7 LMS Features For Maximum ROI
We’re already familiar with the course characteristics that appeal most to digital trainees. They want something short, sweet, and captive. It needs to invite interaction and hold attention. It also needs to be easy to use. However, eLearning companies must look at it from a double-sided perspective. You require tools and services that enable you to build these training platforms. They must be user-friendly for the end user but also for your in-house team. Which LMS features should be on your virtual shopping list to improve ROI?
1. Blended Training Environments
As much as the push for online education is justified, there’s still room for face-to-face instruction. Of course, in the modern training setup, it’s more like screen-to-screen. It resolves many training challenges, like learner loneliness and isolation. But before you build this into your course, you need the tools and capabilities to enable it. This means you require some kind of teleconferencing system. It allows you to run webinars and “live” synchronized sessions. You require an instant feedback system so trainees can type comments or “speak to the screen” in real time. Group chat rooms and private messaging tools can be helpful as well.
2. Branding Capacity
eLearning organizations operate at commercial levels, so they design courses for multiple different businesses. They can appeal to customer segments by customizing the course for them. But while it’s an effective marketing tactic, it’s not always a cost-effective approach. Instead, build in customization tools. Allow trainees and course administrators to easily incorporate their logo and brand colors into training materials. It could be as simple as changing the background color or font type. And it will make courses feel more familiar. You can also enable them to make little tweaks like recording voice memos from the boss. Another perk of brand integration LMS features is that you can incorporate your own elements if you’re going the eCommerce route. For example, add your logo to build awareness of your eLearning company and enhance your marketing reach.
3. Deep-Dive Analytics
These days, we all see the value of back-end metrics, and there are lots of free tools you can use. However, a paid online training system needs to be miles above the masses. Look for tailored tools that fit your specific needs, gathering the right kind of data. You want to see how often your trainees log in, what their preferred timing is, how long they take per unit. You can check specific modules they may be dragging themselves through, identifying the exact sticking point. You want heat maps to show you which screen portions earn the most attention. That way you can tweak and optimize your layout. From a business standpoint, analytics is a valuable marketing and research tool. For example, you can review client/learner metrics to look for sticking points that require your attention. Then make the necessary adjustments to improve the eLearning experience and keep them coming back for more.
4. Certification Capabilities
Having something tangible to show after a training course is a simple but powerful motivator. The LMS will be used to generate multiple courses. Give LMS admin the space to design certificates and badges for themselves. It should be an intuitive interface with minimal steps and various templates. Along the same lines, it helps to have gamification techniques. Allow admin to build leader boards, quizzes, points-based systems, and competitive elements. It should be a basic drag-and-drop to make it easier to work with.
5. Social Media Integration
These days, it’s pretty easy to link websites to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and other networking platforms. For a learning management system though, the integration needs to be deeper. It requires the ability to manage corporate digital assets, communicate with employees, and apply social media tools to training courses. For example, you could enable trainees to directly share their badges on their social media accounts. They’ll enjoy the capacity for bragging rights.
6. Automated Reporting
Gathering analytics is one thing. Making sense of them is something else. It can also be a lot of work to craft that information into comprehensible formats. Administrating the LMS isn’t a full-time job. It’s just one of the tasks on their job description, but they have to carve it into their schedule. Therefore, enabling them to generate reports automatically makes work far easier for them. It adds value both to administrators and to the organization as a whole. It offers practical resources for training and tools for record-keeping.
7. Built-In Authoring
Chances are your eLearning company already has at least one go-to authoring tool. However, it may be more cost-effective to look for an LMS with built-in authoring software. This allows you to develop content and then deploy it without using any additional software. If your clients are taking care of revisions themselves, this means they can modify the materials using a single tool. Especially if you opt for a system with an intuitive UI that requires minimal experience.
Finding The Right LMS Features For ROI
The eLearning business is customer-driven in more ways than average. Having the right LMS enables them to design courses for sale. The LMS itself can also be a sellable product and it needs to have tools for both in-house and external course development. Look for LMS features that facilitate blended learning, branding, and social media integration. It should have automated reporting systems, comprehensive metrics, and certification tools. The goal is to find a tool that offers you the best value for money and makes training easier (and more cost-effective) for your clients.
Now that you know the must-have LMS features to consider for your eLearning company, why not start the search. Our online directory gives you the ability to narrow results based on features, pricing models, and use cases. It’s never been easier to shop for an LMS that offers the best value for money.
