Measure Training Business Success With Effective Reporting

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What is a report? Given the recent controversy surrounding Oxford Dictionaries I thought it only suitable to get a definition straight from there. Oxford Dictionaries defines a report as to ‘give a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated’. As businesses we all do it. But how do we know that we are doing it effectively and that we are using the information for maximum benefit?

How can you make reporting work for you?

1. Define your business goals

Goals can only be effective if they are SMART:

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Attainable

R – Relevant

T – Timely

That is because they are measurable. Do you want to increase course bookings on a particular course by 50% by 2016 Q2 or triple your social media following by the end of 2016?

Whatever it is, if you know what you need to do to be successful it is much easier to identify the areas to monitor and therefore the ability to report on progress.

Additionally, if your business goals change you will need to review your reports to ensure that they remain fit for purpose or if they need altering. 

2. Set up a reporting schedule

Know what to report on and when. Can reports be ran in retrospect or do they need to be ran in real time? Establish this and have a schedule in place with reporting responsibilities and deadlines.

One of the most effective ways to tackle this is to automate your reports to be delivered straight to your inbox. This can be done quickly and easily with a training management system or LMS.

3. Review reports regularly

It is all well and good having all of this information at your fingertips but what use is it if you are not doing anything with it? Set up regular sessions to review report findings and put actions in place to tackle any issues or exploit any opportunities.

Find out more about accessplanit's reporting tool.

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Other articles you might find interesting include:

Learning More About The Reporting Tool

How Feedback Can Benefit Your Training Company

The Importance Of Feedback In Training Companies

How Automated Training Evaluations Gain Meaningful Feedback