Today’s dynamic global economy has increased the need for organizational training across all industries. Efficient, cost-effective training and employee development are necessary for day-to-day operations and for meeting strategic business objectives.

Many organizations turn to online meeting tools to meet their needs, and there’s no shortage of options. Simple and free. Low-cost/low-feature. Enterprise-grade offerings built for business. But online learning and collaboration require more than a one-size-fits-all solution.

When training organizations use online meeting tools and platforms with limited learning features (and often old-school interfaces), it’s more difficult to engage and retain learners. The ability to engage is a critical consideration when choosing an online learning solution.

This guide lays out these critical considerations, elements that can spell the difference between a solution that works and one that fails to make the grade. Based on our extensive experience working with businesses and governments worldwide, we’ve learned a synchronous learning, web conferencing, and real-time collaboration solution should offer:
 

• A fully engaging virtual classroom experience
• An collaborative environment for everyone, every time
• Accessibility for all learners, no matter their learning style or need
• Streamlined integration with your learning management system (LMS) either directly or via an application programming interface (API)
• Capabilities that help meet your organization’s goals—like knowledge transfer and employee retention—and improve your bottom line

Whether you’re evaluating a synchronous learning, web conferencing, and collaboration solution for the first time; reevaluating your current approach; or just curious about why a just-for-meeting tool may not be the right choice to deliver training and learning, this guide’s for you.