Swipe left or right? How to pick the right training program

December 5, 2023

Figuring out which online training program is right for you can be a lot like using a dating app. Not only do you have to have a good sense of what you're looking for to begin with, you also have to deal with swiping through all those possible matches (including the bad ones). In a recent webinar, Communications Specialist Rick Duchalski sat down with CarriersEdge President Mark Murrell to discuss evaluating your company’s needs and what to look for in a prospective match.

Do I need to move online?

If you’re a small or midsize fleet, there are some constant pressures on your training needs that you need to be aware of. The first is the pace of change in the industry— given the number of things that drivers need to be kept up to date on and reminded of (from regulations to tech advances and more) you can’t reasonably do that with a strictly classroom format. Finding a way to get the right information to them on an ongoing basis is crucial.

Another is that pulling them in every time means that (a) they are not on the road making money or (b) not at home enjoying the rest of their life. So while you can still pull them in for quarterly meetings, getting them training in a format that works for them shows some respect for their time. (The other possibility is that you could just train them less, but here’s a post on training, litigation and nuclear verdicts that’ll tell you why that’s a really bad idea.)

How do I know who’s right for me?

Once you’re ready to pick an online program though, you shouldn’t need to go on a bunch of bad dates to find out who is and isn’t right for your company. Here are some features to look for that can help you figure out if you’ve got the best possible match.

• Content with context
  In the classroom, a good trainer will usually put the training in a real-world context by offering stories about how it helped them, or use practical descriptions of tasks and skills they’re talking about. Murrell notes that while online training is different from in-person, a good online course still “needs to include context so the drivers can see, okay, I get how this relates to me.” Regulatory material can be especially dry, so look for content that brings a relevant, in-context, put-it-into- practice angle. That can be anything from real-situation applications laid out within the course content to supplementary material supplied for in-class follow- up instruction when you get your team back in the classroom.
• Address different learning styles
  People like to learn in different ways, and different industries might have more of one kind of learner than others (lots of people who learn by reading end up in law, and lots of visual learners end up in the arts, for example). “Trucking,” Murrell says “has got a very even mix of people who learn with different styles. So, effective education material needs to have something for people to read, something for them to listen to, and they need to have a chance to see things and to actually do them”. Approaching them with content that is presented in just one style (like simple videos) risks missing a lot of potential learners. And remember, if your content doesn’t do that, you risk having different learners start to struggle with the material, and when that happens, you may start to get pushback from your drivers on the whole online experience.
• Language and pace
  Does the program have different languages available (with actual, quality translations rather than just Google Translate)—this means French for Canada and Spanish for the US. And for other ESL learners, does the program move at an adjustable pace so some people can slow down to understand it, while also letting others breeze through if that’s what works for them? Murrell points out that with some e-learning products, there is an enforced amount of completion time and “you have to go at a certain pace—you can’t skip certain things and you can’t go back and go over it.” But if that’s the kind of support your learners need, then you should look for a product that can give them that.
• Outcomes-based
  If moving online is going to be effective, you need to have a good sense of how well your people are learning the material. That means you need to know more than just how much time they are spending on the courses. The tracking and reporting of results should be based on measurable performance on assessments rather than just ‘time spent’. That kind of reporting will allow you to get a closer look at how people are learning (or if they are at all) so you can adjust your attention and follow up accordingly.
• Know your vendor
  As much as you are looking for an online training product, it’s crucial to consider your potential relationship with the vendor (at this point it really is like using a dating app). What’s their customer support like? What about the average downtime of the system? And beyond that, although they can meet your needs right now, remember that over time, your company and your needs are going to grow—so you should figure out if the vendor has the flexibility and response capability to meet those changing needs. Find out if they are open and responsive to feedback and whether they are willing to work on new capabilities with you as your needs change.

Choosing the right online training program is not just a matter of blindly swiping left or right—it’s about making a strategic decision that impacts your company's safety, compliance and your drivers' knowledge. Consider programs that offer more than just information—they should provide context, cater to diverse learning styles, accommodate different languages and paces, and deliver outcomes-based assessments. The right training program should grow with your company, offering continuous support and flexibility as your needs evolve. And just like on a dating app, once you know what you are looking for, take your time and find your match.