Looking for a new learning management system (LMS) or wanting to make a switch? We cover the best LMS features for training providers that you need to invest in.
Running a training business is a balancing act.
On one side, you need to deliver high-quality learning experiences that keep users happy and learners engaged. On the other, you manage admin, prove ROI, and look for ways to scale without burning out your team.
That’s where the right LMS comes in.
Not every learning platform works for training providers.
Many systems were built for schools or in-house L&D teams, which means they miss the features you need to sell courses, manage multiple users, and scale.
So, how do you choose an LMS that actually supports your business model?
Start by focusing on the features that directly impact how you deliver value, reduce admin, and grow your business.
What really matters to training providers
The training provider industry is at a turning point. Demand for learning is rising, yet investment per employee has dropped by 19%.
Even so, UK employers delivered 111 million training days in 2024, averaging 3.6 days per employee. Providers are expected to deliver high-quality training under tighter budgets and growing learner expectations.
Resource shortages, rising costs, competition and poor course promotion are the biggest hurdles. Nearly half of providers, 45%, report not having enough staff, while 30% struggle to make courses discoverable online.
Learners’ habits are shifting fast.
Nearly 50% now discover training via search engines, and digital-first formats like eLearning, microlearning and blended learning are becoming the norm.
Providers can use flexible, personalised, and modular learning through the right LMS to deliver a smoother, learner-first experience at scale.
Here are the five LMS features no training provider can afford to overlook.
#1 Course creation
Courses are your product, and the faster and easier it is to build them, the more revenue you generate.
A provider-focused LMS should make course creation simple, scalable, and collaborative.
With tools that allow multiple team members to work on a course at the same time, you can manage versions, update content quickly, and add interactive assessments like polls or simulations to keep learners engaged.
Customisation lets you adjust branding or messaging for different audiences without starting from scratch, and mobile-friendly content ensures learners can access training anytime, anywhere.
A flexible LMS also supports multiple content types, making it easy to create engaging programs for every learner:
- Videos
- SCORM/xAPI packages
- Quizzes
- PDFs
Related: Discover 35 eLearning content types
Interactive content goes even further. It might be clear learning paths, bite-sized microlearning, or immersive activities like branching scenarios.
Progress indicators and personalisation give learners direction and motivation, leading to stronger outcomes.
#2 Learner management
Managing learners across multiple learners gets complicated fast. You need an LMS that keeps everything organised while giving each user the visibility they expect.
Some things that make life a lot easier are:
Bulk enrolment lets you onboard large cohorts in seconds. Instead of manually adding learners one by one, entire groups can be set up instantly, saving time and removing unnecessary admin.
Configurable roles give admin managers secure access to their own data. They can monitor their teams, track progress, and generate reports without ever touching information that doesn’t belong to them.
Automations take learner management a step further by enrolling people into the right courses automatically. Whether it’s based on role, department, or compliance requirements, this ensures no one is overlooked and training stays on track.
Did you know automating your management processes could save you three to five hours per week for every 100 learners.
Strong learner management reduces administrative headaches, scales your operations with ease, and reassures admins that their teams are being properly supported.
#3 eCommerce
Training providers don’t just deliver learning, they sell it.
Your LMS should support that side of the business too.
The goal? Turn learning content into a scalable revenue stream. With the eLearning market projected to reach £670 billion by 2030, the opportunity has never been bigger.
A provider-focused LMS should make selling courses simple, with features that streamline the buying experience for learners and reduce admin for your team.
When learners have to leave your platform to book through an external system, the process becomes slow and frustrating, and that extra friction often leads to drop-offs.
That’s why integrated payments can make such a difference.
Key capabilities to look for include:
- Integrated payment portals: A seamless and integrated payment gateway that directly links courses and catalogues to a checkout page.
- Audience segmentation: Course catalogues can be set to audiences or to programmes, allowing for easy admin and access control
- Seat purchases: Want to allow users to buy seats to a course? This is an option we can set up to allow for better number control
Related: BuildEmpire’s popular eCommerce feature
A streamlined payment process lets learners access courses quickly while giving administrators effortless revenue tracking.
With eCommerce built in, your LMS becomes a revenue engine that scales easily while delivering a seamless buying experience.
#4 Reporting and analytics
Traning providers don’t just want training delivered; they want clear evidence that it makes an impact.
Reporting is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate value and build strong, long-term relationships.
User-specific dashboards allow each organisation to see only its own data, giving managers a clear view of progress and performance without the noise of unrelated information.
Completion and engagement tracking goes deeper, showing not only who finished a course but also how they performed, helping admins identify strengths and spot areas that may need additional support.
Customisable exports make it easy to deliver branded, polished reports that look professional and reflect the identity of each user, reinforcing the value of your service.
Data insights uncover patterns and trends across learners, offering a bigger picture view that supports continuous improvement and strategic decision-making.
Strong reporting gives you a competitive edge. It demonstrates return on investment, helps admins make informed decisions, and positions you as a trusted partner in their success rather than just another training provider.
#5 Scalability
As training providers grow, so do the demands on their systems.
More learners, more content and more users all add complexity.
An LMS has to be able to scale smoothly to handle that growth. Scalability is about performance. The platform should work just as well with a few hundred learners as it does with a few thousand.
Security is equally important because growth means more data to protect and greater responsibility to keep it safe.
Multi-tenancy is what really makes growth manageable. You can run separate portals from one central system. You can add content centrally and then tweak it locally, and you can also individually brand each LMS to give a bespoke learning experience.
It keeps things organised and makes it easier to deliver a tailored experience without multiplying the admin workload.
At BuildEmpire, scalability is supported through ISO 27001-accredited infrastructure, giving providers confidence in both performance and data security.
Multi-tenancy is built into the platform, helping training providers serve multiple users from a single system while still offering each one a branded, personalised experience.
Related: Training providers benchmark report
Ready for the best LMS for training providers?
For training providers, an LMS isn’t just a back-end system. It is the engine that drives growth.
The right platform helps you scale, strengthen relationships, and monetise your expertise.
Instead of getting lost in endless feature lists, focus on what truly matters: efficient course creation, seamless multi-tenancy delivery, built-in eCommerce, admin-ready reporting, and scalability.
With the right LMS, you can turn training into a scalable, data-driven business.
Ready to see it in action?
Book a free demo and discover how BuildEmpire brings all these features together to create lasting impact.