Choosing Your Perfect Learning Tech Partner: The Dating Game Guide for L&D Professionals
Finding the right learning technology partner can feel like dating—you’re looking for the one that ticks your boxes, understands your needs, and, crucially, sticks around for the long haul.
Let’s dive into the key factors that will help you decide who makes it through the shortlist to the proposal stage, without wasting anyone's time (yours included!).
1. Do They Get You? Expertise in Your Size and Sector
Just like a good relationship, your potential partner needs to understand where you’re coming from. Make sure they have a proven track record with organisations similar to yours—not just in terms of sector, but also in size and complexity. You want to avoid being someone’s "first time" in your industry unless you're ready for a bumpy ride. That said - vendors have to cut their teeth somewhere, and you could get a great deal of exposure for your company brand and help them build the platform to suit your sector, plus, you'd want a great deal on the price.
2. Are They Growing With You? Product Roadmap and Future Alignment
Their product should not only solve today’s challenges but also align with your future ambitions. Look at their roadmap and ask yourself: will this partner evolve as your organisation evolves, or are they destined to become outdated and outgrown? And more importantly, are their promises rhetoric or reality? Assessing how well they deliver on their promises is crucial—are they just smooth talking and have all the lines, or do they follow through with actions?
3. People Buy From People: The Account Manager Connection
Like dating, chemistry matters. Have that initial call and see if you can envision working with their account manager long-term. Are they listening to your strategic goals, or are they just nodding along while planning their next pitch? Do they tell you what you want to hear and it all seems too good to be true? As Miranda from Sex and The City would say if they’re "just not that into you," move on. It's about finding someone who gets you—and wants to be along for the ride.
4. Communication: The Foundation of Every Relationship
Communication is often the number one reason for break-ups, and it's no different here. How are they communicating with your requests? Are they slow to get back to you? Are they being transparent about their capabilities and timelines, or are you left in the dark? If they're ghosting you now, imagine what it'll be like once you’re in a contract. Consistent, reliable communication is key to any successful partnership, so pay close attention to how they handle your early interactions.
5. Check Their Background: Employee Reviews and Company Culture
Before you commit, do a bit of sleuthing. Google them. Check reviews on Glassdoor—does the company have a revolving door of staff? High turnover is often a red flag for deeper cultural issues.
A client of mine was on the verge of choosing a supplier when we found out they were about to be taken over by another vendor. This happens quite a bit and can lead to a reduction in service levels—so always do your homework! Remember, a happy workforce behind the scenes is more likely to lead to a happy partnership for you.
Also, look at their marketing materials and case studies—are they well-researched? Do the cases seem feasible? Think about their ability to do any bespoke configuration and development—how are they set up to do this? How do they involve their customers in product development? What tests have they done or do they do with end users?
6. Score Against Your Business Case and Dealbreakers
You need to make sure your shortlist matches up with your key business objectives. Use a scoring system to assess each vendor based on how well they fit with your business case. It’s like having a checklist for the ideal partner—non-negotiables first, then the nice-to-haves.
7. The Workflow Test: Will They Help You Validate What Matters?
Test the things that matter most. Have they provided a sandbox for you to get hands-on? A good partner will help you validate your most important workflows, not just shove a demo video your way. If they’re serious about the relationship, they’ll let you take things for a real test drive. Also, they won't rush you.
8. Is the Price Right? Get the Cost Details Upfront
Make sure you have a good understanding of their pricing model, including licensing fees and implementation costs. If costs are vague or keep changing—well, that’s a red flag. A relationship based on clear expectations is key, and so is a relationship where you’re not hit with surprises after saying “I do.”
9. How Are They Supporting You? Beyond Implementation
The honeymoon phase doesn’t last forever. What does their support look like once you’re up and running? Make sure there are dedicated support channels and that you’re not just handed over to an automated FAQ when things get rough. What are their service level agreements? How may outages have they had the last quarter?
10. Their Finances: Are They Stable?
It might not sound romantic, but checking their financial stability is crucial. You want to know they’ll still be there to support you five years from now. Who are their backers? Where are they with funding rounds? It's good to do the due diligence before you've decided on a vendor, only to find financial risks and have to go back to the drawing board.
11. References: Talking to Their Exes
Talk to their current clients. Ask for references and go beyond the positive spin—ask why people leave them, what kind of bumps they've encountered along the way, and how the company handled it. Customer retention tells you a lot about their commitment and reliability.
A Final Note: Be Selective With Your Shortlist
Don’t add a vendor to your shortlist just to make up the numbers. It’s a waste of both your time and theirs and can distract from the true contenders. Remember, it’s better to have a few solid options that really fit your needs than to get lost in a crowd of maybes. Be clear on your deal breakers from the start, and make sure you understand the structure of the organisation—you want to know who you’ll be dealing with down the line.
And one more thing - beware of your own biases when choosing a partner. You can read more from me on that here
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