Posts in AccessPlanit

Now that January is well under-way and the festive break feels like a distant memory, it’s important to concentrate on what is coming up, rather than what has already passed – though, when you’ve had an incredible year as we did in 2011, it’s sometimes tempting to occasionally glance back…

This year however is shaping up to be just as impressive, with growth and product development top of the list for the rest of the year.

For some time annual conference and exhibition events have been delivering the ideal hunting ground for service providers looking to showcase their latest services and products to their target market, and for opportunistic business people to interact with like-minded individuals and buy into the latest ideas and concepts to support them in becoming more effective in their job. The Learning and Technologies Show is no different, and this year the hosts promise to put on another incredible event.

The conference and exhibition formula works, otherwise halls up and down the country wouldn’t be packed out each week with stalls, seminars and presentations filling up packed daily schedules. However, while these events are well-attended, that can’t be denied, how many visitors go to along equipped with a strategy that will ensure they get the most return for sacrificing a day or two out of the office?

From our experience, not very many. So, to ensure that you get the most from the next conference or event, follow accessplanit’s top tips on how to prepare for the next time you leave the exhibition hall you have more than just a bag full of branded pens, pencils and mousemats…

1.           Prepare: Just because the event planner’s marketing team has told you that each and every seminar at the conference is a “must attend”, it’s crucial that you do some prep work yourself. Be clear on what the key issues are for your business right now, and align those objectives with the sessions you attend. Also, find out who is speaking and identify whether anyone is particularly ‘cutting edge’ in terms of where the market is going and how it will develop.

2.           Benchmark: You’ll be inundated with representatives from stalls wanting to talk to you about their latest products and services, but have a strategy in place from the start as you will struggle to have good conversations with every single one. As an example, see this as a benchmarking opportunity, so look at all your current suppliers, find out who is in direct completion with them, and see if you could be getting a better deal somewhere else.

3.           Smartphones: Unless you’re part of an anti-tech clan, you’ll have a mobile phone with decent camera functionality, and a busy conference is the ideal place to use it. Instead of frantically writing down notes on each and every new piece of tech that you think might be able to half your workload, take pics to remind yourself later.

4.           Networking: Don’t be too selfless either, it’s good to seize the opportunity to find out more about how the latest providers can help your business, but also remember that you are surrounded by individuals working in the same industry as you, and the power of networking should never be ignored. Think about those who are a few rungs above you on the corporate ladder, and consider how they could help you to catch up. If you get a chance, find out who is attending and which company they are from, you can make a beeline for then during breaks.

5.           Be ruthless: Exhibition and conferences are a crucial time for service and product providers, and it makes no sense to waste people’s time. So, by following step 1 and having a clear idea of what you want to get from the exhibition you will ensure that you don’t waste anyone’s time. Don’t stand around and let an exhibitor talk and talk if you have absolutely no interest in the product in question or it it’s totally irrelevant to your business. Of course, if there is a chance that you could invest or are keen to learn more about the company, stay and talk, but if not take a ruthless approach and move on to the next stand.

6.           Visit accessplanit: Of course, the best way to get the most from the Learning and Technologies show 2012 is to visit the experts – accessplanit. We’re exhibiting at stand 67 over the two days and will be on hand to explain just how our revolutionary training management software can cut administration and costs, while helping businesses to market and sell their training courses in a far more effective way.

It should come as no surprise that the fashion industry is at the forefront when it comes to integrating technology into business – fashion relies on being extremely responsive and reacting to new levels of demand, and technology offers complete support in this arena.

That’s why I was interested, but not shocked, to read about the latest venture by Debenhams. The retailer has launched a range of virtual pop-up shops across the UK, and those interested just turn up, download an app to their iPad or iPhone, and virtually ‘try on’ dresses, without the usual handbag throwing and elbow flying normally associated with these type of must-attend events. What is more, you can even send out the virtual image of yourself in the new dress on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to get a quick assessment from followers and friends.

For me, this has to be the future of training. Utilising all of the various training platforms to bring people together into a virtual classroom where experiences and knowledge can be shared around. All trainers know the importance of sharing and communicating (these are probably the reasons that many find it so hard to loosen the shackles of classroom-based learning), and via social networking sites this is made quick and simple.

