By Allan Alveyra 
Even if you’re just a small business, you might face some of the same employee training challenges big companies do. One common challenge is adapting to digital transformation. However, as business competition continues to rise, a Learning Management System (LMS) has become one of the most important tools out there – especially when it comes to employee onboarding and competency development. If you haven’t already acquired an LMS, it something you should consider. To help you, we’ve collected five key factors you should consider when shopping for an LMS as a small business.
Learning content
Setting clear and specific goals is of prime importance in any online training program. Which is why you must always closely examine the content you plan on delivering.
In relation to learning content, your primary consideration should be its development capabilities. For example, it’s crucial to ask these three questions:
- Is my content standardized across my organization?
- Am I creating original content, or am I using pre-packaged materials?
- How willing am I to pay for having my original content updated and developed?
Challenges in content development
A 2020 study found that time, budget, and the headcount of the talent team were the biggest constraints to designing and developing e-learning content.
Considering these variables will help you decide whether to buy an LMS that allows you to create original content or an LMS that enables you to utilize and import pre-packaged files like slides, videos, or PDF files.
If you want to benefit from pre-packaged files, a SCORM compliant LMS is a perfect choice. SCORM compliance makes it possible for an LMS platform to run programs created from various authoring tools. In addition, an LMS that is SCORM compliant allows content packaging of all learning materials for one course. You call this collection of materials a “SCORM package”.
What is SCORM?
SCORM means Shareable Content Object Reference Model. It is a set of technical standards for e-learning software products that enables course creators to design courses and share them across multiple platforms.
Account management
Traditionally, Learning Management Systems were meant for large organizations. As a result, certain LMS features might not fit well with all smaller enterprises. However, it doesn’t mean that small businesses cannot benefit from using an LMS. For smaller companies to take full advantage of an LMS solution, they must first understand the nature of their account management system.
Account management isn’t just about giving your employees access to training resources. It also includes letting training participants create their own accounts and manage their personal information. In addition, account management also deals with identifying specific roles that will handle account resources. That being said, here are two questions you need to ask yourself:
Do our employees use an official company email address?
Having your employees use their business email addresses will make many processes go much smoother. For instance, it’ll make it easier for you to conduct bulk registrations in your LMS.
Will we use a self-sign-up system?
It’s essential to decide whether to provide employees with the freedom to create their own learning accounts or designate HR managers to perform this task. Most LMS platforms today have features that allow users to register information on their own. This functionality can be greatly beneficial, especially if your company doesn’t have an assigned person to fill in the job. Furthermore, it also personalizes learners’ training experience because it gives them greater authority and independence.
Budget
Without doubt, the budget is almost always the most crucial factor when small businesses are buying an LMS.
As a small business, you might have to do a lot of research before you find the perfect LMS that fits both your needs and wallet. If you’re price-conscious, keep these three simple tips in mind when you go LMS hunting:
Choose an LMS that lets you repurpose content
If you’re on a tight budget, you should choose an LMS that lets you repurpose learning content. Repurposing LMS assets helps you cut down the costs and time of creating new ones. Considering the work involved in producing and updating online courses, it pays off to have an LMS that can make designing courses much easier.
Sign up for a product demo
If you have the option to try out an LMS before making the buy, then you’ll know for sure if your investment will be worth it. In addition, getting a firsthand experience of the LMS you’re considering helps you evaluate the suitability of its components to your training needs.
Ensure the availability of advanced support services
Advanced support service should be one of your top priorities when looking for a Learning Management System – and it shouldn’t be a problem to receive even though you have a limited budget. If your LMS vendor provides support services, it will help you avoid hiring an IT team to work on the technical aspects of your e-learning solution. Not only that, but it will also allow you to focus on other aspects concerning your e-learning solution.
Implementation
Adopting a new program or system in any company can have its challenges. That’s why you should look for an LMS platform with features that enable easy implementation.
Mobile-first setup
LMS platforms nowadays are developed to respond to the growing need for a mobile-first setup, regardless of their price range. Mobile-first LMSs are designed for learners, who often access training courses using a mobile device.
If you’re a small business with a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy, choosing an LMS designed for a mobile-first format will be a great solution. An ideal BYOD policy, though, is a system that should promote greater flexibility and independence for learners. To achieve this, your LMS should accompany a native app that will serve as a portal for social interaction, content sharing, and data updates.
Get the best LMS from Cursum
Narrowing down your options when picking the best learning management system shouldn’t be a pain in the neck. If you consider the above, this process should be a breeze. If you’re still feeling lost in the vast world of Learning Management Systems, contact Cursum.
Cursum is a household name when it comes to providing companies with the best industry-specific LMS platform. We help organizations scale their businesses by turning their ideas into smart SaaS architecture.
Follow this link and discover more about how we can help you modernize your corporate training program.
