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The real work begins after you’ve purchased your LMS.

The first hurdle is learning how to ensure your LMS implementation runs smoothly.

The second hurdle is managing the ongoing relationship with your vendor. This is where the importance of the post-purchase service shines.

Vendors typically have a client services team in place to help manage your LMS on an ongoing basis.

The vendor’s client services team will help you with any technical issues you may have, assist you with LMS user support, and train you on how to use the LMS. They’ll also be your advocate within their organization, helping you ensure your needs are met.

In this article, we’ll explore why your member-based organization should focus on post-purchase service, as well as highlight what to look for to ensure that your LMS platform is successful long-term.

1. What should you look for in a client services team?

Post-purchase service is important because it can make or break your return-on-investment projections for your organization.

When selecting a vendor to work with, you should look for a vendor with a client services team that is responsive, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful–as well as committed to your success!

In addition, the vendor should have clear processes for handling support issues and training on new features so that you can be confident you’ll always have resources to turn to when you need help.

Here are some characteristics you should look for when it comes to a vendor’s post-purchase service:

• A responsive team will be available when you need them and will be quick to respond to your inquiries.
• A knowledgeable team will be able to answer your questions and help you troubleshoot issues.
• A friendly and helpful team will make you feel like a valued customer.
• And a committed team will want to help you get the most out of your investment. They’re pulling for everyone’s success in the project: both you and them!

When considering a post-purchase service team, make sure to find one that meets all of these criteria. By working with a vendor that is committed to providing you with excellent service, you can be confident that you’ll be able to get the most out of your LMS for years to come.

2. What is a service-level agreement (SLA), and why should you care about it?

When considering an LMS, it is vital to ensure you review your service-level agreement (also called an SLA) before signing on with a vendor. This is a legal agreement between you and the vendor that outlines the level of service you can expect from them.

SLAs are important because they give you a clear understanding of what to expect from the team regarding response times, issue resolution, training, and support. There are various levels of service that can be outlined in an SLA, so it’s important to select the one that meets the needs of your member-based organization.

For example, if you need 24/7 support, ensure that the vendor you’re considering has an SLA that meets this requirement.

Here is an overview of what to look for in an SLA:

• Response times: How quickly can you expect a response to your inquiry?
• Hours of operation: When will someone be available to help you?
• Issue resolution time frames: How long will it take for an issue to be resolved?
• Training and support: What kind of training and support are available?
• Security and compliance: What kind of security and compliance measures are in place?

When considering an LMS’ post-purchase service, be sure to ask about the team’s SLAs. This will give you a clear understanding of the level of service you can expect from your vendor in the future.

3. How can you track the level of service you’re currently receiving from your vendor?

It’s crucial to keep track of your vendor’s current level of service so that you can identify areas for improvement. Evaluation reports are only effective if they are shared between both parties and then properly acted upon. This is a normal part of the vendor management process.

Vendor management KPIs (key performance indicators) help you understand whether you’re receiving the level of service you expect from your vendor according to your SLA (which should list them). KPIs should be established for each critical element of the product and/or service.

In order to measure if you’re getting the level of service you purchase from your vendor, you need to establish a process that tracks KPI performance.

This can be done in a number of ways, including reviewing data from:

• Response times: Conduct an audit to measure how long it actually takes to get a response.
• Hours of operation: Send a message and see if someone gets back to you within the allotted period.
• Issue resolution time frames: Track how long it takes your vendor to respond to your inquiries/issues.
• Training and support: Evaluate the quality of training by asking your staff for feedback.

By implementing a process to track vendor performance, you’ll be able to work with your vendor to address any issues that may arise, as well as improve your system together. Remember to keep your vendor management KPIs in mind when purchasing an LMS; you need to be aware of the service you’re getting!

In order to ensure that you’re getting the best value for your money, be sure to ask about the vendor’s different SLAs and then examine how they measure up against other vendors in the market.

Conclusion

If you want to be sure that you’re getting the best possible service from your vendor, be sure to look for a quality client service team.

Make sure that you examine their service level agreements to ensure that they can satisfy your requirements.

Most importantly, continue to track the quality of your vendor’s service using the key performance indicators we discussed earlier.

By taking these steps, you can be confident that you’re getting the most out of your vendor relationship, even long after you’ve made your purchase!

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While there are pros and cons to each approach (third-party programs, your own programs, or a combination), hosting your own programs is often the best option for member-based organizations.

We’ll review the four main reasons why in this article:

1. You can significantly increase member engagement.

Offering continuing education is a great way for member-based organizations to create meaningful interactions that provide value for their members.

Offering CE increases the number of touchpoints an organization has with its members and can help create a sense of community and connection.

Additionally, CE can aid in the development of your member’s professional development. When members improve their skills through your organization, the value they get from being a member increases.

Associations and similar organizations exist to help their members thrive, so the more opportunities you provide to update their skills, the better your member-based organization will be!

