2024 and Beyond: The Evolution of Customer Education

2024 is shaping up to be another big year in customer education, with a significant shift toward dynamic, interactive educational journeys. This evolution is redefining how customers engage with and understand products, transitioning customer education from a standard training model to a strategic, personalized experience.

This shift is critical, as companies engaging B2B customers with meaningful education are seeing remarkable improvements: a 63% reduction in attrition, a 55% increase in wallet share, and a 50% rise in productivity.

Our goal is straightforward: to empower customers, enhance their understanding, and thereby magnify their success with our products. We invite you to join us on this journey to use innovative trends in crafting a learning ecosystem that not only educates but also inspires and retains.

What does customer education look like in 2024?

The customer education landscape in 2024 won’t come without its challenges—embracing a digital-first, fast-paced era comes with a slew of new considerations. These key trends are reshaping how learning experiences are delivered across various sectors:

• Seamless digital-first learning experiences: Digital-first learning has become a foundational strategy in 2024, revolutionizing customer education across industries. From SaaS companies developing comprehensive online academies to manufacturing firms utilizing virtual simulations for skill development, this approach is central to modern learning. In healthcare, continuous medical education through digital platforms is keeping professionals at the forefront of advancements, illustrating the widespread adoption of digital-first strategies.
• Personalization & productivity powered by AI and automation: AI and automation are a pivotal part of personalizing education in 2024. In SaaS, AI tailors learning paths based on user interactions, while in manufacturing, it customizes training programs to enhance skill acquisition. Healthcare benefits from AI in creating specialized modules for various medical professionals, demonstrating AI’s role in enhancing the efficacy of educational content.
• Transition from ‘Program’ to ‘Function’: In 2024, we’re witnessing a significant shift in how organizations perceive customer education—moving from being seen as just another program to being recognized as a crucial business function. This change is a response to the evolving landscape where self-service is becoming the norm, and customer service teams are becoming more streamlined. Integrating customer education as a core business function makes it easier to view it as a strategic investment that drives tangible business impact.
• Integration into the organizational ecosystem: A key trend in 2024 is the seamless integration of customer education into all aspects of an organization. Education is no longer siloed. Instead, it’s woven with various functions like sales, customer support, and product development. This integration ensures that educational strategies are aligned with business goals and contribute directly to customer success and retention.
• Microlearning: Microlearning is revolutionizing education by breaking complex topics into manageable segments. This approach aids in faster learning and better retention for professionals across sectors, making education more efficient and effective. It’s also an engagement driver for Gen Z. It slices big topics into short, sharp bites making learning quick and sticking. Plus, it’s helpful for detailed tracking—like seeing which mini-clips get replayed or which bits really click with learners.
• Data-driven customization: Data-driven customization in 2024 is all about tweaking your educational content to fit different personas, industries, or company sizes, effectively using about 70% of your existing material. It also lets you tailor how you measure and report success, making sure your education hits the mark for each unique group you’re teaching. is key in 2024, enabling tailored educational programs across industries. In healthcare, data insights improve medical device training, while in manufacturing, performance metrics refine skills development, showcasing the effectiveness of data in enhancing training outcomes.
• Global reach and cultural adaption: The expansion of customer education globally in 2024 highlights the importance of culturally sensitive and multilingual training options. SaaS companies are innovating with culturally adapted modules, while healthcare training is evolving to be culturally and linguistically inclusive, ensuring global accessibility and relevance.

Embrace these trends to make them work for you

In 2024, effectively implementing these education trends is crucial for enhancing business success. Here’s how these trends can be integrated to maximize their impact:

Gaining buy-in for customer education

To gain stakeholder support, link digital-first learning, AI automation, and self-paced methods directly to business outcomes like Net Revenue Retention and reduced support costs.

With 90% of companies reporting a positive ROI from customer education, these strategies have significantly increased customer engagement and retention.

Scaling your customer education program the smart way

Smart scaling involves using digital-first platforms to expand reach without increasing resources. Digital-first platforms have proven their worth, enabling companies to grow their educational reach while reducing support costs by 6.1%.

Integrating AI and automation personalizes the learning experience while microlearning and interactive content maintain high engagement levels, ensuring the effectiveness and relevance of your programs.

Leveraging analytics to drive impact

In the digital landscape of 2024, leveraging analytics is critical in aligning educational content with business objectives. Skilljar’s advanced analytics go beyond traditional content customization, providing deep insights into learner behaviors and preferences.

This approach is key to understanding and responding to global market trends. The impact? A significant 80% of global business decision-makers are now focusing on digital customer education, with companies experiencing increased course completion rates and direct impacts on product usage and customer ROI. These metrics represent the strategic value and impact of a well-crafted customer education program.

Empowering your future with customer education

As we move through 2024, customer education is becoming an integral part of business success. From digital-first strategies to AI-driven personalization, each trend is a step toward empowering your customers and advancing your business.

Don’t miss out on diving deeper into these insights. Check out our latest product releases to explore how these trends can be practically applied in your world. And there’s more: Keep an eye out for our upcoming playbook, packed with actionable strategies, real-world case studies, and innovative tips to take your customer education to new heights.

Let’s work together to transform customer education into a growth catalyst for your business. Get ready to innovate, inspire, and succeed with us in 2024!