As an L&D professional, I’ve spent the past few years supporting businesses that offer customer and partner education via online learning. During this time, I’ve observed strategies that could significantly enhance internal training programs. By adopting some of these approaches, L&D teams can discover new ways to leverage their Learning Management Systems (LMS) for maximum impact.
1. Focus on Learner Experience
In customer and partner education, the learner experience is critical. Many external LMS platforms offer personalized learning paths based on user behavior and preferences. Internal L&D teams can adopt a similar approach by creating tailored learning journeys for employees based on their roles, departments, or skill gaps.
For example, L&D teams can segment employees by department or role and automatically promote relevant content, much like how marketing teams target different customer personas with personalized messages.
2. Shift to Just-in-Time Delivery
In customer education, there’s a growing trend toward delivering content when the learner needs it most, known as just-in-time (JIT) delivery. Instead of waiting for scheduled training, learners can access relevant resources in real-time, embedded in their day-to-day tasks.
This JIT approach, already prioritized in customer education, can benefit internal training as well. The rise of AI-powered tools and language models makes this more accessible. For example, Thought Industries recently launched TIA, an ‘AI-powered knowledge co-pilot’ (read: chatbot) that provides real-time support and recommendations. It’s likely that more LMS providers will develop similar tools soon. Internal teams should embrace this evolving approach to stay ahead.
3. Leverage Data-Driven Insights
Customer education programs use data analytics to understand user behavior and optimize content delivery. Internal L&D teams can benefit significantly from adopting these practices:
Advanced Analytics: Customer-focused LMS platforms use data to track learner progress, engagement, and outcomes. Internal L&D teams can use similar tools to monitor employee performance, identify skill gaps, and continuously improve learning content.
Feedback Loops: Post-training surveys, quizzes, and other feedback mechanisms are built into many customer education programs to assess learner comprehension and satisfaction. Implementing similar feedback loops internally can help teams gauge the effectiveness of their training programs and make data-driven improvements.
Certification & Badging: External education programs often use certifications or digital badges to recognize achievements. Internal L&D teams can adopt similar recognition systems to motivate employees, promoting a culture of continuous learning and development.
4. Community Building & Social Learning
Customer and partner education often includes community-building features like forums, discussion boards, and collaborative tools. These communities foster engagement and peer-to-peer learning.
Internal L&D teams can replicate this by creating internal learning communities where employees share knowledge, ask questions, and discuss best practices. Features like chat functions, discussion forums, and peer-to-peer mentoring can enhance the learning experience and encourage collaboration across departments. This approach also supports the development of a culture of continuous learning within the organization.
5. Automation & Self-Service
Automation is a key element in customer education, helping to streamline processes and reduce manual effort. For example, customer LMS platforms often use automated emails to recommend new courses based on a learner’s progress. Internal L&D teams can adopt similar approaches to increase engagement and compliance with training requirements:
Automated Enrollment: Automating course enrollments and reminders can help ensure employees are aware of and complete required training on time. This can be paired with a more proactive, marketing-style approach, where employees are encouraged to explore new learning opportunities based on their previous activity or current roles.
By automating these processes, L&D teams can reduce administrative burdens while creating a more personalized and engaging learning environment.
Conclusion
Internal L&D teams can learn a great deal from the sophisticated, learner-centric systems used in customer and partner education. By incorporating these best practices into their LMS platforms, internal teams can create more engaging, scalable, and data-driven learning experiences. Prioritizing the learner, leveraging data, building communities, and embracing automation are key strategies to supporting a culture of continuous improvement
Interested in learning how you can leverage customer education practices for your internal L&D programs? Contact us today at rachel@talentstorm.co.uk to explore tailored solutions for your organization’s learning needs.
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