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They may have spawned the most annoying sounds in the world, and there is every chance they will eventually stop humans from interacting face-to-face all together, but one thing you can’t deny is that everyone has a mobile phone.

Here are some key texting facts that have come out of a report in the US recently by marketer Allen Crawley : in one day alone over 5.8bn messages are sent and received. What’s even more surprising is that nearly all (97%) are opened. More than eight out of ten (83%) of those texts are opened within the first 15 minutes of being received.

Some 73% of new mobile phone buyers reporting that text messaging is the main reason for changing their phone.

So, where does training management software come into this? Good question. Well, if you think about it, with rates of return like those you would expect to see your business grow exponentially. How can you as a training company use text messaging to its full potential to maximise your business?

Here at accessplanit we work closely with our clients to help deliver targeted results utilising text messaging , below are five ways in which we have highlighted the best practise for using text messaging within the training sector:

1. Course Reminders: This is one of the most popular successes we have witnessed with our clients, a text sent the day before and the morning of reminding the attendee about the course. This has led to a much higher increase in attendance, improved our customer service and the overall feedback upon completion of the course has been positive.

2. Last minute alterations: If you’ve ever been involved in the management and scheduling of training you’ll know that everything is always subject to change. When the last minute alterations appear (changes to a classroom or timings, for example) then the delegates need to be informed as soon as possible. Sending an email if not sent far enough in advance may miss the majority of people. As the majority of the population have mobile phones a text message is a far more effective channel of contact.

3. Information updates: If the session you are running involves an element of independent study then reminding the individual that their assignment is due in a couple of days is a good way of reiterating the importance of it.

4. Invoice reminders: If your emails are falling on deaf ears then it gives you another option in which to get hold of your client to press them for completion. We all know that invoicing is not the easiest job in the world, and gentle engagement is far more effective than constant pressing on email and telephone.

5. Thank you: This is one of the most crucial parts of your customer care process; it gives your client the option to voice any opinions that they had about you and your course giving you the opportunity to improve, but also a genuine text thanking them and suggesting they look at your website for further courses goes down well. Believe it or not, it’s actually quite a personal way to thank someone – and at least you know it won’t fall in a spam folder.

It’s our business to develop training software that helps the learning and development industry manage the day-to-day challenges that spring up. SMS text messaging is just one part of the software that we know supports efforts in terms of communication and marketing.

Here at accessplanit we are here to help you keep up to date and highlight new technologies that can help you with your businesses success. If you think it’s time to collaborate with a software house that can keep your training business on the cutting edge, why not demo our course manager software ?

Call the team on 0845 543 0229 or email 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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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 .

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In a world where everything is 24 hours, from the news to food shopping and from sport to entertainment, I often wonder why more businesses aren’t prepared to take the leap and be open for every single second of the year.

Then it dawns on me, we all have personal lives and perhaps like to have some sort of boundary between the working hours and the non-working ones. It’s no great surprise, and I’m not unearthing any great news when I say that the biggest influencer over this 24 hour culture is technology, it has made it possible and safe to do many more things at any time of the day, regardless of where in the world you are and which timezone you find yourself in – and to this extent, businesses are not too shy at coming forward. Because, if technology allows you to get a happy balance between being a 24 hour business, while not actually being sat in front of a computer or behind a desk for the entire time, most people would be content, right?

I heard a story recently about a local theatre that was struggling to cope, it urgently needed modernisation and needed to attract a new crowd. Its future was grim. Today, in a very short space of time, the theatre has managed to turn things around, and it’s because of the way it has embraced the digital world. Theatres are traditional businesses, and probably not the first to jump onto the latest technological advances to help them find success, but this one tweaked the way it operated and addressed the fact that it spent so much money on admin staff who sat around for hours on end waiting and hoping for a busy period. It rarely came.

Instead, the business (it’s OK to call a theatre a business, they are not there purely to entertain, they need to be effective and successful too) integrated an online booking system and allowed visitors to book at any time of the day they wanted.

In other words, they tapped into the 24 hour audience, and it saved their lives. This is a theatre that recognised that the best way for its staff to build the business back up is not by sitting around and waiting to take a booking, it’s by using their creative flare and ensuring that the theatre is producing shows that people want to see. It’s also about channelling that creativity and passion to market the theatre effectively, and a simple and basic system like online booking allowed them to do that.
This is a scenario mirrored in many industries, not least the on that I work in, the training arena.

All too often passionate and dedicated trainers spend their time carrying out administration work and are forced to abandon their post, where they should be developing new training programmes and getting companies and delegates excited about their latest courses. There is training management software that automate every part of the administration aspect and reach out to new customers in the 24-7 world, and in turn allow them the freedom to do what they do best.

The software’s out there, and if any training or course provider would like to demo it to get an idea of what it can do, just click here and let me know.

If you want to hear what other training companies have achieved from using the accessplanit software, which includes online booking and automatic generation of certificates, happy sheets and invoices, just get in touch today by calling 0845 5430229 or email enquiries@accessplanit.com.

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For a business that relies on cutting edge technology to ensure that we stay ahead of the game and front of mind for our clients, it would be impossible not to mention the passing of Steve Jobs this week. He captained the team that actually changed the way we communicate; such is the power of technology today.

If the digital age had to have a central midfield maestro, the one brand that pushes industry forward and keeps the general public eager for more, it would have to be Apple. Research this week has shown that Apple, buoyed by iPad and iPhone success, is now among the top ten brands in the world, competing with the likes of McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and Disney. Today, it’s the eight most valuable brand in the world.

And, when you consider that the power and success of a brand is usually down to human behaviour, what does Apple’s assault on the international markets say about us? Clearly, it says that there is a hunger, and an appetite for digital – and there needs to be a knee-jerk reaction to this from business.

Developing and adapting out training management system each day, I work with technology and all things digital all the time, but sometimes it’s shocking to find out that businesses, particularly within the training world, have not accepted the migration by consumers onto digital platforms. You only have to look at the news this week to see how important it is for course providers to tap into the digital age – the Open University recorded 300 million downloads of lectures per year from iTunes.

Apple’s rapid growth is not just about its fantastic brand, it’s also about satisfying a need, which is focused on the fact that people want to learn, communicate and work online. Digital platforms are no longer the scary impersonal places that they once were – today they are the norm, and although the training and course providers that we work with have recognised that, there are still plenty that haven’t.

A poll that we conducted on Linkedin earlier this year showed that any training business embracing the likes of learning management systems (LMS), online booking and email marketing as a way to manage training and win new clients, is part of an elite club. It’s not the norm yet, even though there is so much potential. 

Try out a demo on our training management software  with accessplanit and see how digital platforms can transform the performance of course providing businesses and trainers, just give us a call on 0845 5430 229 or email enquiries@accessplanit.com.

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