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Sales Training International is a leading web-based training company focused in the professions of sales, sales management, and customer service.

With most of our 70 courses and modules now available through online learning, along with our growing global network of "coaches" who facilitate Q & A and conducting applications specific practice sessions, Sales Training International is leading the way to providing a cost-effective blended learning solution.

Our Web-Based Training (WBT) designs have met the requirements for certification by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and we are one of seven companies to achieve "library certification" which means that all our online courses are developed to meet these standards using our approved design and development methods which include instructional design, interactivity, engagement, navigation and many others.

Sales Training International was selected as 1 of 45 companies to be included in the Courseware Knowledge Base publication by industry research company Brandon-Hall. "Excellent off-the-shelf courses are available to teach almost any subject imaginable. Our Courseware Knowledge Base includes information about 45 vendors of the most popular topics applicable to business ..."

Ongoing research by numerous organizations continues to support WBT (e-Learning) as a solid platform for learning.

  1. Is e-learning as effective as classroom learning? According to researchers at the Department of Defense's Advanced Distribute Learning Initiative (ADL) and the University of Tulsa it is. "E-learning and classroom learning were found to be equally effective when the content and the learners were similar." (ASTD Training and Development Mag August 2005)
  2. According to a survey we (Brandon Hall Research) conducted in March of this year of more than 150 learning professionals, the overwhelming majority of respondents indicated that they believed that a blended learning strategy produced better learning outcomes than either face-to-face training alone (70%) or e-learning alone (85%). (Brandon Hall Research March 2007)
  3. "Evidence exists that e-Learning results in an equal or greater quality of learning over traditional instruction. The reason: e-Learning is more interactive, hence more learning is recalled." (IOMA 2002)
  4. e-Learning blended with instructor led coaching and practice sessions provides a learning experience superior to than either method can produce on their own. Learn content online and refine the skills in a facilitated session. Get better results for half the cost in half the time.
  5. 38% of employees polled from seven Fortune 500 companies said they preferred e-learning to classroom training (ASTD 2002).
  6. Instructor Led training loses ground to e-Learning moving from 70% of training delivered to 62%. Self-study e-learning (asynchronous) is on the rise now accounting for 15 percent of all training delivered. This is a two-fold increase from just one year ago..." (2006 ASTD Industry Report)
  7. "Today's training organizations are younger and more focused on design, e-learning, and service and support activities, and are now outsourcing much of the delivery. (2006 ASTD Industry Report)
  8. The business impact of e-learning is still huge: One key area is sales training. A particular case study uncovered a 30 percent increase in sales and ROI of up to 100 percent within the first year. (Brandon-Hall 2005)
  9. "... sales training and management/supervisory training receive the highest share of funding. About 30% of organizations cite these program areas as their top priorities in terms of dollars and resources. Sales skills are currently in hot demand... for their new as well as existing sales staffs. (2006 ASTD Industry Report)
  10. "... sales training is a fairly continuous process, as the rapid pace of new products and features requires year-round updating of the sales force. All of these factors make sales training one of the top areas for program funding." (2006 ASTD Industry Report)
  11. Then again, "... Online training is used sparingly in the areas of interpersonal (soft) skills, executive development, customer service and sales training, where classroom of face-to-face training still dominates." However, "Organizations now use e-Learning for customer service training, retail process training and increasingly for soft skills training." (2006 ASTD Industry Report)
  12. Simulations aren't always cheap, but they work: The average cost for one hour of a Level 1 interactivity (page-turning course) is $14,495. Compare this to the average cost-per-finished hour for Level 3 (simulation-based- learning content) at $41,590 (with a range as high as $600,000 per finished hour). The secret is in determining what percentage of each course needs to be simulation-based and using your budget wisely.
  13. E-Learning is not becoming stagnant: There is still well over $77 million begin spent on new R&D by LMS vendors for their LMS products. (Brandon-Hall 2005)
  14. Traditional instructor-led training costs $760 per learner, while technology-based training costs $106 (IOMA 2002)."The greatest return on investment from corporate enterprise technologies in 2002 came from e-learning solutions and e-business integration platforms," says an independent research firm. "The worst ROI came from "monolithic CRM systems" and stand alone content management solutions.
  15. During 2006 training budgets went up 7% to $1,273 per learner on training, including staff salaries.
