The accessplanit 2023 round-up

2023 has been a fantastic year for accessplanit staff and customers! We have had plenty of milestones, achievements and celebrations, amongst various product improvements, events and changes. Our staff have continued to learn and develop with lots of training events, and we have had fun running plenty of engagement activities and charity fundraisers throughout the year. 

To celebrate our year, join us as we run down our top highlights from 2023 and gear up for 2024.

Feature focus: most impactful feature of 2023

The most impactful new feature of this year, as chosen by the Product team, is the new capability for Resource-based Custom Fields! This feature was part of our November 2023 release. Here's a summary: 

Resource-based Custom Fields 

This means that you can store custom information about your resources, such as your venues and trainers, to capture extra information and configure your training management system to work the way you do.  

For example, you could add a Custom Field for what language your trainers can teach in or what accessibility features your venues have. Like all Custom Fields, they are fully customisable, so you can choose what information to display depending on your requirements. The possibilities are endless!

This makes it easier to choose the most suitable Resource for a course because all the information that matters to your business is visible in the platform, allowing for increased efficiency and better decision-making. 

Our customers already find Custom Fields extremely useful for a variety of purposes, and the expansion of this feature to Resources will make configuring the training management software to your needs even easier. 

Cyber Essentials Plus

Another one of our biggest highlights this year is this significant milestone in our cyber security - we achieved Cyber Essentials Plus! We are the only training management software provider to offer this level of data security to our customers.

We were the first TMS provider to achieve Cyber Essentials, and we have now increased our security even more by achieving the advanced Plus certification. This is a testament to the level of commitment we place on securing our customers’ data and privacy.  

All of our customers can rest assured that their information is safe with us and is recognised as such by an industry-leading certification.

accessplanit Connect 2024 launch

In October, we announced the launch of our in-person customer event, Connect! We are very excited to see so many of our customers there and celebrate their achievements. It is taking place in Manchester on the 7th of March.

We'll share exclusive news about our training management system, host insightful roundtable discussions and explore how to make the most of your accessplanit platform. This is designed to be an informative day for all platform users to build their knowledge and network with our team and fellow industry professionals.  

Spaces are limited and booking up fast so be sure to secure your spot here! 

accessplanit Staff Summit

Our second accessplanit staff summit was another success, bringing together all members of staff for a day of learning, reflecting and celebrating.  

Our guest speaker this year was Mark Roberts, who talked us through his inspirational journey from professional sport to being a Leadership Consultant. Reflective of our own core values, Mark encouraged us to be flexible with our life goals and never give up.  

We had a range of other engaging and insightful activities run by members of staff (including an "ask the leadership team anything" session) and lots of fun was had by all! Sessions like this allow us to align as a team and improve our offerings to customers. 

State of the Training Industry Benchmark Report

For the 7th year running, we released our Training Industry Benchmark report, which revealed lots of fascinating insights into the training sector and ways in which training providers can improve their offerings based on learner preferences. You can read it here.

The survey for the 2024 report has been released - fill it out now to ensure you have your say! 

Growing team

We have been delighted to introduce these new starters to the team this year: 

• Sarah Dawson - Software Tester 
• Lucy Bennett – Marketing Manager (Maternity Cover) 
• Emily Sargant – Software Tester

Staff progressions

As well as celebrating new members of the team, let’s recognise those who progressed within the team in 2023:  

• Nick Pearson – Senior Software Developer
• Sarah Bickerstaffe - Customer Support Advisor

Learning and development

One of accessplanit's core values is Learn and Improve, which allows the entire team to continually develop their skills and improve our training management software and service. We manifest this within our everyday operations, with both internal and external training events.

We run regular internal platform training events, and many of our staff have benefitted from attending courses put on by Lancaster and Morecambe College this year.  

In addition, every month we run a Lunch and Learn session. We have had a lively mix of sessions this year, including one with Morecambe Bay Wills and Estates to talk to us about will writing and powers of attorney. We also had sessions on CPR, investing, mindfulness, special effects and much more. 

Giving back

As members of the 1% Pledge, we dedicate 1% of our time and profits to good causes. This year has been filled with fundraising and charity activities, where we have had loads of fun at the same time as giving back and making a difference,  raising a total of £5594. 

Back in March, we set ourselves the challenge of walking the equivalent of Turkey and back to raise funds for the people left devastated by the Turkey-Syria earthquakes. The team managed to hit the target of 3,626 miles, or 8,077,278 steps! 

To raise money in aid of Cancer Research UK, we donned our pink clothes and held a bake sale in the office in June. Some members of the team also completed the gruelling Pretty Muddy 5k challenge. 

The 1% Pledge Team became gardeners for the day in August as we rejuvenated the garden at Dolphinlee House. We dismantled an old shed, repainted furniture and replaced old plants to bring some colour and make it a beautiful space for residents to spend time.  

This December, we were delighted to be an official drop-off point for Lancaster BID’s Christmas Toy Appeal. This initiative ensures that Christmas gifts reach the less fortunate children in the area who need them the most, by partnering with various local charities. We had loads of donations from our staff and the public alike.  

For our Festive Afternoon this year, we fundraised for local charity Unique Kidz and Co, which provides activities and support for families with disabled children. Our Festive Afternoon, which featured a scavenger hunt, tombola, quiz and much more, raised £184.  

Some members of the team also volunteered at Unique Kidz and Co’s Christmas Fair.  

This Christmas, we also ran a shoebox campaign in aid of local animal rescue charity, Animal Care Lancaster.  

Sponsorships

In addition to our charity work, we are proud to sponsor two local sports clubs this year that do great work within the Lancaster community.  

Lancaster City FC

We sponsored Lancaster City FC this season, appearing on the front of away kit, back of home kit, back of third kit and training kit, and on the Neil Marshall Stand.  

This year was also the second year running of our sponsorship of LCFC’s Dollies in the Community initiative. They donate match tickets, provide activity books for local schools and run regular events such as weekly walking football sessions for older fans.  

Lancaster Lions Basketball Club

We also began a sponsorship agreement with Lancaster Lions Basketball Club this year. Our Infrastructure Manager, Chris Hotchkiss, plays for the team. They compete in various basketball leagues in the local area.  

What's next in 2024?

We have big plans for the product in 2024 which we can’t wait to launch. We are also so excited to see our customers at Connect in March. Stay tuned to be the first to hear all our announcements! 

Of course, none of this would be possible without our hard-working team and amazing customers. A big thank you for making 2023 a standout year for us!

2023 in numbers

Here’s a graphic summing up our 2023 stats and highlights:

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