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You may well have heard the expression, but never really stuck around too long to find out what it means when it comes to training management software . Well, now is your chance because this article looks at what cloud computing is and how it should be impacting your training or course provision business…

Just as the satellite navigation system condemned the road map to the boot of the car, and the iPod has ensured that CD collections are becoming less and less common, cloud computing allows businesses and individuals to store files that would traditionally be in dusty office boxes, on the internet.

The ‘ cloud ’ is a pretty apt description as well, because files are literally pulled from the ground and disintegrated into web-based files that are, obviously, far easier to protect and take up less room. And, just like training management software , this is no fad. According to IDC , the global provider of IT market intelligence, cloud computing will create 6.75 million new jobs for China and India by the end of 2015.

Users access their data and files via a web-based programme, and this kind of storage is fast-becoming crucial to businesses looking to increase efficiency and save money. So, what does cloud computing mean for the training industry, and how could it benefit those working in both training and course provision?

Reduce administration

One of the biggest challenges training companies face is administration . Each new course, programme or client brings a heap of back office work along with it, because more often than not, training companies are fairly small compared to the size of the business they are providing training to. Where a ten-strong training company is supplying training and development to a multinational company, administration becomes a real issue. Cloud computing allows the training company to use an online filing system, as opposed to a physical room full of files and data. So, if a new client comes on with 5,000 employees, all details can be automatically filed and stored online.

Boost efficiency

In a competitive environment, efficiency is everything, and trainers will know this more than most. Via training management software, companies can spend less time preparing reports and locating data on various clients, and more time on providing a slick and efficient service.

Cut storage cost and risk

Cabinets full of important client information, private happy sheets, and vital delegate feedback are at risk while they remain in physical form. Erasing data from the internet is near enough impossible, so while files may get misplaced there is little chance they will be erased forever. This means that adopting cloud computing will keep training companies’ data safe and secure, reducing risk and the significant consequences of lost or damaged files.

Share learning

The rise and rise of social media channels (we wrote about Google+ here ) and sharing sites have identified a real appetite for online communication and interaction. The training industry has caught on to this, and while eLearning is growing in popularity so too are opportunities to share training content in groups where members have exclusive access. Cloud computing facilitates this by taking groups of individuals out of the classroom and into a web-based area where they can download content provided by the trainer, watch videos and even share experiences. Classroom training has its place in the training industry, but it the importance of web-bases sharing and training cannot go unnoticed.

Empower delegates

Cloud computing also gives trainers the opportunity to hand learning control back to delegates and businesses. Once it was accepted that to book onto a training programme it was necessary to phone up a company and book places over the phone, but today we-based training management systems mean that these places can be booked by logging into a shared area on the internet. The chaos that colleges, for instance, face in the run up to a new term is caused from a bottleneck of interest coming from prospective pupils. Instead of offering just one way of reserving places, empower potential business by using the internet to support a 24/7 booking option.

Speak with accessplanit today about its training management software , Course Manager. This web-based software has proven to offer the benefits listed above, and you can trial the software by calling 0845 543 0229 or emailing enquiries@accessplanit.com .

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Effective customer service should be a must for all trainers and course providers, and getting it right could be easier than you think. Sophisticated training management software has the functionality to support any business with a keen eye on customer service, so read on to find out how:

We’ve all done it; you call up a customer service line to be confronted with a ten minute queue and then a barrage of irrelevant questions. You finally get to the end and the line goes dead. You call back, only to be put through to someone different and the mind-bogglingly frustrating process starts up again…

When the economic environment is tough and the industry you’re operating within is getting more and more competitive, the last thing any business wants to do is become the author of its own misfortune. But, by providing sub-standard customer service that’s exactly what you’ll be doing.

We can’t speak for every industry, but when it comes to the training and course provider sector we know exactly what businesses need to be doing to ensure that their customer service is not getting in the way of growth and success.

Technology plays an integral role in improving customer service, because simply by adopting a tailored online system, businesses can mitigate the risk of letting customers down or not providing them with the information they require.

With this in mind, below are FIVE key ways that your training business can develop the level of customer service on offer:

1 . Online booking – Embedding software for training companies that has online booking as one of its functions is a must for training companies looking to improve their levels of customer service. Booking through the internet is commonplace today, and customers expect to be able to be in control of when they book, rather than getting frustrated by calling the booking line, where they could be put on hold or find the line engaged. Remove barriers to booking and make the journey to being a customer as smooth as possible.

