Information Technology and CRM

What does CRM stand for?  CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management.  CRM is a business strategy that aims to understand, anticipate and manage the needs of an organization’s current and potential customers.

In the 1990’s Tom Siebel, founder of the CRM, developed some simple software centered on the collection and handling of information related to customer relations and transactions.  CRM is an integrated management system focused on customers and prospective customers.

Technology plays a huge role in CRM.  It can use databases, data mining and marketing to increase customer value and their own profitability.  This type of technology can be used to keep a record of customer’s names and contact details in addition to their history of buying products or using services.  This information can be used to target customers in a personal way and offer them services to meet their specific needs.

For example:

• Tickets purchased online:  These websites retain the customers details and their purchase history.  The websites regularly send emails to previous customers to inform them of similar upcoming events or special discounts.  This helps to ensure that customers will continue to purchase tickets from a particular website in the future.
• Loyalty cards:  The primary role of a retailer loyalty card is to gather data about customers.  The retailer then can make sure they meet the customers need and also make new suggestions for new products based on their buying habits.
• CRM software:  Many call centers use CRM software to store all of their customer’s details.  When a customer calls, the system can be used to retrieve and store information relevant of the customer.  This helps with analytics on age and usage for new products.

Having access to customers contact details and their services or purchase preferences through databases etc can enable organizations to alert customers to new, similar or alternative services or products.  A CRM can help a business grow and focus on the customer. 

AICC & SCORM Standards within a Learning Management System

If you work in the world of Training, you will be familiar with the abbreviations, AICC and SCORM;  nevertheless, if you are new to the World of Training, let me give you a high overview.

Let me keep it simple: 

·        AICC- (Aviation Industry CBT(Computer based training ) Committee) standards define how content for e-learning is developed, delivered and evaluated.

·        SCORM- (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) is a set of specifications used to produce reusable e-learning objects.  It defines communication between a client (example Captivate) and a host (the LMS).

How can AICC or SCORM Standards benefit my organization?

Does your organization use any of the below?

1.         Sign offs on new hire handbooks

2.         Change in Human Resources Policy
3.         Compliance Training sign offs

 If your organization uses any of the above, a document wrapper using AICC Standards, could be set up in your Learning Management System.  Upon completion of reading the document, a pop up would appear with a box that states, “I confirm that I have read and understand all the material contained in the document”.    The employee would then click on “Agrees” or “Disagrees”.    Upon completion, an organization can then run a report to see who is in compliance or who still needs to complete it.  So no more excel spreadsheet tracking. 

Does your organization use an outside Vendor for online learning?  If the trainings are set up to be SCORM compliant, you can set up a Connector file to your Host (LMS).  The benefit with this is that employees only access one LMS.  They would search/browse for the course and launch it from your Organization’s LMS.   You could set up a pass/fail score and once met, it would reflect “completed” on the employee’s learning history. 

If you are a SAP SuccessFactors customer I know this can be done to set up Skillsoft. Previously, it was a manual process to obtain and input the necessary data into SF Learning, leaving open the possibility for mistakes. In an effort to streamline this process, SuccessFactors has created a connector to interface with Skillsoft data using their Open Learning Services Architecture (OLSA) to directly import the learning Items and their respective Subject Areas.

This is just a great way eLearning can save manual hours and time within an organization.  

 

Abbreviations used in a Learning Management System

Abbreviations used in a Learning Management System

Over the past few years, companies are using E-Learning more and more.  Technology is at an all-time high and constantly changing; nevertheless, for different generations, it can be overwhelming.  If my customers are new to a Learning Management System (LMS), then some of the abbreviations used might leave your customer a little in the dark. 

The area I find most end users struggling with is the abbreviations found within a Learning Management System (LMS) that are related to the delivery of the course; but wait do you know what “Delivery Method” means?  Delivery Method is how the course will be taught.  (Example in a classroom, or via the internet, etc.)

Let’s pretend you want to sign up for an annual Safety class.  You browse your catalog within the Learning Management System (LMS) and find the course you want to sign up for; but now you are confused on the delivery methods.  You see “WBT” and “ILT” as options, but have no clue what this means.

There are many abbreviations, used within a LMS to describe the delivery method of a course.  Let me explain a few of the most commonly used ones:

·         ILT-Instructor Lead Training-This is normally training at a specific site with a live instructor.   

·         WBT-Web based training-This is a training you will find on the internet (aka the “Web”).

·         CBT-Computer based training-This is normally a self-paced training you will find housed within your LMS.  It is probably a power point presentation that was created within a developer’s tool (Captivate or Aviation).  Upon completion of the training, you normally have knowledge checks /quizzes and a final quiz at the end.  You normally must score 80% or higher in order for the LMS to mark you “completed” the training.

·         Blended-This is a course that you might have heard of called a “Webinar”.  You would go on the internet to access the video and audible of a live instructor.  These types of trainings helps a company save on the cost of travel, because it is all done online.

Just a little side note, I have used the LMS within SAP/SuccessFactors, Saba and Peoplesoft.  The above abbreviations are pretty much the same across the board.

