Choosing an LMS can feel overwhelming because there are so many things you have to think about. Many vendors do a poor job of explaining the difference between a CMS and a TXP, and most fail to explain what features like API integrations mean in layman’s terms. Once you figure out the alphabet soup, you still have to worry about pricing, support, installation, content management, security updates, and more.
Craig’s Content Hub is a brand new feature on FindAnLMS.com designed to help people approach these concerns with confidence. It provides free content including templates, videos, articles, and insights straight from Craig Weiss and the Craig Weiss Group, one of the most respected names in the e-learning industry.
This article will provide a brief synopsis of what’s currently available on the Content Hub. If you’re interested in further insight including the ability to compare top LMS vendors head-to-head, you can create a free account on FindAnLMS.com and benefit from even more of Weiss’s expertise.
How Can I Make the Most of Demos?
One of the best things on the Content Hub is a four-page PDF of features to think about before and during a demo. Most LMS vendors offer demos, and the average consumer generally goes along for the ride without even trying to tailor it to their needs. Weiss identifies several questions you should ask including whether the salesperson is following a script, if you could get a preview of what your content would look like on a given LMS, and what the reporting tools look like.
Some of his answers are illuminating as well. For example, if you ask several questions that your salesperson doesn’t know the answer to, that might seem like a red flag. However, Weiss argues that their honesty is a good thing provided that they get back to you with accurate information within one business day. If you aren’t proactively asked what you want to see before the demo begins, that is a red flag that the vendor will have to overcome.
How Does LMS Pricing Work?
Similarly, Weiss offers an eight-page breakdown of LMS pricing that’s a must-read for any organization on a budget. Most vendors give quotes in terms of per person per month, allowing them to quote a number that looks far lower than what you will pay. A quote of $5 per person may not seem too bad, but that’s $60 per year. If you have 1,000 learners, that $5 quote price just turned into $60,000.
Weiss provides insight on the most common pricing structures in the e-learning industry: bundled pricing, range/band pricing, and monthly active users (MAU). Notably, he calls out tricks that some vendors might use to deceive prospective customers. For instance, paying based on your total monthly active users sounds enticing until you realize that most vendors still charge for their “full active projection” of users under that model.
What About Customer Support?
Most people don’t even think about customer support when choosing an LMS, but the quality of service they receive ultimately dictates whether they stick with their choice or head back to the drawing board. Weiss provides an entire page of questions on the Content Hub that you should be asking any vendor, including when their customer support is available and what benefits their premium support tiers offer.
These resources help you perform your research like a pro without investing the time to become an expert in learning management systems yourself.
Make Full Use of FindAnLMS.com
Craig’s Content Hub includes much more than the information summarized above including his complete top-10 Learning Systems Report, specific grades for LMS vendors, and a Learning System Administrator Guide. The Content Hub does not include head-to-head comparisons of the industry’s top players, but you can still do that by creating a free account on FindAnLMS.com. There is no better way to leverage Craig Weiss’s expertise for the benefit of your organization!