Thursday
Aug162001
212 - Customer Learning: The Real Imperative!
August 16, 2001
#212 - - - August 16, 2001 - - - 41,753 Readers
*** Elliott Masie's TechLearn TRENDS ***
e-Learning, Training and e-Collaboration Updates
Published by The MASIE Center: http://www.masie.com
Host of TechLearn 2001 - Oct 28 - 31 - Orlando, Florida
Customer Learning: The Real Imperative!
A TechLearn 2001 Think Piece
By Elliott Masie
"Teach Your Customers Well" would make a great song. In fact, I should get a version to sing at TechLearn (only a mild threat!). But, it is the song that is ringing in my ears as I talk to Chief Learning Officers and coordinators of Learning at major organizations. While the bulk of the conversation about e-Learning and Blended Learning has focused on workforce training and development, Customer Learning looms as a much larger and even more critical imperative.
What does Customer Learning look like:
* Pre Sales: Engaging future customers in a learning experience, facilitated by technology, to provide information, perspective, theory and skills focused on pre-sale relationship development.
* Sales: The use of e-Learning as part of the sales process, including access to content, community, coaching and simulation, to assist the creation of an effective and quality sale.
* Post Sales: Building a Digital Surround to continue the sales support process through learning, collaboration, training and performance support.
The technologies and processes of Customer Learning can mirror those which are being implemented for Employee e-Learning:
* Asynchronous Content
* Live, Virtual Classrooms
* Community and Collaboration Tools
* Content Authoring Systems and Tools
* e-Coaching Tools
We will start to see additional Customer Learning systems and models:
* Customer Learning Management Systems (more focused on customers rather than employees)
* Integration with CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
* Integration with e-Business Sites
Customer Learning will also yield more flexible models of Instructional Design, since we will often see learning challenges that include:
* Grazing and Browsing: The same programs will be used by customers that are just grazing through the content as well as folks that are going to be engaged in-depth skill development.
* Annonymous Learning: Some customers will not want to be identified and Customer Learning Management Systems will need to adapt to continuing and dynamically changing learning needs, without name identification.
* Customer Learner Recruitment: How do we invite and engage Customers as Learners? How is this different than Employee Learning?
We are seeing the largest GROWTH in e-Learning and Blended Learning in the Customer Learning area. Often, this is not on the radar screen of the traditional training or HR field. We see steep interest and projects eminating from the Sales and Customer Support area.
TRENDS readers should reach out to prepare for expanded demand for Customer Learning capabilities.
At TechLearn 2001, there will be at least 8 sessions dedicated to Customer Learning, including a mega-session that I will deliver entitled: Customer
Learning: Supporting the Revenue Line!
Information about TechLearn 2001 (October 28-31 in Orlando, Florida) at http://www.techlearn.com
Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
*** Elliott Masie's TechLearn TRENDS ***
e-Learning, Training and e-Collaboration Updates
Published by The MASIE Center: http://www.masie.com
Host of TechLearn 2001 - Oct 28 - 31 - Orlando, Florida
Customer Learning: The Real Imperative!
A TechLearn 2001 Think Piece
By Elliott Masie
"Teach Your Customers Well" would make a great song. In fact, I should get a version to sing at TechLearn (only a mild threat!). But, it is the song that is ringing in my ears as I talk to Chief Learning Officers and coordinators of Learning at major organizations. While the bulk of the conversation about e-Learning and Blended Learning has focused on workforce training and development, Customer Learning looms as a much larger and even more critical imperative.
What does Customer Learning look like:
* Pre Sales: Engaging future customers in a learning experience, facilitated by technology, to provide information, perspective, theory and skills focused on pre-sale relationship development.
* Sales: The use of e-Learning as part of the sales process, including access to content, community, coaching and simulation, to assist the creation of an effective and quality sale.
* Post Sales: Building a Digital Surround to continue the sales support process through learning, collaboration, training and performance support.
The technologies and processes of Customer Learning can mirror those which are being implemented for Employee e-Learning:
* Asynchronous Content
* Live, Virtual Classrooms
* Community and Collaboration Tools
* Content Authoring Systems and Tools
* e-Coaching Tools
We will start to see additional Customer Learning systems and models:
* Customer Learning Management Systems (more focused on customers rather than employees)
* Integration with CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
* Integration with e-Business Sites
Customer Learning will also yield more flexible models of Instructional Design, since we will often see learning challenges that include:
* Grazing and Browsing: The same programs will be used by customers that are just grazing through the content as well as folks that are going to be engaged in-depth skill development.
* Annonymous Learning: Some customers will not want to be identified and Customer Learning Management Systems will need to adapt to continuing and dynamically changing learning needs, without name identification.
* Customer Learner Recruitment: How do we invite and engage Customers as Learners? How is this different than Employee Learning?
We are seeing the largest GROWTH in e-Learning and Blended Learning in the Customer Learning area. Often, this is not on the radar screen of the traditional training or HR field. We see steep interest and projects eminating from the Sales and Customer Support area.
TRENDS readers should reach out to prepare for expanded demand for Customer Learning capabilities.
At TechLearn 2001, there will be at least 8 sessions dedicated to Customer Learning, including a mega-session that I will deliver entitled: Customer
Learning: Supporting the Revenue Line!
Information about TechLearn 2001 (October 28-31 in Orlando, Florida) at http://www.techlearn.com
Yours in learning,
Elliott Masie
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