2. Be contactable and visible – There is nothing worse, from a customer point of view, when a service provider is hard to reach, so make sure it never happens. Use technology to ensure that you are constantly visible to both clients and potential clients, and more importantly, ensure that they are able to reach you. Social media sites like Twitter and Linkedin offer great platforms for this level of contact, though so too does email marketing. A monthly email campaign that updates all of your customers on the latest developments within the business, and details on how customers can get in touch to give feedback and ask questions would be a useful start.

3. Increase intelligence on customers – Any business that values its customers and wants to remain on top of who is currently a client, and who is a prospect, should be using a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. These systems allow businesses to track and record any interactions with customers, and provide a valuable resource when it comes to interaction. A CRM can prompt you to get back in touch with a client, and also record all conversations. So, if you have agreed to speak with a potential client at 2pm today, you can programme the CRM to prompt you and detail the previous conversation that you had. Never run the risk of being unprepared for a meeting, or worse, missing the meeting entirely. Organisation is key, and technology can help businesses ensure they are as organised as possible.

4. Pre-empt any customer issues – Another useful function of a training management system is the online survey, and these are not only handy for generating an interesting snapshot of your industry’s mood, they also can help to pre-empt any underlying customer issues. Always be on the front foot with customer relations, and use online surveys to make sure that no minor issues could escalate into major problems.

5 . Intelligent communication – One of the most frustrating things for a customer is complication, so it is vital that training companies and course providers make the information (whether that is a report, a booking confirmation or an invoice) as simple and straight forward as possible. Training management software can automate and simplify the entire communication process, and not just make it easy for customers to understand, but also make it insightful and consistent in appearance. Intelligent reporting with training management system means that companies no longer have to attend meetings with complicated graphs and figures that have taken days to generate, because the system automates the process and gives the customer an easy-to-understand client report. Don’t run the risk of confusing your customer, it is a one-way route to poor customer service and destroying the relationship you have worked hard to build up.

Improve customer service at your training company by adopting training management software from accessplanit. Discover the benefits, speak to the team at accessplanit today about testing its Course Manager software. Call 0845 543 0229 or email enquiries@accessplanit.com .

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I head up a growing training business, and while growth is always welcome (especially in challenging economic times) it brings its own problems. One of these problems is around administration, because bringing on a new client means heaps of paperwork and often an extra pair of hands in the office to cope with the added workload.

Is there any way we can reduce the admin burden and grow in size at the same time? Or, is it always the case that the two move in parallel to one another? Managing Director of sales training business

accessplanit response…

First of all, no, growth for training companies does not have to move along in the same line as administration – the technology available today completely dispels this myth. In a tough environment, no trainer should be held back by the thought of administrative pressure when securing new contracts.

The fact remains, however, admin is hugely time consuming if it’s not managed effectively.

All businesses want to grow in revenue and reduce the workload at the same time, and training companies can have the same goal. Technology holds the key. Today, training management software can automate an incredible amount of essential administration for trainers, from confirming bookings to supplying joining instructions and certificates.

One of the biggest advancements, and the feature that you will undoubtedly find will give you the space to grow, is online booking . Getting courses and programmes booked up is a challenge, and how many times to I hear training companies say that “there aren’t enough hours in the day”. Essentially, with online booking you’re not restricting potential delegates from booking on your course when you call up or email between 9am and 5pm, because an online form allows 24/7 access. Automate the back office , and free up your time to concentrate on delivering and bringing in new business.

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While training management software may be useful in reducing the amount of admin that trainers have to deal with, it can also be a crucial part of the marketing function too. Online surveys are growing in popularity, and here’s why trainers should be tuned into them, and some useful tips on generating content...

Once, running surveys to identify market trends and reveal interesting patterns of behaviour, was the exclusive right of major corporations. The corporate giants that not only had a voice that people would listen to, but the channels to reach them as well.

Today things are quite different, and fast-developing technology has meant that companies large and small can tap into a pool of potential respondents and, when executed effectively, generate survey results that will be engagement fodder in their chosen market. To put some more context and meaning around this, let’s take social media as an example. At any one time millions of people are tuned into social media channels, and are accessible by pretty much anyone on the internet.