Conclusion

There are a lot of terms to learn within the LMS.  I hope by giving a high overview of the definitions and abbreviations you can feel a little more empowered when selecting training or explaining it to your employees or customers.  

 ~Happy Learning!!!

Great Article:
7 Things Really Persuasive People Do

Sometimes you absolutely have to make your point. Here are 7 tips on how to do it effectively with style and grace.

http://business.time.com/2013/08/22/7-things-really-persuasive-people-do/?goback=%2Egde_1843801_member_271989204#%21

The Next Step of the LMS Implementation

THE NEXT STEP OF THE LMS IMPLEMENTATION

Time and time again, customers hire a consultant for an implementation and soon after the SOW expires, they want to take care of things in house to save money;  nevertheless, as an Consultant you know this can turn into a mess, without any type of outside support.

Someone reading this blog, might say, normally when a customer signs a SOW for an LMS, it includes a learning bundle for training and they can report issues to the Vendor.  This might work for some customers.  If you are a customer that needs more one on one/face to face support, then you probably want to hire on a Technology Consultant for “The Next Step” of rolling out your LMS.

Often after an implementation is live in Production, many companies conquer their next phases.  Companies often roll out the new system to other Regions or Departments within the company.  When this is done, there are always new training involved and new issues.

In the “next phase” a customer will begin to add more or new and revise existing items.  This sometimes can affect issues from human error, resulting in accurate reporting.  When the reporting is wrong, it causes an Admin to take time away from their day to day & hope they can find resolution.  Also in the “Next Phase” there could be request for “automatic” processes.  If not set up correctly, it will affect employees not being assigned training.

At the end of the day, all of this will be additional time to the Admin’s day to day job.  A Technical Consultant, who has implemented the LMS, can help reduce cost and time by supporting a customer’s LMS team.  They are the SME and have the connections if further assistance is needed.

A Technical Consultant can support the customer with doing live webinars.  They can train the Managers and the end users.  They understand working in retail/warehouse/hospital/bank, etc., assisting the customer is priority, so they can create a weekly/monthly/quarterly schedule of trainings to help them navigate through the system.  This will give the customer lots of opportunities to pick training and save on cost of travel.

Lastly a Technical Consultant could provide a customer with open forums on a monthly basis for Managers and Admins.   At these open forums, it is an opportunity for a Manager or Admin to ask any question related to the system or express a wish list. 

Remember implementing a new LMS is never a straightforward process.  There are certainly no quick fixes.  The key is to communicate a vision and to guide an organization to strategic planning early in the project.  Those who have successfully implemented strategic plans often have great results.  Those that don’t will probably need that extra assistance from the outside.

The goal is to keep a company prospering.  There's so much to learn, and so many things can go wrong.  If a customer can do it on their own, that is great;  nevertheless, at the end of the day, the customer must weigh the, “Cost”, “Effort” and “Risk”.  If one outweighs the other, then the customer has a decision to make.   Always remember, implementing an LMS is not a destination but a journey.   

 

 

Approve or Not to Approve Employee’s Training

Why should I take a minute before approving my employees training?  I feel many companies spend enormous amounts of money each year on employee training, but have never measured the return on the investment. (ROI)  In other words, how does this training yield more profit and ensure company success?

I feel Managers approve their employee’s trainings for many reasons.  For example:  “I was given a training budget and I can use it as I please”.  OR “This is my star employee, they would not ask for it, unless it was truly needed”.    So we click the “Approve” button and tada our employee is now happy.  We have now increased our employee satisfaction survey ratings and we can also have it reflect on our Learning Management System training completion report.  Oh wait and now the employee has something to add to their performance evaluation at the end of the year. This is all good stuff, but again, how do we know this is making our company more successful?

I often feel, Managers can not answer this question.  I speak on personal experience.  In the past, one of my job responsibilities was to contact an employee’s Manager, 3 months after they took a course.  I would conduct a Level 3 training evaluation (Kirkpatrick's Evaluation).  My goal was to understand, how this training affected their employee performance.  I also wanted to know how they applied what they learned in class to their current position.  I also needed to understand was this training for a new product roll out or a change within their department that would affect the day to day operation?  Many times the answer I received was, “I have so many employees and I am not sure”.  The Manager would recommend contact the employee directly and get the answers.

Many of you reading this might say, that could be lack of management skills or time management;  nevertheless, the bottom line the Manager did not know.  They see the training in their Learning Management System and it is pending approval for an employee.  Their first impulse is to just approve the training course.

At the end of the day, training investment can be costly.  It is not only the course, but the time away from the office.   The next time your employee request training, stop and ask yourself a few questions:

1.       Why do they need this training?

2.       Is the training for a new product roll out?

3.       Is there a system/operational change and this is the reason the employee needs the training?

4.       Is a new skill set needed to do the job?

5.       How will I measure the ROI?

The next time an “Approval” is needed for training, ask yourself, “How will this affect the return on the investment to my organization.”   We might not own the company, but as Leaders we need to be more diligent when making decisions. 

Just my thoughts ~Kimberly