Shortly after they have got themselves settled in to their new surroundings, new recruits to accessplanit are being tasked with some pretty tough questions to answer. In this short Q and A, you can get to know our latest addition, Jenna Culshaw, who has joined the support team. Jenna talks about music that sounds like ‘RAWRR’, getting stuck in at accessplanit and futile efforts to resist the iPhone’s brilliance…

1. Can you tell us some more about your new role at accessplanit?

I’m based in support but will be branching out into implementation soon! Currently I try to help any problems which come through to support while producing help booklets and e-learning tutorials.

2. Where will your main areas of responsibility lie?

My main responsibilities are customer based, taking telephone calls and helping users with the software. In a few months I’ll be occasionally out of the office training new users, which I’m very much looking forward to.

3. Have you always worked in the software and technology industry?

No, I’m a recent graduate. I actually started my student life studying psychology, before I realised it wasn’t my calling and quickly switched to computer science, I’ve never looked back.

4. What are your goals and ambitions at accessplanit for the short-term?

At the moment it’s to get as stuck-in as possible, trying to pick everything up quickly and properly.

5. Away from work, what gets you out of bed on a Saturday morning?

I’d like to say running, which half the time is true, the other half of the time it’s the thing that puts me off getting up.

6. Where is the furthest place from the UK you have travelled to?

Florida when I was 14, discovered IHOP and now no other restaurant will ever match up.

7. So, when you’re not at accessplanit Towers delivering new software to clients, what do you get up to?

I’m quite housewifey… surprisingly, so tidying, cooking and baking. Also running and reading Chuck Palahniuk has taken up quite a lot of my life.

8. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or none of the above, thanks?

Facebook from time-to-time.

9. What interesting fact do you think everyone at accessplanit will find out about you very soon?

You have to be interesting to have interesting facts! Well, nothing spectacular, I have OCD about plug-sockets if that counts? Or maybe that I like music that sounds like ‘RAWRR’, no one ever expects that.

10. What do you think has been the greatest invention of the past decade, and why?

As much as this would have killed me to say this a year or so ago, it has to be the iPhone. Ignoring all advances in molecular physics and animal cloning! This device has upped the game in day-to-day technology, wowed millions and become a dependant item for so many.

Jenna will be working in the support team at accessplanit, where the team ensure that all clients have the right level of knowledge and understanding around usage and functionality of the accessplanit training management software. If you would like to hear more about the support we could offer your training or course provider business, should you use our cutting-edge software, just get in touch with the team on 0845 543 0229 or enquiries@accessplanit.com.

Like it or not, social media channels are here to stay, and training providers should by now have some sort of strategy in place to ensure that they are getting the most from their channels of choice.

While there is plenty of choice when it comes to social media, certain platforms lend themselves to the training industry, and Twitter is one such channel . For many, Twitter is for celebrities and people with far too much to say for themselves, but for the savvy marketers it’s a social media option that exposes them, and their products or services, to an audience that has never been reachable before.

So, why should training companies in particular be so bothered about Twitter and its functionalities? Well, here’s the accessplanit Top 5 Reasons why…

1. Thought Leadership – As you well know, in the competitive world of training it’s crucial to have, and then keep, a high and respected profile. If you’re in leadership training, for instance, you can show all of your followers just how clued up you are on the latest leadership issues by regularly tweeting your opinions, thoughts and insights.

2. Staying @ the Forefront – We all know how long the lead time can be when selling programmes into companies, and Twitter (when used correctly) is one of those subtle ways that training businesses can stay in touch with potential clients. Sending tweets that are relevant to the potential client, or perhaps links off to appropriate articles or blogs can help trainers to stay at the forefront without being too pushy.

3. Moving with the Times – The digital world has taken over all industries in some shape or form, training is no different. Being active on Twitter with thought-provoking content and useful information, can send the right messages to the audience you are trying to engage with.

4. Staying in Touch – Once training has been completed, satisfaction forms have been filled out (hopefully online), and delegates have gone home, how do you plan to stay in touch and build on that relationship? Once again, asking delegates to follow you on Twitter when they leave the training could be an effective way to ensure that you remain in touch, and remain the ‘training expert’ in their eyes. Opportunities could be around the corner if you stay in touch via this social media channel.

5. Simple ‘mention’ Marketing – Follow the right people and use the @ sign to ensure they know you’ve given them a mention. Trainers need to lay strong foundations before they can start to actually sell their programmes, and by following target market and ‘mentioning’ individuals and companies from time to time, will help to grow profile in the right places. You can also drive traffic from Twitter back to your website to encourage online booking.

Using Twitter is just one step training companies can, and should, take to building a more digital strategy. accessplanit is the software house for the training and course provider industry, helping businesses to transform their operations by making effective use of online tools ranging from email marketing to online course booking. If you would like to trial accessplanit’s Training Mangement Software, and develop a more streamlined approach to the running of your training or course provider business, get in touch with the team on 0845 543 0229 or email enquiries@accessplanit.com .