By: David Hand, VP of DevOps Sales at Orasi Software
Software application vendors thrive and grow when customers leverage their technology in support of their overall business strategies. It is essential to properly educate and train customers to drive adoption. This ensures that customers realize long-term benefits of the software applications and get the most return on their investment.
In a landscape where cloud applications and SaaS models promise ultimate ease, flexibility, cost savings, and efficiencies to customers; training and supporting customers’ technology teams can be easily sidelined. But that’s the red flag. Never underestimate the significance of training your customers well, even if your product is user-intuitive and customer-centric.
Then and now
Many companies begin to educate and enhance customers’ skills through initial interactions by the sales staff, delivering product demos, proof-of-concepts, or pilot implementations. These are excellent ways to begin the education process, but does that fully accomplish what end-users ultimately need?
Many users have their pain-points and doubts about a new product. Piecemeal approaches and stylish demonstrations can never fill the gap that customers face when using new software applications in real-world scenarios, at scale, and without too much hand holding.
Plus, they miss some essential parts that define extraordinary customer service–coaching, full-line support, iterative training, role-based guidance, reliable expert-presence, and personal interaction.
Tap virtual labs – train faster and better than ever before
Today, technology companies have a simple, cost-effective option to equip their customers with necessary skills through hands-on training. They can apply the myriad benefits of virtual labs to augment customers’ technology skills and drive application adoption.
Here is how it works:
- The browser-based solution is straightforward and supported with on-demand platforms.
- The training environments can be designed in elastic and cloud-native set-ups.
- Training can be designed and tailored to the features of a specific solution.
- Training can be personalized for the organization’s maturity curve and experience with the solution.
- Ample room for interaction, simulation, experimentation, and collaboration exists in such set-ups.
- Learners can train in self-paced, self-service, and flexible ways.
- Instructors can guide the learners in profound and accurate ways because of over-the-shoulder features, easy supervision features, and seamless communication.
- Cost-effective and scalable options strengthen learning journeys.
- Result-oriented and user-centric approaches which fit the enterprise.
When one opts for a virtual training lab, the entire solution can be learned in a hands-on and comprehensive way. There is adequate room to explore the features properly and gather confidence in a simulated environment. This helps learners tremendously and allows you to create a strong sense of attachment, as well as ease and acceptance of the software application where it matters the most. Any user-resistance or change-management issues, whether immediate or long-term, are eliminated with the right training in place.
So do not forget the importance of continuous training and educating the customer once the solution is delivered. Help the customer use it, learn it, and love it. A comprehensive virtual lab solution will help you offer the right level of hands-on training, transform your customers’ technology team skilling, and open exponential opportunities for your applications.