One sector that will benefit from running surveys, not just to those already worked with but to new prospects to, is the training and development industry.

Why? Simply because training is a very people-focused industry, and if trainers can stay on top of the latest needs and challenges for the people within their target market, they will be able to design their training content accordingly. Today, the training management software is available to automate the entire process, so businesses or individuals can focus less on how they will reach respondents, and more on the content of the survey itself.

To help you get your survey up and running, and ensure you get the right level of engagement from the questions asked, here are some helpful tips on generating effective survey content:

1. Stay current – Always be looking for an angle, because this will be the hook that gets your target market reading the survey introduction in the first place. So, a good example would be if you are targeting HR executives for your survey, and there has just been a new piece of employment legislation released. Use this as your ‘in’ to ensure that your potential respondents feel as though you have your finger on the pulse.

2. Keep it concise – Bear in mind the amount of time people have to carry out this kind of work. Your angle may well have got them on the hook, but what’s going to make them stay? Or, more to the point, what will make them leave the page and head back to their emails? By making the questions you ask very concise and to the point, not long-winded or complicated in anyway, you will record a higher response rate. If you can get what you need from ten questions, that’s great. Don’t add questions for the sake of it, be very aware of time.

3. Simple is best – Following on from point 2, make the survey as simple as possible to fill out. Tick box style is best, because the more effort you can take out for respondents, the better.

4. Offer value – Value crops up time and time again when it comes to marketing online and engagement, but it is vital. Don’t think that you have to give everyone £100 for entering, but at the very least you could mention that anyone who leaves their email address at the end of the survey will receive an exclusive early copy of the report once completed.

Here at accessplanit our training management system has the functionality to broadcast online surveys and report on the results. If you’d like to try it out, or talk to us about the Course Manager software, get in touch by calling 0845 543 0229.

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It’s now been some time since the launch of Google+ and while there has been significant numbers setting up accounts, there’s still some debate about whether it will take hold in quite the same way as Facebook and Twitter .

What certainly isn’t in doubt, however, is how much emphasis the tech giant Google is placing on it as a key driver for their business. So, even if you’re not entirely convinced of its value, Google is, so this is a platform well worth investing some time and working into your training management system strategy. As a marketing tool Google+ is really coming into its own. You can now build your own profile or the profile of key personnel in your business by setting them up on google authorship.



You can watch more on Google+ here:



So, what does this mean for the training world? Well, this is a social media channel, a place where views and opinions can be shared, profiles can grow and individuals can showcase their expertise in certain areas. For training, it could be essential moving forward. There are actually some fantastic tools that make it sit perfectly with training companies and one of these functions is called Circles, which is an online group where members can network and share ideas. Essentially, you can create as many Circles as you wish and give them each a unique name – these can be either private or public.

This can work perfectly if you want to add delegates from a specific training programme to a Circle, so within the Circle you can communicate specific information just for them. This can create incredible engagement before, during and after training programmes that can otherwise be difficult to maintain and monitor. Another useful feature of Google+, that should have trainers sitting up and taking notice, is a hangout. This is a video conferencing style function where you can invite specific people to attend, and, as long as you have a camera and internet you can see and communicate with everyone in the hangout, which has the makings of another great engagement tool for training companies.

So, how do you get involved? Most people now have a gmail address and with this you automatically have a Google account. It’s just a few simple steps to setting up your Google+ account and it’s free so why not give it a go? Once you’re on, it’s very similar to Facebook with your update box at the top and a stream of ticker tape style stories below it.

You may be asking whether your delegates are already on Google+ and whether it’s worth spending time on yet another platform, but there are good reasons to invite them to your account and if they’re not, encourage them to do so. However, as with anything online, it’s only going to work if you show commitment and add something of value to make your clients want to spend time on it with you.

Speak with training management software experts at accessplanit today about automating the systems and processes within your training company. Google+ may be one part of that strategy, along with accessplanit software that provides online booking, streamlined administration, email marketing and much more. Call 0845 5430229 or email enquiries@accessplanit.com .

Join accessplanit on Google+ for the latest training marketing information, articles and more by clicking here experts at accessplanit today about automating the systems and processes within your training company. Google+ may be one part of that strategy, along with accessplanit software that provides online booking, streamlined administration, email marketing and much more. Call 0845 5430229 or email . Join accessplanit on Google+ for the latest training marketing information and articles.

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