Forget week-long training programmes, this is modern day learning, where delegates can get bite-sized portions of information as and when they need it, without being tied to a certain time or date. An effective training management system will allow trainers to offer learning in this way, the only barrier to developing this approach seems to be the training companies themselves.

But change is happening, you only need to see our tweets and news posts to see how many training companies that we work with are building their client base and reaching out to a wider audience with the latest innovative products and services. Take Course Manager for instance, it allows training businesses to completely automate the work that they carry out on a day-to-day basis, from the marketing of their programmes to generating the invoices and ‘happy sheets’ at the end of a course. Time, as with any industry is so precious, and it is crucial that companies continue to shift their training programmes from off-line to on-line in an effort to boost engagement with a busy workforce.

Debenhams may well be operating in an IT-savvy industry, but it is still delivering a product or service to human beings, just as training is. The difference is that there is a far wider acceptance and excitement around IT-based interaction within fashion, but as more and more businesses demand the type of development programmes that allow individuals to fit learning into their busy schedules, it is up to the training providers themselves to satisfy this trend, or else lose the business. 

You can get in touch with accessplanit and hear more about the Course Manager software that it has developed. Either call 0845 5430229 or email enquiries@accessplanit.com if you want to read testimonials from current clients or set up a demo to see just how much of an impact the software can have.

We’re pleased to report a recent new hire here at accessplanit – a brilliant new software developer who’ll be joining our team in the coming weeks.  What’s interesting about this particular new recruit is that we found him via social networking site Twitter.

Obviously recruitment through online methods is not a new revelation, recruiters and job hunters have been using websites and online job boards for years. However, social media is increasingly playing a role in how companies recruit their staff. So, as recruitment teams tap social networking for increased exposure and success, shouldn’t other industries follow suit and embrace all that online systems have to offer?

When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Social networking platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are ideal channels as they’re a more personable and immediate ways to connect with a mass audience. With Twitter, you have a ready-made, actively engaged pool of people at your fingertips. Presumably, if someone has chosen to follow your organisation or brand, they already have a healthy interest in what you have to say. They also have their own online circles through which to spread your message.

Social networking channels can also promote a more approachable, human side to an organisation. Regular tweets and updates from a brand or company can really reveal a personality behind the business face and give prospective employees a sense of the working culture. Once technology was seen as impersonal and to be avoided where possible, today it’s not only so convenient and effective, it also has lost the impersonal tag and become wholly accepted in society. In the corporate world, an avid online follower may have a clearer idea of the company’s ethos and therefore a stronger sense of whether they’d fit well with the organisation.  

Access is immediate and wide reaching with online platforms, so you can connect with people wherever they are and engage in a relatively informal two-way dialogue. This element of instant interaction also makes social networks a positive and speedy recruitment tool, not to mention a responsive tool for trainers who need to get in touch with delegates to update them on a last minute venue change or ‘don’t forget to bring’-type note.

As our recent hire shows, people are keen to engage with organisations online and will subsequently base large, life-changing decisions on this initial interaction. 

We are huge advocates of harnessing the power and flexibility of online systems. We feel many organisations limit themselves by not fully embracing all that these systems have to offer. Take the training industry for example - many organisations could massively increase their scope of communication through training management systems. By using an online management system, they could save time and money by streamlining the processes of selling, administering and managing training courses and events.  

Try out the accessplanit Training Administration Software by ordering a demo with one of the team, just take a look at the impact it could have on your business. Call the team on 0845 000 or email enquiries@accessplanit.com

Anyone who was trying to ignore the technological revolution, can try no more. It’s futile. As the news filtered in that ‘the’ gadget of the past few years, the iPhone, is to be manufactured by robots (in part at least), I could almost hear the small corner of IT-resisting traditionalists throwing down their weapons and reluctantly wandering across to the other side, the war is over and the battle is won.

There is a serious side to the story of a million robots replacing human workers who are carrying out mundane and monotonous tasks in the iPhone factory in China’s Pearl river delta, of course. It is a huge step for the technological world, indicating that companies of this size are looking to drive efficiency and bring down costs through the introduction of intelligent and sophisticated technology, and the fact that this move in China has received such press, is not just because of the iPhone connection. It is also because, rather bravely, a member of the China Labour Bulletin (an organisation supporting the plight of Chinese workers) has claimed that this could in fact be a positive move for staff, who will finally be able to divorce themselves from the thankless tasks and actually up-skill and work on projects that use a bit more of their ability as a human being.