2. You can generate more non-dues revenue.

The ability to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) is a valuable perk that can help member-based organizations attract and retain members. Not just that–by not sending your members to third-party learning websites, you get to keep that valuable non-dues revenue within your own organization!

Online courses are generally more affordable to produce than traditional in-person courses. However, even in-person sessions can be useful when building your member-based organization’s CE program; they can be recorded and placed online!

Recording in-person CE courses is often a more affordable option than building an entire online course from scratch, and it provides the chance for a greater audience to access your original sessions.

Not only does this produce a better experience for members, but it can also generate more non-dues revenue for the organization. Organizations can charge members a fee to access courses, and they can also sell advertising space on the course pages (or even offer sponsored courses!) to earn additional income.

The perks don’t end here, though! By hosting their own continuing education programs, organizations can provide their members with valuable content that’s geared towards their industry. This can include certification programs, which can be a major selling point for memberships!

If your member-based organization is looking for ways to generate additional non-dues revenue, consider creating your own continuing education program online; when you host your own CE program, both you and your members win!

3. You can gain insight into your members’ learning experience and translate it into better courses.

The online learning experience of your members is vital to the success of their professional development endeavors. When you send your members to third-party sites, you are no longer an active participant in their learning, which decreases the connection between an organization and its audience!

The solution, however, is simple: by hosting your own courses, you can ensure your members have the best possible learning experience–the one you curate just for them!

When you host your own online program, your member-based organization gains access to valuable data in the form of various analytics, such as course completion rates, average time spent on each course, and course popularity.

Having access to analytics will also help you improve your courses and make them more engaging for your members.

By analyzing the data from your learning management system, you’ll be able to target any weak areas in the program and allocate resources exactly where they’re needed. Even further, by understanding how your members learn online, you can tailor content to their unique needs!

The insight your organization can gain into the experience of its members can be invaluable. When properly utilized, it can help you improve the quality of your courses, better assess member engagement, and make decisions about the future of your programs. Once again, everyone wins!

4. You can provide a more valuable, tailored learning experience.

Third-party learning sites offer a wide variety of courses, but they may not cover the specific topics that members are interested in. These sites are made to cater to audiences in multiple industries, so the content that’s relevant to your members may end up few and far between.

By hosting their own continuing education programs, organizations can provide their members with a more customized experience. Each course is tailored to the needs of the member base, so it’s guaranteed to be useful and applicable!

Tailored content is not only more relevant, but it’s also more engaging. When members know that the content is created with their career goals and aspirations in mind, they are more likely to enjoy the learning experience your organization provides.

A more personalized learning experience might also be beneficial to your member-based organization because it may help you attract new members!

When potential members see that your organization offers courses that are relevant and industry-specific, they will see the value in joining your organization.

Conclusion

When member-based organizations create their own CE content, members are given the ability to learn about valuable, niche topics, while also allowing them to network with other professionals and members in their field–meaning your member-based organization can hit multiple birds with one stone!

You may also like: How to Improve Continuing Education for Your Association

At their core, member-based organizations exist to help their members engage, learn, and thrive. Don’t let your member-based organization fall behind when it comes to continuing education resources; aim for the top and create your own perfect program! Your organization’s members will be glad you did.

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For some associations, they choose to send their members to third-party eLearning sites for their CE courses. This is largely due to the convenience and affordability of these sites.

However, when associations choose to send their members to third-party learning sites, they are inadvertently doing more harm than good.

In this article, we’ll be examining why you may want to rethink directing your members away.

1. You’re losing out on valuable member engagement opportunities.

When members are sent to third-party learning sites, their overall engagement with your association decreases; they’re less likely to interact with your website (their courses aren’t there, after all!) and other communication channels.

You are inadvertently restricting your member’s ability to interact with your association by sending them to another site.

Remember–members are often drawn to associations because of their professional development opportunities.

If you aren’t providing these yourself, you’re distancing yourself from your audience. This makes it harder to engage with them and keep them up to date with your initiatives. It can even lead to member attrition!

2. You’re missing out on revenue.

When your members take courses on third-party eLearning sites, your association loses a huge area of potential for generating non-dues revenue.

You’re directing your audience away from your site–and any of its other possible revenue paths–into the hands of a likely unaffiliated entity.

These other organizations then have the opportunity to upsell and cross-sell products and services to your members–some of which may even overlap with your own offerings!

The convenience of being able to buy multiple products on one platform should not be discounted.

Consider: would you rather purchase several products on several sites, or several products on one site?

It’s easier for your members to buy from one place, and it’s easier for your association to sell products when you can upsell and cross-sell.

3. You’re losing out on valuable data.

When members take courses on third-party eLearning sites, your association loses out on valuable data that could be used to improve your services. Gathering useful data (including what courses are being taken, how members are progressing, and what their overall satisfaction levels are) is crucial for understanding the wants and needs of members, as well as how you can better cater to them in the future.

