The world of company training is evolving at lightning speed. In 2017, 38 percent of training was in a digital format; by 2020, that figure will exceed 56 percent.¹ With the rise of e-learning, MOOCs, COOCs and serious games, we’re in the midst of the blended learning era. This mixture of learning methods combines classroom and digital channels for greater efficiency and flexibility. Especially when the HR Department implements a chatbot—the perfect tool to complement your training options!
Chatbots: the quintessence of blended learning
Blended learning optimizes the efficiency of training processes. The use of different instruction methods is more in tune with the needs and expectations of learners: about 95 percent of employees opt for mixed training.
In the context of blended learning, virtual assistants complement classroom learning. They don’t replace the trainer, but rather extend and supplement the trainer’s work. Gone are the costs of reserving a hall for a full day and transporting employees to the facilities. And there are no more expenses linked to mobility, either. Employees assimilate the information at their own pace from their smartphone or tablet. The chatbot and human together form a team capable of guiding and supporting the learner from A to Z.
Your chatbot will intervene at several stages of the process:
- Upstream, to offer relevant training courses in relation to the profile of the learner (and, in time, to anticipate the learner’s needs)
- During training, to develop learning that is adapted to the profile and progress of the learner (one-on-one)
- Downstream, to evaluate the effectiveness of the training
This is assuming, of course, that the chatbot has been configured with care. In order to completely fulfill its role, it, too, must be trained!
A well-trained chatbot = greater learning autonomy
Your chatbot remains a semi-autonomous entity. Before it can instruct your employees, it needs to be trained to do so. Therefore, a configuration phase, carried out by the Bot Manager, is indispensable. Well-prepared and furnished with the learner’s history, your chatbot will adapt to each user, offering personalized training. Once the first level of training has been validated, your bot will immediately recommend proceeding to the second level, and so on.
Thanks to this digital training, learners enjoy increased autonomy: they follow the lessons at their own pace and through the platform of their choice. If they wish, they can even suspend their training to resume it later without disrupting the strict planning of your trainers. After validating the acquired knowledge, the chatbot responds to questions and provides specifications.
The business school of the Crédit Agricole Group (IFCAM) is a good example. The group offers remote training to its consultants on subjects supported by communities of experts. Consultants can access a training course from their work station in order to enrich their knowledge and enhance their professional performance. For the company, this flexibility in access to training has been a genuine driver of operational excellence.
It’s no longer a question of knowing whether or not you should integrate a chatbot into your training ecosystem: the process is already underway. Instead, ask yourself how the virtual agent will help change the nature of your training to better adapt it to the needs of employees and the requirements of the business. Always with a human presence behind the scenes. Living Actor offers you chatbot solutions that will enable you to revolutionize your training options! Contact us to discuss it further!