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So, you’ve made up your mind to invest in a Learning Management system (LMS)? Opting for a LMS can turn out to be a highly beneficial step towards your organization’s progress but it is equally important to choose the correct vendor. It can get a little confusing when you are alien to the entire process and are outsourcing for the first time. Here are a few simple steps that will help you pick a provider you can rely on:
- Identify your needs
To benefit from an LMS, you need to be aware of your organizational goals. This will help you in shortlisting the vendor best suited to fulfill these goals amongst countless LMS vendors. You can then brief them well about what you want to achieve with their services.
You do not want to be stuck with a vendor feeling they are unable to understand your needs or failing to deliver what was promised. It’s a big hassle to find a replacement and start all over again.
- Indulge in a free demo
When you are sure about the exact features that you need your LMS provider to be armed with, request for a free demo. A free demo or trial gives you the opportunity to determine if all your must-haves are being honored.
Exploring the software first-hand through a demo also makes you more confident about whether working with that particular provider is a worthwhile investment or not.
- How well do you know the Vendor?
It is very important to know your vendor to be aware of their capabilities as well as knowledge of LMS. Investing in a LMS is a long-term investment and partnering with an unreliable vendor can affect your growth.
Have quality conversation with the vendor about all the key points so you are aware about how things will proceed post-purchase. This should make you feel assured about the quality of services you can expect from the vendor.
- Vendor’s experience in the field of LMS
Blindly going ahead with a new vendor that’s charging conservatively can turn out to be harmful in the long run. At the same time, when preceding with an experienced vendor it is very critical to ensure whether they provide the newest tech support.
It can prove useful to seek reviews from the vendors existing clients in order to make an informed decision.
- Vendor’s service testimonials
The customer base a vendor is servicing speaks volumes about their work and dependability. It helps to know that these customers belong to an industry similar to yours. This increases your conviction about their overall experience in the field.
The pace at which their customer base has grown is also a measure of how well they are maintaining the quality of their services.
- Pricing and Maintenance costs
Investing in a LMS vendor is very cost effective for an organization but the price you are being made to pay must not exceed your budgets. When consulting with a vendor, closely verify the quotations and make sure to focus on the asterisks (*) for any unexplained expenses.
It is also crucial to discuss the change in pricing in case of scaling in the future leading an increase in the number of active users. Make sure to discuss the vendor is transparent about providing unlimited course uploads and good customer support at an affordable price.
Conclusion
Your organization’s training needs heavily rely on finding the right LMS vendor. This decision becomes easier if you’re content with how relevant they seem in the above-mentioned key areas. We hope that this information will simplify your process of selection.
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