Don’t look down on analytics–they can pinpoint areas of weakness in your programs, as well as provide key insight on what makes your more successful products work. Information is valuable for a reason!

4. You’re sacrificing quality.

It may be cliche to say “quality over quantity”, but it’s a truism that applies here.

When you send members to take courses on third-party eLearning sites, you have no control over the course quality. This means that your members could be taking low-quality (or even inaccurate!) courses that do not meet their needs.

Additionally, third-party programs are typically created to appeal to the widest audience possible; they may not even offer courses that cater to the more niche needs of your member base.

As an association, you know your members better than anyone–so when it comes to offering quality, relevant content, it doesn’t make sense to send them anywhere else!

You may also like: Never Stop Learning: Continuing Education Inside and Out

Conclusion

So, while it may seem like a good idea to send your members to third-party eLearning sites, in reality, it does more harm than good.

If you want to keep your members close and nurture your relationship with them, it’s best to keep them within your organization. Not only does this allow you to better serve them–it also helps you grow your association as a whole in the long run.

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Your LMS project can quickly go off the rails if it isn’t adequately planned and executed. According to the Project Management Institute, 30% of projects fail to achieve their original goals, and almost 40% exceed their budget. Neither of these is a category you want your association to fall into!

So, how can you ensure your LMS project is set up for success? With the right project management approach, you can avoid common pitfalls and launch your LMS with minimal disruption.

Without further ado, here are 6 simple steps to help you get started:

1. Establish Your Goals and Objectives

Before you even start looking at LMS software, it’s essential to take a step back and define your goals and objectives. What do you hope to achieve with your new LMS? How will it benefit your association and its members? Answering these questions will help you choose the right software and set realistic expectations.

Make a list of your objectives and turn them into SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. Once you’ve decided on your objectives, you can map a timeline to reach your targets. Make sure to use an iterative, Agile approach; as your project progresses, you may need to adjust your goals and objectives.

Related: See 5 Things NOT to Leave Out of Your LMS!

2. Choose Your Vendor

Not all LMS vendors are created equal! When evaluating potential providers, it’s important to consider more than just the software itself. You’ll also want to look at the vendor’s reputation, customer service performance history, and implementation process. Make sure you choose a vendor that’s a good fit your organization and has a proven track record you can verify with their existing clients.

As you research different vendors, it’s important to make sure that they specialize in learning management systems for associations. University and corporate learning management systems are not a good fit for associations because they do not include built-in e-commerce functionality and they’re not designed to be compliant with continuing education regulations.

3. Promote Your New LMS Early and Often

When you’re launching your new LMS, make sure to give your members a heads up! Educate them on the benefits of the new learning management system, how easy it will be to use, and how technical support will be readily available. Then, continue promoting your platform even after launch to ensure that your members (and the public) know about it.
There are a few cost-effective marketing and promotion tools that can help your association do more with less.

Jasper AI (Artificial Intelligence Marketing): Jasper is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing assistant that can generate an array of different works, including persuasive blog posts, marketing emails, landing pages, and more! If you find yourself having trouble coming up with advertising copy, you may find Jasper a great help. You can find Jasper AI here.

Canva for Nonprofits: Canva is a website that hosts graphic design templates that can be tailored to fit your association’s needs. If you tend to require a plethora of custom graphics, check it out! You can find Canva for Nonprofits here.

4. Test, Test, Test!

You want to make sure everything functions properly on your new system. Run through each course several times, checking as many different variables as possible. You want to find all the bugs you can before you launch. Whatever you can think of, test it! Quality assurance is a vital step in the process, so give it the attention it deserves.

5. Train (and Test—Again)

Your vendor should teach your staff how to use the new system. This will act as an internal soft launch for the platform, where your staff can experiment with the LMS.

This step also doubles as another round of testing, so make sure to listen to any feedback your staff offers during this time; try to incorporate it before going live.

6. Launch! (and Provide Ongoing Support)

After testing the LMS and training your staff, it is time to launch your new LMS officially–but the work doesn’t end here! You (or your vendor) will need to provide ongoing support for your LMS. This may include providing technical support for your members and staff, uploading new courses, and preventing cyberattacks from hackers.

Technology is constantly changing, and your LMS will need to change with it. LMS vendors typically offer a subscription model (software as a service, or “SAAS”) that includes regular updates. Make sure to understand the terms of your agreement so you can budget for LMS support on an ongoing basis.

Conclusion

Launching your new LMS can seem like a daunting task, but by following these 6 simple steps, you’ll be able to avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful launch. Keep in mind that proper planning and execution are key, so make sure to allocate the necessary time and resources upfront.

With careful preparation and a focus on detail, you’ll be able to confidently launch your new LMS and reap the benefits in no time!

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