A learner is a highly demanding consumer. In a recent post we introduced the theme of looking at learners as consumers, and in this post we take a look at some global consumer trends to help companies that want to be successful in the elearning market.
According to recent research by Euromonitor International, “more consumers are willing to buy products and services that optimise the use of their time.” This is the first and most important consumer trend for the elearning market. Elearning is, and should be, less time consuming compared with class training. Time is becoming the most valuable resource in our modern lives, and elearning companies should pursue the idea of giving more training in less time.
2) More omnichannel solutions for time-poor consumers
Even if this trend is specifically related to buying behaviours it could easily be applied to elearning in general. A successful company should not only allow for different purchasing options, but also for multiple ways to access the contents. People on the move would like to access their courses using a mobile device or a laptop when they have a internet connection, and when they don’t.
3) 24/7 culture
“Another type of on-the-go convenience is meeting consumer out-of-hours needs” says Euromonitor International in their research. Elearning is a chance to learn anywhere and anytime, but what about elearning-related services like tutoring and help desk? If you want be successful in this market, you should provide the same level of services during the day – and after dark!
4) Going green
People are becoming more and more interested in their environmental footprint. And this a good lever for change when a company needs to switch from classroom training to elearning. Having virtual meetings instead of face-to-face meetings is helping with our carbon footprints while reducing the usage of printed documents and instead using digital documents is reducing consumption of paper. These are important elements for promoting the next elearning programs within your company!
According to a Deloitte survey on mobile consumer trends, United States consumers are becoming increasingly obsessed with their devices—nearly 90 percent check their phone within the first hour of being awake and 23 percent look at their device up to 50 times a day. That said, if we want to involve learners more in the elearning programs we are pushing we should send them invitations in the morning, and be sure that those reminders are visible on their mobile devices.
8) Let’s share
Consumers want to share their opinions about the things they have purchased. And we should allow our learners to share their opinions about the elearning courses they are taking. This is also a good way to attract new people, because other consumer’s opinions are quickly becoming the most influential criteria in decision making.
9) Don’t forget about BYOD
Last but not least, BYOD. As you know, BYOD refers to the policy of permitting employees to bring personally owned mobile devices (laptops, tablets, and smart phones) to their workplaces, and to use those devices to access privileged company information and applications. You should not stop your employees using their own devices while taking elearning courses: they will enjoy the experience more, because their are using the devices they have chosen.
Are these trends changing the way you look at your current (or future) elearning projects? Perhaps you have already designed a project that meets one or more of these trends, and if not, now is always a good time to add a new feature to your project to increase its chances of success!