Enterprise Learning Management Systems

As organizations grow and evolve, so must their team and customer offerings. Education efforts can not only improve employee engagement, but engagement with customers and suppliers, as well. Companies that educate their extended enterprise using an enterprise LMS can handle external learners with system security and learning effectiveness far beyond traditional customer support. Read on for key insights about these critical learning tools, how they can help your team, and how to select one.

What is an enterprise learning management system?

An enterprise learning management system (ELMS or LMS) is a software platform that helps companies deliver training content, track learner progress, report on customer and/or employee training, and streamline training content management. Key features include mobile learning, gamification, skill certifications, interactivity, social learning, and others that improve learner success.

What are the benefits of an enterprise LMS?

The following benefits are reasons to implement an enterprise LMS, along with tips on how to evaluate your options.

Streamlined and accessible learning

An LMS gives both administrators and learners a clear access point for every facet of your learning programs.

Customizable learning

Besides the look of the online learning environment, LMS functionality allows your team to create learning experiences tailored to each learner’s needs. For example, an LMS platform may offer learning paths so certain learners can easily be assigned a series of online courses to help them be more successful. Think of it as customer training for those who are using a specific product.

Improved learner data

An LMS goes beyond enrollment information and also provides data about learner interactivity with training materials, which training courses have the best learner engagement, and stats like course completion rates.

Strategic content management

With an LMS, all of your training courses and resources are in one place so the content management team has a quick and easy way to add and update training content.

Common challenges with enterprise LMS solutions

Not all learning platforms are the same, and doing some research can be well worth your time.

Narrow down your list of possible LMS platforms by looking at factors including pricing, capacity, user experience, and integrations.

Pricing

Be realistic about your budget, including the administrative time needed. How does one LMS compare to another? How much does it cost to get features like course authoring, a variety of formats, and quizzes? Pricing is also a reason to plan ahead. Analyze what your LMS will need to do in the future, so you can budget for the cost and have the money available when the time comes.

Scaling growth

Can the platform handle a company your size? An LMS provider’s technical capabilities can make all the difference in ease of use for learners and administrators, as well as the value your training programs deliver to the bottom line. Features don’t matter if the server can’t keep up. And if scaling the business is part of your strategy, you’ll want an LMS that can keep up with growth.

User onboarding and engagement

The success of your new LMS platform will rely on your customers using it. A common challenge with a new LMS is training your learners on how to access the platform and the materials, especially when replacing an existing learning solution. Avoid this pitfall by educating your users about the new platform and making it easy for them to find.

Learning experience and brand mismatch

If your brand is focused on risk management, your learners may be thrown off by an LMS that looks like a children’s board game. Another way to look at this is how the LMS could be optimized for customer training according to your business goals and brand identity.

Integration with other systems

Look at all the systems your LMS will need to work with—payroll, CRM, an ERP, etc. That should also include whatever software you use to manage learning in your organization. Can the LMS platform import data from an Excel spreadsheet? Will the LMS require any changes to other company processes? Can it use APIs to streamline the integration workflows?

How to choose the best enterprise LMS for your organization

Determining the best enterprise learning management system for your company is a critical decision. Start by conducting an honest and thorough evaluation of your company’s needs.

• What are the main goals for the LMS?
• Will your team use e-learning courses, in-person training programs, or a mix?
• How important will mobile learning be?
• What does “user-friendly” really mean to your learners?
• Which key features are absolute must-haves, and which would be nice-to-haves (e.g., collaborative learning, compliance training, learning paths, micro-learning, and gamification)?

If you already have a learning and development solution, this step may include looking at which functionalities your team has used and which haven’t delivered the expected value.

Next, gather information from a variety of trusted sources, such as peers, industry experts, reviews, and information directly from the LMS providers. Dig into the administrative and learning experiences via software demos.

• What does the customer support include?
• What are the implementation requirements?
• What would it be like to create and update learning content?
• Would the enterprise LMS provider meet your scalability needs?
• Does the platform offer localization to fit your company’s geographic footprint and language needs?

Finally, select an enterprise LMS provider based on your research and company needs, implement, roll it out to your customers, and watch them flourish.

Skilljar offers top-tier solutions for enterprise learning management

Get a demo to see how Skilljar can help you ensure your extended enterprise training meets your company’s goals. With adaptive and customizable features for true upskilling, your customers will value data analysis that improves customer retention. Skilljar is designed to work seamlessly so your training content can take center stage.