Choosing the right LMS for your business can be a task. If you ask a teenager, ‘LMS’ is their way of politely urging you to like their Facebook status. But if you run an organization and you’re not sure what an LMS is in that context, it’s time to race into the third decade of the 21st century … stat.
We’re talking, of course, about the need for a Learning Management System – because these powerful tools are no longer the reserve of the biggest businesses with the biggest budgets. Never before has it been easier to get really sophisticated and efficient about the way you train, develop, and teach your staff or customers, for a price even the smallest businesses can now afford.
Why, exactly, does your organization need an LMS?
How about enhanced customer service? A fully empowered workforce? Centralized and cost-effective learning resources? In-house, real-world, fully customizable training? More customers? Bigger profits? Market domination?
Chances are, you’re convinced by now. But the way the world of LMS has been racing ahead in recent years means there is so much software out there – which is great news! The tricky bit is making sure the LMS you choose and implement in your organization is the best possible fit.
Need somewhere to start? How about the first 3 steps you’ll need to take to choose the perfect Learning Management System in Australia for your business?:
1. What problem are you solving?
It’s not enough to want the benefits of an LMS – you need to know how it will make what are doing better. So start by asking these questions: Who are you going to train? How many? What do you want them to learn? What skill-set category are they in? What results are you hoping for?
With those questions ready, and also by asking your staff or customers for input, it will be a lot easier to do your browsing, get the most out of an LMS demo, or ask the software provider for advice.
2. Pick your features
As we mentioned, there’s a lot out there on the market at the moment – and what differentiates the various LMS offerings are the features. Start, therefore, in the most logical place – the budget you can afford and the features you definitely need and preferably want for that money.
So, ask yourself: How customizable do you need the content to be? Does your system need to be scalable? Is it to train a handful of staff or a network of thousands of customers? Do you want optimization for desktop or mobile device learning? Will you be offering podcasts, videos, Zoom capabilities, and forums, or just the basics? Will you need powerful reporting and analytical capabilities?
3. How much support do you need?
Let’s face it: you’re not exactly an LMS expert. But the good news is that, in such a competitive market, there are plenty of LMS experts who can serve as your organization’s very own training gurus – so long as the option you choose prioritizes technical support. Yes, really good support services might cost a bit more, but LMS is so powerful that it can pay you back so many times over. The best platforms will also let you do a free trial or even benefit from a personalised demo, and then rush to your aid when you don’t understand something or help you fix problems quickly when something else goes wrong.
If you get your selection of LMS right by prioritizing your needs and safeguarding its implementation, all the doors you hoped it would open will reveal their surprising bounties. All the best of luck for your exciting eLearning journey!