  16. Historical projections undershot reality: "The e-learning market is starting to solidify, says a new report by eMarketer, and estimated revenues for the sector in 2002 could total $6 billion to $7 billion. By 2010, the formal training sector is expected to represent $50 billion, according to Cortona Consulting.
  17. 2006 saw the formal training budget grow to 55.8 Billion well ahead of growth projections. (2006 ASTD Industry Report)
  18. "All indications now point to a growing and vibrant sector," says eMarketer analyst Ben Macklin. He forecasts that growth will be accelerated by the current generation's students who are familiar with Internet and video games, and who will readily embrace online learning.
  19. This current generation is likely to expand the market further as it enters the job market in the private and public arenas, Macklin says. eMarketer (07/17/03)
  20. ASTD (American Society for Training & Development) reports that e-learning's share of the total training market now represents 10.5% of all training hours, up from 8.8% in 2001.
  21. The eMarketer study also reports that the percent of training time provided through e-learning to U.S. organizations will increase from 10.5 percent in 2001 to 25 percent in 2004, according to the American Society for Training and Development. eMarketer (07/17/03)
  22. Globally, the education and training market represents $2 trillion in 2001, to which the United States contributes $750 million, says ThinkEquity Partners.
  23. The study also found that spending on educational testing in the United States comprised a $925 million market in 2002, of which $50 million involved online and computer-based testing, says Eduventures. eMarketer (07/17/03)
  24. Of the in the US in 2000. $19 billion was outsourced. It is anticipated that the outsourced portion will grow to $34 billion by 2004.12% of the $54 billion spent on formal training in the US is designated for training Sales Professionals. Additionally, since STI does design and development work, its important to note that training departments outsource approximately one-third of the design and development work. We do a proportionate amount of D & D for our clients.
  25. The e-learning marketplace will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 83 percent over the next five years.
  26. IDC (Research) expects e-learning to grow from a $7 billion industry in 2002 to an $11.4 billion industry in 2003 and on to an $18 billion industry by 2005. This growth covers all e-learning markets including government, K-12, distance learning for college degrees and corporate. And it includes all areas of spending including both technology and content.
  27. "With technology-based delivery methods taking share away from both classroom-based and text-based delivery, e-learning will be the primary driver of growth in the business skills training market, accounting for half of the market by 2005." IDC White Paper 2001.
  28. World events have now pushed this projection ahead of schedule. Branding is the key strategy element e-learning providers should focus on.
  29. Companies will increasingly prefer the "safe choice" and retain e-learning providers with established brand names. Customer priorities have shifted away from stand-alone training courses. Corporations increasingly demand a more comprehensive "one-stop-shopping" approach leading to convergence within the e-training industry.
  30. Value-added services in particular -- such as needs assessment and custom curriculum design, online mentoring and performance support, reporting and tracking and hosting -- are expected to fuel market growth in the next several years.
  31. Consolidation activity should accelerate. High fragmentation, long development cycles, and other inefficiencies make the e-learning industry ripe for more intense M&A activity. Technological barriers are diminishing.
  32. The main hurdles to e-learning, such as lack of interactivity, content availability, technology standards, and bandwidth, are currently being addressed.
  33. ASTD offers certification for those courses that meet the standards for instructional design, interactivity, ability to engage the learner, and more.
  34. First movers that manage to build a brand name quickly will likely be among the market leaders. To succeed, it will be key to combine a quality product with value-added services and a national presence.
  35. To secure sizable market share, competitors need to play on all three major fronts -- Content, Technology, and Services -- and to deliver an integrated, complete e-learning solution.
  36. Online soft skills training is outpacing IT training. At a stunning 123% growth rate, the soft skills training market is growing twice as fast as the IT training market.
  37. One study showed that e-learning stimulated requests for facilitated classes for practice and peer-to-peer interaction. The younger generation grew up learning on computers. They are comfortable with them and many even prefer to learn that way.
  38. Classroom facilitated training still represents approximately 73% of how learning is achieved. It is mostly true today that facilitated training will continue to be important to how people learn.
  39. The ASTD annual research report also points out clearly that facilitated training is decreasing to around 60% while technology based training or e-learning (Web-Based Training, Intranet, CD-ROM, text only Computer Based Training, and Teleconferencing) will grow to 20 - 25% of the way people get trained.
