Often, the hardest part of any software implementation is educating and training users on how to use the product. FinServ has recently been working with clients to implement Salesforce on their organizations and our team has been really impressed with Salesforce’s learning and development program: Trailhead.
Trailhead is a set of interactive, online tutorials, where users embark on a learning path by completing small modules around key features in Salesforce. Trailhead has numerous advantages over traditional approaches to user adoption, and has the potential to change how users are trained on new products. The main advantages of Salesforce’s approach to training users are its simplicity and the user’s ability to choose their own learning path and be rewarded as they complete each module. Trailhead offers different paths based on the user’s knowledge level and how they plan to interact with the platform.
A major issue in user training is distilling the information relevant to the specific user from a large amount of generic product information. Trailhead’s short units, are simple and self-contained, and allow the user to directly choose the information that is relevant to them. FinServ has found that this approach maximizes the learning experience. Salesforce has purposely adopted a self-paced model of interactive learning similar to Khan Academy and Coursera. This ensures that users are able to acquire the platform knowledge specifically relevant to them and do so at their own pace. Trailhead also makes the learning experience fun, by rewarding the user with points and badges that can be displayed on the user’s profile and even be redeemed for various prizes (A Trailhead sweater is a hot commodity at the FinServ office!).
Individuals and teams can compete to see who can complete the most badges, and are able to learn the product in a fun and engaging way.
Salesforce’s Trailhead program is a significant departure from the old method of user training and other software companies would be wise to learn from this example. Gone are the days of cramming the entire company in a room and hoping that they absorb as much product information as possible. Salesforce has truly re-invented product training and this has been a key reason for their exponential user growth.
Salesforce is a hot topic with our client base, and Trailhead is a powerful feature when we talk to our clients about user adoption. We expect that other software platforms will be quick to implement Salesforce’s model. If your company is considering Salesforce, our team can show you why it is one of the most powerful platforms on the market. The financial services industry is adopting Salesforce at a rapid pace, and this is largely due to Salesforce’s ability to stay at the cutting edge. Trailhead is a key indication of just how innovative Salesforce is and we assure you that you will be impressed with your organization’s user adoption.
To learn more about FinServ Consulting’s Salesforce related services, please contact us at info@finservconsulting.com or (646) 603-3799.
About FinServ Consulting
FinServ Consulting is an independent experienced provider of business consulting, systems development, and integration services to alternative asset managers, global banks and their service providers. Founded in 2005, FinServ delivers customized world-class business and IT consulting services for the front, middle and back office, providing managers with optimal and first-class operating environments to support all investment styles and future asset growth. The FinServ team brings a wealth of experience from working with the largest and most complex asset management firms and global banks in the world.
