Software-as-a-Service Training: Benefits Beyond the Software

There are plenty of virtues around Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) – rapid deployment, low maintenance, free upgrades, easy configuration, etc. But an often overlooked benefit is how SaaS solutions simplify the training for new users. In the past, when it’s time to get the teams on board, they aren’t usually psyched for training. Mammoth user manuals, days and days learning to search and file correctly – it’s no wonder eyes gloss over.

Because Vault offers life sciences companies a radically new way to manage content, we’ll often guide teams at their launch to help them break their old habits – the shortcuts and workarounds that led to inconsistent and unreliable information in their previous systems. And with SaaS, training is simplified. I’ve been able to apply the benefits of SaaS in our trainings, making them more successful and valuable to users. Here are a few of my guidelines:

1. Make it Interactive: Being forced to listen to some instructor drone on, bullet after bullet of every feature known to man is hardly the way to get trainees enthusiastic about a new system. Fortunately, because Vault is SaaS-based, we can deploy a fully-functional system to use in training; one that is virtually identical to the one our services team is implementing. Trainees can therefore get “hands-on” with the system and try the functionality out rather than simply listening to it being described. On top of that, because SaaS is configurable, trainees can identify process improvements that the business can adopt in the actual system going forward.

2. Make it Virtual: Teams aren’t in the same office building – or even the same country. Getting everyone together to use one system would be incredibly time-consuming and expensive without a SaaS solution. Not only does a SaaS solution allow access from anywhere in the world without VPN access or company laptops, users can actually be added to the system in just a few clicks. We’re talking seconds compared to weeks. This means no long onboarding times to get your teams running and learning the system.

3. Make it Often: As brilliant as your trainees are, there is a limit to how much a person can absorb in a given training session. And with traditional, on-premise or hosted solutions, you often have to wait 18-36 months before getting your hands on a new upgrade. Which means your users will have to embark on a massive training session to learn everything that’s changed during this timeframe. Because SaaS releases happen about 3-4 times a year, new features – and subsequent training – are broken up into smaller bites. Users can learn to use new features in small doses, as they occur, rather than during massive training courses every 1-3 years.

4. Make it Independent: You know the saying, give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish…. So if you want people to really own the product and learn on their own, the training shouldn’t stop once the official training sessions end. Provide learning tools that are intuitive and that evolve with the product: an online help community where they can pose questions, searchable online FAQs, etc. As new release dates approach, consider programs to enable collaboration and continuous learning within the user community. And here’s where SaaS is particularly valuable: because everyone is on the same version, the help is straightforward. There’s no “What version are you using? If x try this, If y try that” discussions. Users across teams – and across companies – can use each other as resources to configure a workflow, for example. Plus, giving users a support community means they won’t feel alone if they have a question. Promote active dialogue in your user community and you will find long-time learning for everyone.

Using the benefits of SaaS in your training and giving trainees the right resources will smooth the transition towards a new system, empower users, and transform a company’s business processes. The better the training and adoption, the more likely you are to see positive ROI with your system.

Melissa Aron is Senior Consultant, Veeva Vault.