And it’s an interesting point that I’ll certainly be bringing into accessplanit, because all too often in the training world there is scepticism about advertising the fact that investing in new technology means that staff numbers will be cut, but that never has to be the case.

In fact, and I think it’s more than just a positive spin, the Chinese official is right, it can be the golden opportunity than individuals have been looking for to up-skill, actually relinquish the boring jobs and replace them with something that requires a level of intelligence and input that, perhaps, only humans can offer. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out, and, perhaps more importantly, how many employees find the positives associated with efficiency drives through automation.

If you want your training business to drive up efficiency and lower administration time and cost, click here to read about the accessplanit Course Manager.

Composica, accessplanit's rapid elearning authoring tool has won an elearning 24/7 award in the category 'I didn't know it was possible'.

Composica was selected as the winner for its unique functionality set which includes:

• Social Learning Content Authoring Tool
• Project blog, comments, & RSS feeds keeping authors connected
• RLOs
• Game based learning
• Dynamic
• Task lists, task reports and audit trails
• Assessment tool built in
• SCORM 2004/1.2 compliant
• Blogs can be embedded into courses/content
• Ratings
• Mashups, Google charts
• Bookmarking, state restoration

Composica is a full-featured, collaborative rapid elearning authoring tool that enables organisations to create high-quality, interactive e-learning – without the need for programming or design skills.

Composica is web based application available on a hosted or SaaS basis.

Following the hugely positive results of our recent customer service survey, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to share some of the secrets to our success.

Customer support is essential to keeping your business going and your customers loyal.

While every company has their own way of showing it, there are always the essential rules to keeping your clients and customers super happy with the services you provide.

If you are looking to improve your customer support or looking to start a new business and need to know how to start, take a look at these helpful hints that will put you on the right path to keeping your customers happy and your company healthy.

Keep your customers informed
Whether it’s by email, post or phone call, keep your customers notified and answer any of their queries immediately. The last thing a customer wants to do is wait and making them wait could cost you their business. Even if you don’t have an answer for them straight away, notify them that you have received their query and will get back to them as soon as you can. That way they know they are not being ignored.

Be completely honest
Don’t feed your customers a pack of lies as you will get found out eventually. If your company are the ones who made the mistake admit, and deal with it. Pulling the wool over their eyes makes them angrier and they will find someone else to do it for them.

Have a little respect
You may find that sometimes your customers or clients ask a silly question and as a result you may appear rude or ignorant in your response. It might be simple for you but they are the customer asking their service provider for help and so you should give it to them. So don’t patronise them. If you have a rude or hostile customer who is giving you a hard time, don’t stoop to their level. Remain calm, help them if you can and they will eventually calm down and possibly apologise.

Don’t doubt your customer
A customer may explain a problem over the phone which you know is technically impossible but that doesn’t mean to say they don’t have a problem and have made it up. Try and work through their problem, asking them questions until you figure out a solution. They will appreciate the time you take out to do this.

Don’t leave any questions unanswered
If they ask you 20 questions, answer 20 questions. It’s that simply. It’s understandable that you may be busy but taking the time to answer a query properly in the first place will save you less aggro later down the line when the customer complains about your lack of respect and interest in their query.

Check, double check and triple check the question and your answer
If they ask you a question and you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. Thinking you know what they mean doesn’t help anyone and they will only come back asking for more.

Be precise with your response
When explaining to your customer what they need to do, make sure you tell them how to do it. Don’t assume they will know what you mean and give a detailed answer so that they feel satisfied with the response.

If you make a promise, then don’t break it
If you tell a customer you will get back to them, then do it. Write it on your head, your diary, anywhere so that you remember to do it. They will wait for your response and they will be angry if you don’t contact them.

Be human
You are not a robot so don’t act like one. Speak to people politely and be friendly show them you are human and not just a support-giving machine.

At AccessPlanit  we are dedicated to providing a loyal and highly efficient customer service support so that all our customers are happy.

We have trained all of our staff to the highest level and they are on hand ready to take your call on 0845 5430229.