Some software is pretty standard from company to company. Things like Microsoft 365 (formerly Office) don’t vary much so off-the-shelf training is just fine.
But for most company software there are very specific processes as well as specific ways it works. While Salesforce is used at most organizations, it can be developed to do so many different things that off-the-shelf training could never work.
Custom online training for employees is the most efficient way to train employees when this is the case. It will consistently boost employee efficiency.
If you’re tired of watching employees struggle to navigate company software, read on. Off-the-shelf training programs just don’t cut it when it comes to teaching employees how to use specific software and processes unique to your organization.
Efficiency in your organization is essential and employees can’t be efficient if they don’t have proper software training. Every minute wasted trying to figure out how to use software or searching for a solution is a minute that could have been spent on important tasks.
That’s why companies must provide their employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively use the software they rely on every day.
Companies that provide employees the necessary technical training will excel.
While off-the-shelf training programs can be a great starting point for generic software when it comes to custom software or software with highly specific software and processes, a one-size-fits-all approach simply won’t do.
Custom online training for employees is the best solution available. This tailored training solution is designed specifically to meet the unique needs of your company and its software.
By creating a training program that addresses your organization’s specific processes, workflows, and challenges, you can ensure that your employees are equipped with the skills they need to excel.
Employees can get up to speed faster with more relevant knowledge that helps them be more productive at their jobs. A custom solution means no more irrelevant content or struggling to apply generic concepts to your company’s software.
With high-quality online training, employees could have access to interactive and engaging training modules that are directly applicable to their jobs. It can walk them through important aspects of the software so they can do their job quicker with less wasted time on detailed yet generic and irrelevant training.
It’s also nice when employees can learn at their own pace, whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for them, eliminating the need for costly in-person training sessions.
With the ability to track progress and gather better data, you can better tune training for continuous improvement of training. Why settle for off-the-shelf or old-school training that falls short when it comes to your company’s unique software?
You should embrace custom online training for employees to help them be more efficient, productive, and confident in their work. Off-the-shelf training is typically more affordable than custom, but there are some limitations to them.
The Limitations of Off-the-Shelf Training Programs
While off-the-shelf training programs can be a good solution for generic software, they won’t work for custom company software. There’s not a lot of company software that has no custom configuration or processes which means custom training is required.
Off-the-shelf training is available for purchase from third parties, training for things such as Microsoft 365 or other standard programs that are the same in every organization. You can find those types of training on platforms like LinkedIn Learning and Udemy.
They’re designed to cover a wide range of software applications for any industry and type of work. They’re not specific to a role or anything else. You get what they give you and they’re affordable because the company selling them appeals to the masses therefore sells more.
Generic training only works for software that is the same across all organizations which isn’t much.
If you try to use non-custom training for something that does require somewhat of a custom process then what happens is employees may find themselves wasting time on irrelevant content or struggling to apply generic concepts to your company’s software.
Custom online training for employees overcomes these limitations. By tailoring training to your company’s specific processes, workflows, and challenges, you ensure that employees receive the knowledge and skills they need to excel in using the software.
There’s nothing extra and you can use scenarios that apply directly to your employees so the training is highly relevant. There are a lot of benefits to custom online training for company software.
The Benefits of Custom Online Training for Company Software
Custom online training offers numerous benefits for companies looking to maximize employee efficiency with their software. One of the key advantages is that custom training is efficient in that it applies directly to your employee’s jobs and doesn’t have anything they don’t need to learn.
In other words, the training can be highly tailored to only include what employees will use rather than everything about the software. If you train on everything then you might as well train on nothing.
Not only that but with quality custom software simulations online training can be more effective. It helps employees by giving them realistic practice for tasks by having them perform the process themselves.
Rather than traditional classroom training or any other type of instructor-led training, custom online training can incorporate multimedia elements such as videos, interactions, and simulations. Custom learning experiences are always more enjoyable and effective.
Custom online training is the perfect match for training employees on company software.
It also helps that training can be more strategically built by covering only what’s needed immediately and leaving the less commonly performed tasks for better tactics such as performance support.
It’s also easier to implement realistic scenario-based training that helps make training more relevant to employees. If they can see themselves and their work in the training then they will be more engaged and learn more.
Our final benefit is flexibility and convenience. With custom online training, employees can learn at their own pace and at a time that suits them best. This eliminates the need for costly in-person training sessions that disrupt work schedules.
Employees can access the training materials from anywhere with an internet connection, allowing them to fit learning into their busy schedules without sacrificing productivity.
But how do you tailor online training for company software?
Why Tailor Training?
Custom is always better than generic.
Always.
Can generic training address your company’s unique needs?
No, not likely.
Unlike off-the-shelf programs that take a one-size-fits-all approach, custom training allows you to focus on the specific processes and workflows that are relevant to your organization. And every organization is unique.
This ensures that employees receive training that is directly applicable to their day-to-day tasks. I don’t know about you but when I understand training because it’s directly applicable to my work then I care more, pay attention more, and by extension learn more.
