Using Flash Video for Remote Online Trainings

A few years back, most of the big companies with personnel spread out over wide geographic locations (or various countries all over the world, for that matter) have to call back key personnel to the main office for product training and support management. On the other hand, the can send company trainers to go visit these key personnel on location for a hands-on demonstration, training and seminars.

Choosing either of the above options invariably adds to the company’s overhead costs and expenses in relation to product development, personnel training and providing the necessary support collaterals for a new product or service. This additional cost can either make the profitability threshold of the new product lower or make the product more expensive for consumers.

However, with the arrival of desktop video capability and technology for today’s personal computers, this state of affairs has made a complete turn around. Companies, big or small, can now utilize Flash video to train, manage and support company personnel anywhere they may be. Desktop video technology, Flash, in particular has resulted to a more effective, straightforward, standardized and well-organized instruction methodology.

þ Instead of calling company representatives all the way back to headquarters for a training seminar, you can develop and polish ladderized and interactive training modules. They can then simply load the files on the company server and have employees log on to the site during specified hours to attend the online seminar at their own pace.

All they need is a computer or a laptop and a broadband connection to the Internet and they can already participate in the training! Additionally, training modules that include coursework which can be completed and submitted online can also be developed. Doing it in this manner reduces the incidental costs involved in conducting personnel training and establishing support. You can then have more of the training courses developed for refresher and adjunct training modules.

þ The same holds true when it comes to introducing new products or services to the market. Product demonstrations and service features can be produced and recorded on either VCD or DVD for distribution to partner merchants and retailers that carry your company’s product line. Using Flash video greatly reduces the incremental costs associated with providing support for new products and services although minimal and basic training still have to be provided for, this now entails a much lesser expense. Regional personnel can establish face-to-face product demos with more retailers and allocate more time to follow-ups and closeouts.

þ Video footages of actual product use, new feature sets, maintenance and troubleshooting can also be recorded and provided as a first line of technical support before clients have to call a special technical support number at regional offices or headquarters. Pushing the limits further, one option is to evelop an online video support system, again using Flash technology, providing a step by step instruction on how to rectify a particular situation!

The capabilities of Flash can only be limited only by your imagination. Once you let loose your creativity and ingenuity instead of adopting a can-not-be-done attitude, the possibilities becomes endless.