The No. 1 challenge in virtual training is engagement
This isn't just a buzzword. Engagement is the backbone of success within the customer education ecosystem. Without a captivating learning experience, participants are likely to discontinue their training journey.
The consequence? A domino effect of customer churn, as users struggle with product adoption.
The reports are in: engagement is a top priority for 2024
It could not be more apparent that engagement is a vital part of customer education.
According to Thought Industries' recent report, "The State of External Enterprise Learning 2023," the highest priority for 61% of companies is to create a more engaging learning experience. This is a dramatic increase of 235% from last year when only 26% indicated that engagement was their main goal.
TSIA also stated in its research report that customer engagement is one of three capabilities needed for customer education organizations to succeed.
What’s clear from both of these reports is that customers expect a high-level user experience. This includes everything from the technology platform chosen for training to the learning experience itself - which must be compelling and keep them engaged throughout their product journey.
Without these elements in place, customers end up dropping out of training programs due to a lackluster experience. As a result, they're left in the dark about using the product effectively and eventually do not renew their product subscriptions.
Bridging the gap between virtual training and engagement
There is currently a huge disconnect between how companies are delivering customer training and their top goal of achieving higher levels of engagement.
Think about the typical customer learning experience where training is delivered using generic meeting tools like Zoom or Teams. It's hard to know if participants are actually paying attention or, perhaps, doing their laundry. Trainers often feel like they are "training to a void, to a bunch of black squares."
The fact is, many virtual training platforms don't have the built-in capabilities to drive engagement, and this is where the greatest challenge lies for organizations looking to scale up their virtual training experience.
They must be able to offer VILT (Virtual Instructor-Led Training) in a way that's effective and creates a high-quality learning experience.
Trainers shouldn't feel like they're speaking into a void in the virtual classroom. Likewise, learners shouldn't be able to simply check out or multitask during training sessions. More so, they should feel like the learning environment mimics that of a physical classroom, which over 80% of learners rank as the most effective training modality.
So how can organizations create a virtual classroom that delivers highly engaging enterprise-grade software training sessions?
Actually, it's pretty simple. They need to adopt a VILT solution that provides a holistic training environment, where users can maintain the rhythm and flow of learning and don't need to juggle multiple apps or toggle between the meeting tool and the product environment. In this type of classroom, trainers can see how customers interact with the product in real-time and offer instant collaborative assistance, which keeps learners engaged and increases overall satisfaction.
Companies who make the VILT experience interactive, engaging and seamless actually rank higher in customer satisfaction surveys compared to in-person training, as shown in the case studies of Elastic, who is implementing the Strigo classroom.
It's clear that 2024 is the year to make customer engagement a top priority. With the right tools in place, companies can unlock their virtual training potential, putting them in an excellent position to offer high-quality virtual customer education.
To learn more about Strigo's customer education classroom, and get a demo and free trial, click here.
