In a previous article, we discussed how outsourcing the creation of your training program or elearning course to an instructional designer can be very beneficial. It will not only benefit a business or educational institution in terms of expertise and experience, it can also be very cost friendly.
But it is important to understand that you will only enjoy these benefits if you find the right elearning company or instructional designer. Thankfully, there are ways to identify the professionals that can really help you, from those who cannot.
Here are qualities that you need to look for before hiring an elearning company that can help with your training program.
- Reliability. Who does not want a reliable vendor right? You want to make sure that in the midst of your project, the company will not close on you. Check if their business registration is complete. Not only that, it is important to look at their affiliations as well. If the company is well-established, they should be affiliated with reputable companies. Or if you are looking to hire a freelance instructional designer, make sure you research on their past projects.
- Reputation. You want to hire a company or professional with a great reputation in the industry. As you scrutinize their reliability, you will also get to know their reputation – especially with past clients. Do they communicate well with their clients? You can look into the projects that have been awarded to them. And once these projects are done, what do their clients think about them? Are they known to provide excellent service and deliver timely results? While elearning companies have testimonial pages on their websites, it is hardly enough information. Try to visit review sites as they tend to be more unbiased when providing feedback about companies.
- Range of Experience. In the end, it is experience that will help you identify the best elearning company that can help you out. While the skill may be generally the same when it comes to creating the courses, the intention and purpose of clients for the course may not be the same. This is why you need to check if they have experience in the type of course that you want to create. This will help you check if they are capable of meeting your needs. For instance, an instructional designer who has experience in creating an elearning course for high school students may not be familiar with the needs of a business training program.
- Results. Obviously, you want to be concerned about the results of their past work. Looking at past projects of the company you want to hire is one of the ways that you can gauge if they can fulfill your project needs. You can see how attentive they are to details, the quality of their work, etc. Take note that they will show you the best work that they have made. But nevertheless, it will show you what they are capable of.
- Rates. Lastly, you want to check out their rates. We are not going to say that low rates are the best – nor do we believe that high rates ensure high quality. It is important to recognize the right value for a well constructed elearning course. Make sure that the price that you will discuss is complete and will not surprise you with any hidden costs. It is possible that they will entice you with low rates but then ask huge payments once you are in the midst of the project. Make sure you are clear about what you want – whether it is a customized elearning course or not. Clear communication and looking at the details of your contract will help keep misunderstanding from ruining your transaction with the company.
All of these are marks of a great elearning company. Since you will be investing in the service that will be provided by these professionals, you want to make sure that your investment will be worth your while.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles for FreeDigitalPhotos.net