It can be difficult to manage a big purchase, like an LMS, if you’re put in charge. There’s no avoiding the fact that this is not a task you want to be confused about. Making the wrong choice of printer paper is a much smaller mistake than selecting the wrong Learning Management System. It’s also an easy mistake to fix.
A wide variety of Learning Management Systems are available on the market today. So it makes choosing one confusing. However, our tendency has long been to assume that if others do it, it must also be worthwhile. So it is only natural that we gravitate towards the more well-known or popular systems first.
You become reliant too much on others for your decisions if you choose to act in this way. What you and your business need may not be what others need. There are also a lot of customers leaving these ‘popular’ LMSs for various reasons, for example,
- Customer service is terrible
- Difficult to use
- Licenses are too expensive.
- Outdated database LMS system, slow, inflexible
- Reporting is slow and inefficient, and many more.
We want to prevent you from making mistakes. So, we have compiled a list of popular complaints from the most popular LMS systems.
1. NOT USER FRIENDLY
Source: dsslearning.com
When selecting an LMS, never underestimate usability. Employees will simply not use the LMS if it doesn’t work correctly. As a result, it will have negative effects on your training program. The fanciest systems with all the frills might be impressive, however, they do not always offer the best user experience.
Many people complain that they have to click on multiple pop-up windows, which makes navigation confusing. As part of the selection process, ensure that at least one employee of your team tries out the system and provides feedback. Furthermore, the LMS should be accessible not only to employees but also to administrator users.
2. CUSTOMER SERVICE
The LMS or not, you will always need assistance for certain things. However, a deciding factor when choosing an LMS will be the quality of customer service. There have been reports of help tickets taking as long as two weeks to be addressed by some popular LMSs. When choosing your LMS, make sure to ask who will be providing support, how long a typical support ticket takes, and how quickly can you expect a response.
3. PRICE
Source: nbcnews.com
Unfortunately, many popular training programs come with an expensive price tag. So, either make sure you get what you need to justify such a high price tag or try somewhere else. You can also check out different pricing models that are offered by LMS.
For instance, the Thinkfic pricing model here has various options to choose from. Also, they provide a free trial. This will allow you to ask the right questions and understand the sometimes hidden costs associated with learning management systems.
4. NOT FLEXIBLE, NOR CUSTOMIZABLE
Popular LMSs are typically designed to accommodate the vast majority. Thus offering a one-size-fits-all solution. So, it can become quite problematic if you have special needs. Whether you need reporting customizations or permissions flexibility, you need to find out if you can get what you want, and if so, how much it will cost you. The cost of customizing can sometimes be so high that getting it within your budget is difficult.
You should prepare a list of your business’s unique needs and training requirements before beginning the selection process. Thus, you’re no longer concerned with individual features, but their effects when combined.
5. REPORTING
Source: cae.net
The training process relies heavily on data. Providing information for compliance is important, but you can also use it to enhance your learning program. The problem with any LMS is the host of issues it shares with other systems, for example,
- Getting the report is time-consuming and difficult. The process of creating a custom report may be so complicated that you think you need some degree.
- Not everyone has access to reports.
- There is no integration, so you miss out on important data.
6. UNRESPONSIVE DESIGN
When it comes to virtual learning practices, for the training program to be truly asynchronous and self-paced, LMSs are required to be mobile responsive. The learners cannot always open their computers and laptops to access their lessons.
Mobile devices are what they use for learning on the go. Many companies complain that their LMS has an unresponsive design. Such design can make the system inaccessible for mobile users and limit the potential of the training program. The only way to avoid this situation is to make sure that the LMS is mobile friendly before making a purchase.
7. UNNECESSARY FEATURES OR NOT ENOUGH FEATURES
Source: elearning-journal.com
Some people might complain that their LMS doesn’t have enough features to achieve their very specific needs. Meanwhile, some organizations also complain that their LMS has too many unnecessary features that are just resource consuming and confusing to both users and administrators.
So, the best solution to this complain is to outline your goals and objectives beforehand and then deciding what features would you be needing to fulfill those needs. Through such thorough analysis and planning, you can find the LMS that is perfect for your needs rather than just running behind the trending features that might not be useful for you.
8. UNSUPPORTIVE TO INTEGRATIONS
The greatest and most popular learning management systems available in the market support LMS integrations. These integrations are the tools to make lives easier for the learners and administrators as well. However, there are still some old school systems available which may not support integrations with the trending software, tool, and platforms that might be essential for a business’s needs.
Some other systems may not support integrations at all. So, before investing your money into anything, always make sure that the LMS you are interested in can support the integrations that are essential for your company.
Conclusion
You should be able to get all the information you need in any format you require from a learning management system. The information should also be accurate, concise, and easy to understand. This can be done with dashboards. You can also benefit from the LMS’s ability to automatically distribute reports throughout your organization.
The process of choosing a learning management system should not be stressful. You can use the above information to make an informed LMS choice. With effective training, your business will reach its goals, and your employees will be happy.
