CASE STUDY
Global E-Learning SUCCESS EVOLVED FROM PHASED APPROACH

SUCCESS EVOLVED FROM PHASED APPROACH
Fall 2005
BY JOHN WATSON

International Rectifier (IR), a global manufacturer of complex and rapidly changing power management semiconductors, introduces an average of three or more major products each month. Because of competitive pressures, the life-cycle of these new products is constantly shrinking. This has had the cumulative effect of accelerating the continuous improvement and product development cycles, thereby requiring sales
and support employees to be retrained frequently.

To address the challenge of communicating, coordinating and training hundreds of field service engineers, sales representatives, internal sales staffers, executives, and independent inside sales reps in 17 locations around the world, IR implemented an e-learning solution. Online learning provides timely product training before new products are launched, while requiring only one person to manage and implement the training.

Because personal relationships play a significant role in sales success, IR instructors had to develop enhanced presentations that included creative animation and streamlined text to share knowledge accurately, but in a way that excites and captures audience attention. Also, important to the company is an evaluation system, which measures training effectiveness and can lead to continuous improvement in training materials and delivery. An informal training process was already in place.Although well received and fairly effective, it was a “catch-ascatch- can” situation, requiring extensive effort and expense.

THE FIRST STEP: WEBCONFERENCING
An interim solution using an Internet conferencing platform was introduced. International Rectifier set up monthly product training sessions. Because of the different time zones between the instructor and students,multiple training sessions were needed to accommodate the worldwide audience. The benefit of Internet conferencing became apparent immediately, since “real-time” visual and audible communications with the presenter via live chat and conference calls were available. The sales force also liked the idea of attending training sessions from their “home base”without the need for travel, and at a time most convenient for them. Although convenient and effective, there was room for improvement:

Registration: A limited number of “seats” (site licenses) were available, limiting the number of participants. The registration process was also cumbersome to manage.

Security: Each training session had a unique user ID and password. Multiple user ID codes and passwords created confusion for the sale force.

Progress Report: Supervisor and student wanted to see individual training progress in real time.

Evaluation: There was no evaluation process to capture and track the knowledge
gained or measure training satisfaction and effectiveness.

THE NEXT EVOLUTION: HOSTED E-LEARNING International Rectifier responded to these challenges by launching a hosted learning center by GeoLearning. The Power Tech Learning Center, deployed using GeoLearning’s GeoExpress Learning Management System (LMS) was implemented in two phases.

In Phase 1, the LMS platform was customized to include the previous Internet-based conferencing solution, and Macromedia Breeze was used for archived training files. The unique user ID and password scheme was discarded, and the registration process was automated. An attendance report and administration management was also integrated into the LMS. In addition, IR combined instructor-led sales skills training with hands-on lab sessions to reinforce technical topics.

In Phase 2, GeoLearning’s MyPlan module was integrated into the overall solution. This online personal learning plan tool allows managers to create, assign and track multiple training programs for different job functions. Each student is enrolled in one or more programs and required to complete a curriculum of prerequisite courses, major courses and elective courses every quarter. In return for successful completion of their training, they are rewarded through a commission and incentive plan.

In addition, International Rectifier’s in-house recording capability has been enhanced. The entire offering of monthly product training events is archived, allowing the sales force to access training sessions at their convenience

This in-house recording capability reduced course development costs by as much as 90%, and course development time was reduced by 80%.

COST SAVINGSFROM E-LEARNING
Approximately 500 sales “students” from International Rectifier have completed more than 5,500 courses over the past nine months. The cost to deliver the training is less than $12 per student per course. The cost includes LMS,Web conferencing and recording media. The company saved approximately $250,000 during the past year with the online learning system, compared to on-site training.

Using e-learning, International Rectifier is now able to train its worldwide sales force in an effective and timely manner. Sales people can refresh their memories and sharpen their product knowledge before meeting with customers at any time.And sales management is able to identify the skill and knowledge levels of each individual sales professional for ongoing support and training. For more information, visit www. geolearning.com.

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