  40. Asynchronous training (no instructor needed) accounted for 13% of spending whereas synchronous training (instructor online at scheduled time) accounted for 6% of budgeted spending.
  41. Most recently, the learning strategy of choice particularly for soft-skills appears to be a "blending" of e-learning with facilitated classroom training. This is where we can excel. Clark Aldrich said in the October 2001 issue of "Online Learning" magazine: "Most of us choose off-the-shelf content vendors based on the size of their libraries, their ability to easily deliver content over the Web and the cost of their courses.
  42. "Sales Training International owns one of the largest fully integrated skills based libraries in its industry.
  43. Sales Training International courses have narrow bandwidth requirements, are highly interactive, are about 30 minutes in length and great eye appeal make them part of a convenient and enjoyable learning experience.
  44. Sales Training International courses are low priced.
  45. Major prestigious universities ranging from Duke University's top rated Fuqua School of Business to the University of Wisconsin, now offer online distant learning degrees.
  46. E-Learning is quickly becoming the "equalizer of nations."
  47. Now access to a quality education from any part of the world is just a "click" away. Alexandria, Va., Oct. 30, 2001
  48. A survey from the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) about the use of e-learning shows that 42 percent of respondents have begun to implement e-learning initiatives or have been using e-learning for quite some time.
  49. Another 12 percent of survey respondents are in the process of designing and piloting e-learning programs.
  50. Total training expenditures increased both on a per employee basis ($677 in 1999 to $704 in 2000) and as a percentage of annual payroll (1.8% in 1999 to 2.0% in 2000) Training expenditures are expected to increase in both 2001 and 2002. ASTD 2002 Industry Report.
  51. Companies that made a dedicated commitment in 2000 to developing the knowledge, skills and abilities of their employees spent an average of $1,574 on training per employee, more than double what the average company spent.
  52. Study by Dow Chemical demonstrated that, "…the online training requires 40% to 60% less time than classroom time.
  53. The economic downturn has had a negative impact on training in large highly visible companies. This, according to the ASTD report, is not the case for small and medium size firms who are continuing to invest in employee training, and these firms expect their expenditures to increase in the future.
  54. E-learning reached new heights as firms began using learning technologies to deliver more training (8.8 percent in 2000).
  55. Outsourcing increased as firms spent a larger percentage of training expenditures on outside providers (19.9% in 1999 to 22.2% in 2000) and projections indicate it will continue to rise in 2001.
  56. Corporations save between 50% and 70% when they replace instructor-based training with e-learning (IOMA 2002).
  57. Computer-based training also requires less training time compared with instructor-led training (IOMA 2002).
  58. "The amount of reduction ranges from 20% to 80%, with 40% to 60% as the most common (Brandon-Hall.com).
  59. Despite e-learning's surge in popularity, budgets for e-learning still remain relatively low on a percentage basis. Thirty-one percent said they use only 0% to 10% of their training budget on e-learning, and 24% said 10% to 20%. Only 4 % said 60% or more. But with the definite movement of business toward this delivery system, it seems only a matter of time (ASTD 2002).
  60. Up to 60% of companies in the U.S. use some form of e-learning and its use isn't just by large companies anymore.More than 7000 companies polled (ASTD 2002).
  61. 43% of companies who have not yet adopted e-learning plan to do so within the next two years: 22% within the next 12 months and 21% within 24 months. An additional 13% said they would do so beyond 24 months, and only 14% said they had no plans to adopt e-learning (ASTD 2002).
  62. Large companies and small companies are adopting e-learning with almost equal rates. Organizations that have been using e-learning are using it more and more. It makes fundamental sense. How else could you train large numbers of salespeople and customers in the minimal amount of time companies have for new product roll-outs or changes in company procedures?
  63. The ability to pick up and amplify competitor and customer changes coupled with the ability to respond are the hallmarks of the new breed of successful "Adaptive Enterprises". "These companies recognize they are no longer able to predict change, and instead have focused on strategies and operational tactics for building the capacity to respond. This represents a fundamental shift in mind set." (John Avallon, VP and Global Leader of Transformation Consulting for Cap Gemini Ernst & Young - CEO Magazine - Viewpoints, 2003).

Sales Training International, with its unparalleled breadth and depth of fully integrated content and its unique diagnostic tools is well on its way to achieving its new strategic vision of becoming the number one web-based sales, sales management, and customer service blended learning solutions provider in the world.
 

For additional information call us (800) 551-SELL, (281) 367-5599
or send us your request using e-mail info@saleshelp.com

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