Faster Roll-Out

Due to the ubiquity of the Internet and scalability of servers, e-learning can be delivered immediately to thousands of learners worldwide. "Training that used to take six to nine months will be compressed to just two to three weeks," predicted Fortune Magazine, "assuring faster time-to-market with products, and greater productivity."¹⁹ Technology giant CISCO reported that e-learning programs produced a savings of $1 million in manufacturing costs in a single quarter, due to improved processes, as well as an "80% increase in speed-to-competence."²⁰

Traditional classroom training does not always guarantee that the same information or quality of instruction is provided to all students. Training Magazine reported 50% to 60% improved consistency using some form of e-learning. Furthermore, the ease of updating e-learning material, as compared to classroom instructional material, should be discounted.

The new-generation LMSs offer companies the opportunity to disseminate product and other training information not only to employees, but also to customers, suppliers, and other business partners. For example, Eastman Software, a subsidiary of Kodak, found that it could not only improve its training of distributors, but more accurately gauge their product knowledge.²¹