day trying to seal the deal and expand your customer base. But they need support resources to help them build vital skills and broaden their product knowledge. An extended enterprise LMS gives them an all-access pass to ongoing support so that they can continually hone their talents. In some cases, they may even be able to pair their CRM software with the LMS to improve work practices. The key is to give them microlearning online training resources they can consume on the go, such as bite-sized online training tutorials or demos that focus on a specific product feature or benefit.
7. Need To Improve Their Online Training ROI
Some organizations have already launched external partner online training with their traditional LMS. However, they may not achieve the desired results due to certain limitations. For example, the reporting capabilities aren’t up to par. Extended enterprise LMS platforms can help improve online training ROI by increasing partner satisfaction and accessibility. Everyone gets the online training resources they require to do their job more effectively and improve productivity. As such, the company benefits and retains its top external talent. Plus, they see better returns on their investment since they’re achieving their online training goals and objectives more rapidly.
8. Their Compliance Violations Are On The Rise
Compliance penalties and fees are a major concern for organizations, as they hurt their bottom line and brand credibility. Most extended enterprise LMS solutions offer certification support. Thus, you can ensure that every member of your team stays in compliance and meets the organizational standards. For instance, you can significantly reduce the risk of compliance violations by providing partners with accurate COI activities. All your documentation is also stored in one centralized location. Therefore, you’re fully prepared in the event of an audit.
An extended enterprise LMS can help you keep external partners in the loop and give them the ongoing support they need, as well as deliver product knowledge online training resources to prospects so that they can make a well-informed buying decision. If your organization falls into any of the categories above, an extended enterprise LMS may be in order.
Are you having trouble finding the ideal extended enterprise Learning Management System for your business? How do you find an extended enterprise LMS that falls within your price range and at the same time achieves the desired results? Download the free eBook: External Training 101: Everything You Need To Know BEFORE Buying Your Next Extended Enterprise LMS to discover how to overcome the most common extended enterprise LMS implementation challenges, how an extended enterprise LMS broadens your profit margin, which are the benefits for startups and SMBs, and much more.
About The Author
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Christopher Pappas is founder of The eLearning Industry’s Network, which is the largest online community of professionals involved in the eLearning Industry. Christopher holds an MBA, and an MEd (Learning Design) from BGSU.
eLearning Blogger | EduTechpreneur | eLearning Analyst | Speaker | Social Media Addict |
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