Extended Enterprise Learning is the next step in corporate training that many organizations have already jumped on. If you are not using it yet, you are already behind. But what is Extended Enterprise Learning exactly? Here’s an introduction:
Moving training beyond the enterprise
Extended Enterprise Learning is any training that is provided to learners outside of your organization. The training could be targeted at dealers, channel distribution partners, suppliers, resellers, franchisees, and even your customers.
Providing training outside the enterprise can be an important strategic tool to help your organization grow its business and increase profitability. It is also valuable for maintaining quality throughout the supply chain.
If you are competing in an industry that has not yet caught up with extended enterprise learning (sometimes known as EE learning or EEL), taking the leap can provide a competitive edge. If competitors have already deployed extended enterprise learning programs, there is no time to lose if you want to avoid being left behind.
The potential benefits of extended enterprise learning
Increased revenue:
EE Learning can boost revenue in a number of ways. For example, providing certification training for channel partners can help them boost credibility and sales and thus also drive your revenue. Your eLearning courses can also generate revenue directly if you offer paid courses to clients.
Lowered costs:
Extended enterprise training can help minimize costs to your business by reducing knowledge gaps, confusion or misinformation among partners and customers – all of which can lead to support queries that you need to manage.
Keeping this training up to date online with Extended Enterprise e-Learning means that everyone can access and be alerted to fresh information kept within a single knowledge hub.
A more agile enterprise:
Extended enterprise training can help your organization to operate and change faster. Providing online training on how to use your products can help you onboard new partners quicker and more efficiently – reducing their time to competency.
How to get started with Extended Enterprise Learning
First, you need to define your goals and decide who you want to target for your first EE Learning program. Do your research to figure out what type of EE Learning program will have the highest potential business impact and is relatively easy to implement. If you sell directly to clients, training them on your products could significantly boost client retention and revenue. If you have a large network of partners that sell your products, providing sales and product training for these may have the biggest impact on your bottom line.
Once you’ve decided who you are targeting, setting up a small trial should be relatively straightforward, especially if you already have an enterprise-wide Learning Management System (LMS) in place. The best corporate learning platforms, such as Totara LMS make it quite easy to set up a portal with elearning content that is targeted to users outside of your organization. You can have separate areas that deliver online training for resellers / channel partners, suppliers and customers, in addition to your own staff.
Getting your LMS set up is just the start. You still need to develop great elearning content to put into it. When developing the content, make sure it is 100% relevant, tailored to each type of user that you are targeting and that it is sound in terms of learning design. You don’t want learners to get disinterested and not actually retain anything that is taught.
Finally, you need to market your new e-learning program. How best to go about this depends on your target learners and your existing communication channels. You may be able to reach a target audience through regular calls or by email. For potential partners and customers, signposting a training hub on your website could be a great selling point, making those visitors feel secure in working with you.
Extended enterprise learning without a doubt has a big part in the future of online training, and of supplier, partner and customer relationship management.
Make sure that your organization doesn’t miss the boat on this one!
Want to learn more?
At Webanywhere, we’ve developed, fast and effective online training solutions for clients worldwide. We work with open source technologies that are cost-effective and ideal to the creation of Extended Enterprise Learning Platforms
Please Contact Us for an informal discussion of your training requirements.