Finding Your Ideal eLearning Approach
Choosing between off-the-shelf solutions and custom eLearning programs is hard, we admit it, and to help you decide, we're dedicated to outlining the benefits of custom eLearning development for corporate training.
We discussed the pros and cons of each in a separate article. Tailored eLearning programs have helped many organizations worldwide, so let's ensure you fully understand why.
The True Meaning Of "Custom"
Only once did I make myself a tailored blazer (dance costumes excluded!), and it was amazing—just the colors I picked, a retro checked pattern with greens and browns. The skirt, however, was a different story. I ended up giving it away because the tailor miscalculated the amount of remaining material, and it turned out to be too small for me. True story.
Heads-up here: custom eLearning can also be sucky if the needs analysis is not done right. But this is not the point of our discussion, so let's go back to the good stuff!
Custom eLearning solutions are about creating a learning experience that speaks directly to your organization's unique challenges, processes, and goals.
It's designed to fit your organization perfectly, addressing specific pain points and operational nuances that make your company unique. We think this approach shines particularly bright in the following scenarios:
- Your organization has unique processes or proprietary systems that require specific training.
- Your industry or organization faces distinct challenges that generic courses don't adequately address.
- You need to incorporate company-specific case studies and examples.
- Your training needs to reflect specific cultural or regional considerations.
- You want to build a competitive advantage through specialized knowledge.
Off-the-shelf eLearning courses fall short here. The gap of specific knowledge that makes your organization competitive in the market is successfully bridged by custom eLearning. When it hits the right spot, bespoke eLearning courses lead to better-trained employees who can apply their learning directly to their daily tasks. It's something they actually can benefit from.
Moreover, there's even more independence for you. Unlike off-the-shelf courses, where you're bound by the provider's update schedule, custom content can be adjusted when needed, ensuring your training always remains relevant and current.
No need to sugarcoat all this: custom solutions are more expensive than off-the-shelf courses. It's up to you to weigh out if this is true in the long run.
Core Benefits Of Custom eLearning Solutions
We all like to talk about tangible benefits, ROI/ROE, which can be challenging for something that is intangible and often subjective as a learning process. There are, however, some concrete pros of bespoke eLearning programs, which transform standard training into a strategic asset. We're listing them below.
Targeted Skill Development
First on our list: with custom eLearning development, you can focus on the exact skills your teams need. People learn through situations they encounter daily.
Here are a few real-life examples from successful eLearning projects:
- In construction, engineers focused on a review which is specific to their company's work procedure (read the Burns & McDonnel case study [1]).
- We adapted a general topic of compliance to the industry-specific requirements, creating custom training for IRA professionals (read the CorporateNerd case study [2]).
- A highly rare topic of cultural preservation was transformed into a training manual to hit the right spot—how to do construction work on archaeological sites (read the RCU case study [3]).
Sales teams can practice using your actual CRM system or learn how to improve customer experience by developing a unique approach to on-site customers.
This direct relevance means people will acquire and apply skills faster. Just think about it, it makes perfect sense. If you're trying to train your sales team to build more personal relationships with customers, one option is to show them theoretical models and strategies. The other one is to share real-life situations from more experienced colleagues with practical tips. We reckon they'll memorize the latter faster—because it's more relevant!
Alignment With Company Processes
In the corporate world, each organization has its own unique workflows and procedures. Corporate eLearning services can mirror these exactly, eliminating the confusion that often arises when employees need to translate generic training into your specific processes.
Need we mention that this goes hand in hand with the above "targeted skill development" benefit?
Real-World Scenarios Relevant To Your Industry
Directly leaning on the first two points from our list of benefits, targeted skill development and alignment with company processes, custom eLearning lets you incorporate actual challenges and successes from your organization's history. These real-world examples make the training more engaging and demonstrate solutions that work in your context.
Above all that, your eLearning becomes authentic, which we think is the ultimate way to gain your teams' trust in the brand and people behind it. They'll know you care, which is invaluable—just imagine what they'll give in return!
Iva Cvrlje/ewyse.agency
ROI Almighty: Measurable Outcomes
If you're considering creating custom eLearning programs, the initial investment will be higher than in off-the-shelf courses. BUT: Your returns will also be higher—both return on investment (ROI) and on expectation (ROE).
Building custom courses, targeted to your audience, with content that is relevant to your learners' needs, means that you're going to feel the positive impact of the investment. Even more so, you'll see it if you look at the numbers.
Everything in business can be translated to time and money, and if your teams' efficiency has changed, you'll be able to track it: your teams may become faster in performing certain activities, they may attract more customers if the sales or customer-service training hits the right spots, and so on. Custom eLearning solutions ensure the difference in metrics between before and after training is positive.
Cultural Integration And Brand Consistency
One of the unique benefits of custom eLearning development for corporate training is the ability to weave your organizational culture and brand directly into the eLearning, making it an authentic reflection of who you are and what the organization represents. Let's look at this from several aspects.
- Brand voice and visual identity: Think of this as your company's personality. Your voice should flow through your learning materials. If you're a quirky tech startup, maybe your training modules shouldn't read like a Victorian novel. In addition, your courses will be visually recognizable.
- Company values and mission: Instead of just plastering "INTEGRITY" on the wall in giant letters, show it in action, build it from within. If your value is accountability, for example, share authentic stories about that time John revolutionized the company logo. Real examples, real people.
- Relatability and connection: Tailored eLearning programs understand that your tech startup probably shouldn't sound like a banking corporation (unless that's your thing). Your content can include inside jokes, reference your actual office layout, and feature scenarios your team actually faces.
- Creating authentic learning experiences: The beauty of custom eLearning solutions is that they create memorable experiences. When training materials mirror your daily work life and company culture, the lessons stick better.
Keeping all this in mind, always focus on substance over style. Yes, we agree that the visual appeal of courses adds to the classy, professional feel, and we don't dispute it at all. Just make sure that things are being presented for a reason, that they make sense, and respect Instructional Design and UX principles.
Iva Cvrlje/ewyse.agency
Conclusion: It's Important To Find The Right Balance With Your Custom eLearning
Grasping all the benefits of custom eLearning development for corporate training is possible when you strike the right balance between clear learning objectives, engaging and visually appealing content, and your unique company voice.
If you're planning to take this step of creating custom eLearning programs, ensure you have the resources you need to create the best curriculum for your teams: this means that you have your SMEs and company stakeholders aligned and ready to take on their responsibilities during project development.
Remember, whether you're developing in-house or partnering with corporate eLearning services, success comes from smart planning, realistic timelines, and keeping your eyes on the actual learning outcomes. Because at the end of the day, the flashiest course in the world won't help if your team isn't learning what they need to succeed. The strategies of engagement and gamification should serve effectiveness, not the other way around.
So go forth and create those tailored eLearning programs—just make sure they're supporting your goals, rather than just delivering fun. Your future self (and your team) will thank you.
References:
[1] Burns & McDonnell: eWyse Case Study
[2] CorporateNerd: eWyse Case Study
