Should you invest in customer training, and if so, what should it look like?
Customer training has always been around, but it’s definitely growing in popularity.
Look at tech giants like HubSpot.
They offer all kinds of free training, not just to get new business, but also to keep existing business too.
Building informed customers that have good use of your product means they’re going to be better engaged.
So should you invest in customer training?
Keep reading to learn:
- What customer training is
- The key benefits of customer training
- Challenges with customer training
- How to implement customer training
- Whether customer training is right for you
Let’s get started.
What is customer training?
Customer training is the process of educating customers about a company’s products or services to help them use them effectively and efficiently.
It involves providing information, instructions, and support to ensure users understand the features, benefits, and best practices associated with the offering.
It starts from day one.
You want to onboard new customers effectively so that any hurdles they face, they can easily overcome.
After all, a well-designed customer training programme does more than just explain how a product works.
It empowers users to maximise the value they gain from it.
And it can look however you like.
This type of training can be delivered through various methods, including online tutorials, webinars, user guides, or in-person workshops.
By investing in customer training, you’re promoting better customer experiences, leading to stronger brand advocacy and reduced churn.
Because in today’s competitive market, businesses recognise that an informed customer is a loyal one.
So, investing in comprehensive training not only benefits the user but also drives long-term success for the organisation.
Benefits of customer training
Customer training might not be the top of your to-do list.
But from increasing revenue to reducing support costs, the benefits of investing in customer education are huge.
Not convinced?
We wrap up some key benefits of customer training:
1. Increased revenue
Delivering customer training can significantly boost top-line revenue. Some stats show it can increase average revenue by 7.6%.
You might be asking why but think about it.
Happy customers stick around.
Well-informed customers know how to get the most out of your product and so have a better relationship not only with the product, but also with your business as a whole.
So yes, there are plenty of ways that customer training can impact finances.
And so it’s well worth investing in.
2. Enhanced product adoption and customer satisfaction
Customer training is crucial for increasing product adoption and enhancing customer satisfaction.
On average, companies experience a 38% rise in product adoption rates and a 26% improvement in customer satisfaction following training initiatives.
Pretty substantial.
And that’s not all.
56% of customers report increased product usage after completing training programmes.
What’s the benefit?
Well, aside from the ROI impact mentioned above, it’s just generally good for business.
Happy customers are more engaged which can impact you in a plethora of ways.
3. Reduced customer support costs
A well-structured customer training programme can lead to a significant reduction in customer support expenses.
After all, if your users know how to use your product or service properly, then they’re much more self sufficient.
On average, companies report a 15.5% decrease in support costs after implementing customer education initiatives.
With customer training, you can give customers their independence.
In fact, 87% indicated they can work more independently after training.
4. Increased customer loyalty
Customer education not only enhances satisfaction but also fosters loyalty and retention.
Businesses with structured training programmes have experienced a 7.4% increase in customer retention rates.
Educated customers are more likely to stay loyal, helping to reduce churn and secure a stable revenue stream.
Why?
Because they’re invested in your product or service.
Plus, there’s that reciprocal nature to your relationship.
You’ve invested in them with good onboarding and training, so they stay invested in your business.
Challenges with customer training programmes
Of course, like anything, customer training comes with its challenges.
While it is massively beneficial, there are a few roadblocks that you might face when it comes to implementation.
The trick?
Being prepared for it and making accommodations before you begin.
1. Low engagement
One of the primary challenges in delivering customer training is ensuring active engagement.
Related: Marketing strategies that can boost learner engagement
Many customers may feel they already have a sufficient understanding of the product or service, leading to a lack of motivation to participate.
Or, they might simply want to rely on you, or your support team to fix issues.
Of course, that’s not true for everyone. Lots of customers will have limited time to dedicate to training.
To overcome this, you need to create relevant, easy-to-follow content that appeals to a variety of learning styles and encourages consistent interaction.
2. Lack of personalisation
In an ideal world, customer training would be personalised to the customer’s unique needs and experience level.
However, personalising training for every customer can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
A one-size-fits-all approach often fails to meet the diverse requirements of users, meaning businesses need to invest in creating adaptable training materials that cater to different customer profiles and skill levels.
But there are workarounds.
Using engagement features in an LMS can allow you to build in subject-matter experts (aka other customers) who are on hand to answer questions.
Related: Learn more about engagement features in Totara
3. Technology and platform limitations
Technology can present significant hurdles when delivering customer training.
If the platform used for training isn’t user-friendly or fails to scale with increasing numbers of customers, it can negatively impact the training experience.
Other issues, such as poor integration with existing systems or accessibility barriers, can further hinder effectiveness, making it crucial to select the right tools for seamless delivery.
Here comes the plug…
BuildEmpire is a platinum partner of Totara that comes with a wide range of tools in learning, engagement and performance.
We work with a number of customers to deliver customer training.
Plus, we’ve learned from the best.