Tailored training is more effective and relatable than generic training.
By tailoring training content to your employee’s specific workflows and your company’s specific software, you can address any challenges or pain points specific to your organization.
Whether it’s complex approval processes, industry-specific regulations, or unique reporting requirements, custom online training can provide employees with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate these challenges more effectively.
Creating Interactive and Engaging Training
Custom online training allows you to create interactive and engaging training modules that keep employees motivated and interested in learning. When it’s custom it’s relevant. But, when it’s custom and it’s high-quality then it can also be interactive and engaging.
Interactive elements not only make the employee learning experiences more engaging but with the right interactions that feel like they’re real to your employees help them relate to information better.
For example, instead of reading through a document or passively watching a video on how to perform a specific task in software, employees can do it themselves in a software simulation in a realistic yet safe environment.
Cost Savings with Custom Online Training
Implementing custom online training for employees can lead to significant cost savings for your company. With a short course and heavy usage of performance support your organization can save significant training dollars.
One of the most affordable types of training is performance support and that is a form of online training.
Traditional instructor-led training sessions often require a lot more people hours and aren’t scalable. These costs can quickly add up, especially for companies with multiple locations or remote employees.
Custom online training will ultimately save an organization money.
With custom online training solutions, you eliminate the need for unscalable forms of training. With thoughtful integration of these methods with social learning on your enterprise social network you also don’t have to sacrifice the social aspect of traditional workplace training.
Training should be accessible anywhere an employee wants. That eliminates the need to schedule and coordinate instructor-led training. This not only saves money but also reduces the time spent away from work.
Track Progress and Providing Ongoing Support
Custom online training platforms often come with built-in tracking and reporting features that allow you to gather data on employee training. It’s also quite possible that the platform can offer online support such as communities or practice and more.
There’s nothing better than providing an environment of continuous learning. The only way to create that culture is for leaders and employees to build it together.
If someone is struggling with a particular concept or feature, you can offer them a place to ask questions. You’ll find that employees are more than happy to help each other and create a better culture of learning.
An organization that encourages continuous learning and improvement is an organization employees value and want to stay at. It’s the perfect way to reduce employee turnover because it’s one of the most sought-after benefits of a company.
Boosting Employee Confidence and Productivity
Why do employees seek organizations that value their professional growth?
Because that’s one of the best ways to grow in your career, add value to the company, and feel confident and productive while doing it.
Custom online training for employees does all of these things and does it with a smile. Okay, maybe it can’t smile because it’s just a concept but you get the point.
Employees love it, companies should love it, and everyone wins.
Custom online training equips employees with the skills they need to use company software effectively and boosts their confidence in their abilities while doing it.
When employees receive tailored training that they understand and makes sense to their work, they feel more confident in navigating company software and performing their tasks.
When people know how to use the software they need for their job they will feel empowered and happier.
People feel empowered and have a sense of ownership in their work when they’re well-trained. This increased confidence translates into improved productivity.
Also, if you have enough training resources available then employees can help themselves. That adds another level of achievement and capability to employees’ jobs. If they can have a problem, find the solution, and fix their problem then that’s pretty satisfying.
Why do you think Google is so beloved?
It empowers us to accomplish things we otherwise wouldn’t and that’s pretty darn satisfying.
Efficient employee training with custom online training means you’re going to unlock the full potential of employees and company software.
Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Software
By embracing custom online training for employees, your organization will unlock the full potential of company software. No IT department or software deployment can be completed without proper training. Custom digital training helps employees navigate your organization’s digital transformation.
Off-the-shelf training programs may provide a quick and affordable solution for some training but it can only take you so far. It wouldn’t help for complex software that’s custom to your organization. That includes software like Salesforce that’s so complex and each implementation so specific generic training would never work.
The only way to unlock the full potential of company software is to make sure employees are sufficiently training.
Generic training often fails to address the unique processes and workflows that make your company successful. Custom online training allows you to fully leverage the capabilities of your software by tailoring the training content to your organization’s specific needs.
Employees will gain a deep understanding of how to use the software in a way that aligns with your company’s processes and workflows. This leads to increased efficiency, improved productivity, and ultimately, better business outcomes that unlock the full potential of employees and software.
Wrap Up
If you want to boost employee efficiency with company software, off-the-shelf training programs likely won’t cut it. Custom online training for employees offers a tailored solution that’s a must for all organizations to succeed.
With custom online training, employees get more relevant training that’s more motivating and will make it easier for them to apply the training to their work. The flexibility and convenience of online training allow employees to learn at their own pace and at a time that suits them best.
Implementing custom online training also saves costs by eliminating the need for expensive and non-scalable instructor-led training. It also makes it easier to track employee progress and give them resources for ongoing support to ensure everyone is continuously improving their skills and has a place to ask questions.
By embracing custom online training for company software, your organization will unlock the full potential of your software and empower employees with the knowledge and skills they need to excel.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss how our expertise in corporate technical training will help your next software deployment succeed. We’re experts in the art and science of training and can ensure your company’s digital transformation succeeds.