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By David Boggs
Customer Retention Uses of Web-based Learning Management
Systems (LMSs)
8) Around-the-clock, 24-7 tech support. A web-based LMS used
to
deliver training and product support is able to provide 24-7
customer support, with courses on installation procedures and
other types of important information. Top-notch customer
support will therefore improve customer loyalty.
9) Map the perception of your company's product and services
on
your customer's mind. A web-based learning management system
used to deliver training and product support works to
reinforce
the positive perception of your products and/or service's and
the company's perception in your market.
10) Research, test, and introduce new products, add-ons, and
services. A web-based learning management system can be used
to
introduce new products and services to your customer base. Use
the system reports to tweak your product introduction
campaigns
to quickly build product saturation amongst your existing
customer base.
11) Sell and market additional products, add-ons, and services
to your existing customer base. As mentioned in item (7)
above,
a web-based LMS has features and functionality that can be
used
to sell and market your products to your current customers.
The
built-in online survey, E-mail messaging, system messaging,
and
web conferencing tool give sales and marketing professionals
many options for promoting their products and services.
12) Insure a continuous loop of communication with your
customers to build loyalty. A web-based LMS can be used to
build a never-ending stream of dialog between you and your
customers. According to the Cluetrain Manifesto by Christopher
Locke, Rick Levine, Doc Searls and David Weinberger, and Seth
Godin's Permission Marketing, markets are conversations. A
web-based learning management system is an efficient,
cost-effective mechanism in which to maintain a dialog with
your customers on many levels through different online
mechanisms.
Why is this important?
In customer acquisition sales and marketing in a
business-to-business context, more and varied touches of the
prospect are needed in order to close the sale. Depending upon
the complexity of the product and the sales situation in a
business-to-business context, a prospect needs a minimum of
six
touches or even more per stakeholder to come to a close.
When deployed as part of your tactical customer acquisition
strategy, a web-based learning management system is a potent
and inexpensive way to generate many different types of
touches
for each of the stakeholders in the business-to-business sales
process. This system used in conjunction with web marketing,
direct mail, telemarketing, and other techniques will shorten
your company's sales cycle and help to close more sales.
In customer retention sales and marketing in a
business-to-business context, they have already purchased your
products and services. Your product or service is being used
to
solve one or a combination of their business challenges. Many
times they are more inclined to come back to you again to see
if you have another product/service that can help them solve
another business problem.
Customer retention sales and marketing should facilitate
customers buying additional products and services. A web-based
learning management system used in business-to-business,
value-added, manufacturing, and technology industries can
become an important conduit between your company's products
and
services and your customers.
About The Author: Dave Boggs is the founder and CEO of
SyberWorks, Inc (www.syberworks.com). He has been
involved with computer-based and web-based training for more
than twelve years. Before founding SyberWorks, Dave was the VP
of Sales and Business Development for Relational Courseware.
He
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Union
College
in Schenectady, NY, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of
Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.
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