Transitioning to an LMS? 5 Fears You May Have and How to Conquer Them

Shifting your training program online to a learning management system (LMS), might seem like an intimidating task. Especially after having gone through the process of choosing the perfect LMS for your organization. It is expected that many questions will be circulating. Will the implementation go smoothly? Will our learners really benefit from our new LMS? Will they find it engaging? Will the LMS work as it did when demoed?

Let’s take a look at 5 common fears organizations have when moving their learning program online to an LMS. In addition, we have got you covered on what questions to ask your LMS partner to eliminate all fears you may have.

1) Failure when implementing

It would be fair to say implementation is probably the most stressful part when switching your learning program. Asking the right questions within your buying process will ensure it all goes smoothly. For instance, you may worry about losing content. Be sure to make backup copies of everything you can from your previous solution. With software migration, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Questions to ask you LMS partner to avoid any implementation failure:

• What can you do if we discover we need any additional IT components?
• Do you provide any training to get our LMS administrators up to speed?
• Do you offer extra support in the weeks after launch to fix any errors?
• What is the time frame for migrating our existing content?

2) Losing Revenue

The purchase of a learning management system usually promises to help increase your organization’s revenue. But what if it doesn’t? The good news is that your LMS’s data will help you make decisions that lead to greater profitability within your business. Your learning partner should be there to help you find innovative ways to generate revenue with your LMS. After all, you are the expert in your field, but they are the experts in learning science.

Questions to ask your LMS partner:

• Can we implement a B2B strategy if needed?
• Are there data analytics we can pull to inform our marketing plans?
• If we need new courses in the future, what are our options?

3) Missing Deadlines

You have chosen the route of implementing a learning management system (LMS), to save your organization time and money. If you miss any deadlines, you will not achieve either of those goals. Develop a project plan with clear implementation deadlines to ensure you have an on-time launch.

Questions to ask your LMS partner:

• What can we do to ensure an on-time launch?
• Do we have access to a project manager for support?
• Who constructs the implementation project plan? What happens if it goes off track?

4) Remodeling Your Training Program

Transitioning to an LMS presents a great opportunity to revamp your training program. But it may bring about new stress that your team may be disrupted as they adopt new technology. Fortunately, data analytics are your friend. Data analytics shows you exactly where you need to make changes, unlike in-person training. You will be able to distinguish where your learners misunderstand a concept or drop off. This will help you to optimize your online training program.

Questions to ask your LMS partner:

• Do you offer a blended solution for learning content?
• Are learners dropping off at a certain point and not completing the course?
• How can I customize the look of my LMS?
• Can the LMS reports measure a new course’s return on investment (ROI)?

5) Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)

New technology always creates a sense of FOMO (fear-of-missing-out). If you choose the right LMS partner, you won’t have to worry about them staying up to date on the latest L&D (learning and development) trends. Furthermore, they will be able to recommend different features to help you get the same results. For example, if you want to increase learner engagement, you might want to incorporate gamification features. You will also be able to integrate with other tools.

Questions to ask your LMS partner:

• Are you able to recommend other tools?
• Do you have a feature that will yield the same results as a new trend?
• Can your platform integrate with other products using SCORM?

With this insight, you are well on your way to a successful program launch. Working closely with your LMS partner will help you face any of these common fears. Have trust on both sides once you launch your program. You will be able to work with your LMS provider to fix any bugs that may come up and continue making your program better for your users. 

SkyPrep offers dedicated customer support manager to all of their clients, making sure that they have the support they need to implement a successful training program.

Request a call to speak with one of our eLearning specialists to discuss your next online training program today!