Totara offers its own in-house training via its own platform. We use it regularly ourselves, so we know the features and capabilities you need most.
From gamification to multi tenancy, we have it all.
How to implement customer training programmes
So now we know what customer training is, as well as the perks and challenges, how do you actually go about it?
Before you do anything, you need a learning management system (LMS).
Investing in the right LMS is key, and it might be that you need to switch learning provider.
Delivering, managing and reporting on customer training is so much easier when you have the right tool in place, so take time choosing the right one.
💭 Step 1: Define objectives and goals
Start by clearly defining the objectives of the customer training programme.
What do you want customers to achieve by the end of the training? Objectives could include increasing product adoption, reducing customer support queries, or enhancing user satisfaction.
Setting clear, measurable goals ensures the training is aligned with business outcomes and provides a benchmark for evaluating success.
🎯 Step 2: Identify your audience
Understanding your customers’ needs, skill levels, and learning preferences is crucial.
Segment your audience based on factors like experience level, usage patterns, and industry requirements.
This helps in tailoring the training content to make it more relevant and engaging for each group.
✍️ Step 3: Develop training content
Create training materials that cater to different learning styles, such as videos, interactive tutorials, user guides, and live webinars.
Ensure the content is clear, concise, and relevant to the users’ needs.
Incorporate real-world scenarios and practical examples to enhance understanding and retention.
💡 Pro Tip
Honestly, it’s easier to walk you through this process, plus how our customers do it, via a call. Book a demo with us to get some free advice, and discuss what you might be missing.
💻 Step 4: Choose the right delivery method
Select the most effective delivery method based on your audience and the complexity of the training material.
Options include online learning platforms, in-person workshops, live webinars, or self-paced modules.
A blended approach, combining multiple methods, can offer a more comprehensive learning experience.
🚀 Step 5: Implement the training programme
Launch the training programme using the chosen platform and delivery method.
Ensure customers are informed about the training availability through effective communication channels, such as email campaigns, in-app notifications, or customer support teams.
Providing clear instructions on accessing the training materials is essential for a smooth rollout.
📊 Step 6: Monitor and gather feedback
Collect feedback from participants to gauge their satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.
Use surveys, quizzes, or interactive polls to assess their understanding and experience.
Monitoring engagement metrics, such as completion rates and time spent on each module, also provides valuable insights into the training’s effectiveness.
📈 Step 7: Evaluate success and optimise
Evaluate the success of the training programme by measuring it against the predefined objectives and goals.
Analyse the feedback and engagement data to understand what worked well and what didn’t.
Use these insights to make data-driven adjustments, continuously updating and optimising the content to enhance its impact.
This step-by-step approach ensures your training programme is strategically planned, effectively executed, and continuously improved, leading to better customer satisfaction and business outcomes.
Should you invest in a customer training programme?
The obvious answer, is yes.
The benefits are huge and while it is a time and resource investment, you’ll get back the dividends you need to make it worthwhile.
If your need support to make it happen, then make sure you’re working with a learning provider that is your partner not just your provider.
The right learning platform can make or break your training programme.
| Impact | With | Without |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Satisfaction | Higher satisfaction due to better understanding and effective use of products | Lower satisfaction due to confusion or underutilisation of features |
| Product Adoption | Increased adoption as customers are more aware of product capabilities | Slower adoption rates due to lack of knowledge and confidence in using the product |
| Support Costs | Reduced support costs as educated customers require less assistance | Higher support costs due to frequent queries and troubleshooting needs |
| Customer Retention | Improved retention as customers experience more value and are more likely to stay loyal | Increased churn as frustrated or confused customers may seek alternatives |
| Revenue Growth | Potential revenue growth from upselling and cross-selling to informed customers | Limited revenue opportunities due to underutilisation of products or services |
| Customer Independence | Greater independence as customers can troubleshoot minor issues themselves | Increased dependency on support teams for basic queries |
| Brand Loyalty and Advocacy | Stronger brand loyalty and increased word-of-mouth referrals | Weaker brand loyalty with fewer customer advocates |
| Feedback and Improvement | More constructive feedback from educated users, leading to better product enhancements | Limited feedback due to lack of deep product engagement |
| Competitive Advantage | Competitive edge due to a better customer experience and perceived value | Risk of losing customers to competitors offering better educational resources |
This comparison highlights how investing in a customer training programme can lead to significant business advantages, while the absence of such a programme may hinder growth and customer satisfaction.
How we can help
We’re a platinum partner of Totara – one of the leading LMS providers out there.
Where we excel is our development and our team.
We’re made up of a big team of developers and tech-savvy minds meaning that we can build basically, whatever you need.
If you need tweaks to existing Totara code, or want a brand new plugin, we’re the choice for you.
We’re reliable too.
With us, you’re guaranteed an uptime of 99.998%.
Plus, you get limitless customisations and limitless support.
Sound good?
Book a demo with the team to see how we can support you to build the right learning platform.
