Extended Enterprise Whitepaper Promotes Brand Image

Whitepaper

The Extended Enterprise
in Action: Promoting Brand
Image, Increasing Customer
Retention, Boosting Agility,
Improving Business Performance
A SumTotal Whitepaper

Introduction
This paper is a companion to Widening Your Sphere of Influence: An Introduction
to the Extended Enterprise, which laid out in detail the concept of the SumTotal

25%
Extended Enterprise platform, its key elements, features and general benefits.
Building on that foundation, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how
the Extended Enterprise platform can help specific verticals to promote and sell
their products to external audiences. In particular, it investigates the value of
the Extended Enterprise solution in financial services / insurance, government, Annual growth
retail, manufacturing, healthcare and associations. Feel free to read ahead to the rate of companies
section that is most applicable to your own organization. delivering knowledge,
information & training
Financial Services and Insurance to an audience
The regulatory arena has expanded considerably over the past decade, placing beyond employees.
an enormous compliance burden on the insurance and financial services
industries. Meeting Sarbanes-Oxley regulatory requirements alone involves a
tremendous amount of management complexity. The result is a communication
Source: Bersin & Associates
tangle spanning the various employee categories aross multiple locations. And
that’s only one of many regulations affecting this sector.
Now, factor in the strategic management of workforce knowledge in the financial
and insurance markets. In many organizations, this comprises a central
headquarters and perhaps a few regional offices servicing a large external
network of remote offices, brokerages, agents, financial advisors and customers.
In such an environment, it is critical to consistently deliver a superior managed
service in order to achieve profitable growth.
Traditional Learning Management Systems (LMS) are aimed mainly at head
office personnel. They provide great value in terms of managing performance,
aligning goals, facilitating training and development, and proactively managing
succession planning. However, their limitations are exposed when it comes to
federating knowledge and information to external reps, tracking the status of
development initiatives and verifying compliance to ongoing programs.

Whitepaper

www.sumtotalsystems.com 1

Promoting Brand Image, Increasing Customer Retention,
Boosting Agility & Improving Business Performance

Armed with the SumTotal Extended Enterprise solution, insurance companies and
financial services organizations can gain control over their far-reaching networks
of brokers, dealers, advisors and customers. Knowledge and information can be
made available to them online as an effective means of managing certifications
and upcoming expirations to avoid lapses in licensing. Additionally, workforce
productivity can be maximized by accelerating delivery of knowledge on key
skills, policies and mandated instruction. Additionally, workforce
productivity can
A well-designed Extended Enterprise solution can often pay for itself or even directly be maximized by
generate revenue. In a financial services organization, for example, training puts accelerating delivery
your company’s message and value proposition front and center. While brokers of knowledge
may have dozens of packages to choose from, the addition of a relevant knowledge on key skills, policies
nugget or the right training element (either free or available for a small fee) as a and mandated
value-add for the broker or potential customers can tempt many to select you as instruction.
opposed to one of many alternative vendors. By aligning a simple content item to a
sales or business goal, customer retention and acquisition can be boosted.
Similarly, existing customers can be kept up to date on the latest offerings in
an interactive manner. They can be encouraged to view short pieces of online
content to increase their knowledge of a specific field and to keep them actively
involved with your company.
Remote employees and independent agents can also be comprehensively serviced
online without the need to mail a piece of information, wait for knowledge transfer
to occur in a non-structured format or bring everyone to the head office once a year
for a week-long course. In those cases where a trip to headquarters is desired, the
Extended Enterprise solution can greatly reduce costs by slashing the annual stay
to a day or two with the balance of the knowledge and information delivered online.
These are just a few of the ways that the Extended Enterprise solution can enhance
the value of human capital. As everything is managed within one system, it is easy
to track compliance and certification. Training programs can be assessed against
organizational programs at a global, national, regional and individual level while
promotional activities intended to generate new business can be evaluated against
measurable results.
Organizations already taking advantage of the SumTotal Extended Enterprise
solution include BankAtlantic, First Niagara Financial Group, PHH Mortgage,
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Utica National Insurance Group.

Manufacturing
Manufacturers, of course, have unique business challenges. They must compete
in a global economy and find lean and cost-effective processes to bring their
products to market and manage their supply chains. At the same time, they must
deal with corporate policies and strategies, and a seemingly endless stream of
government regulations. To make matters worse, many manufacturers have to
compete in a retail sector overrun by competing brands, each one attempting
to capture the hearts and minds of retail sales staff. As these staff work for the
retailers and not the manufacturers, how do you ensure your message is front
and center and your goods are the ones they instinctively reach for?



The answer lies in the SumTotal Extended Enterprise solution. Providing a
platform for the creation of a sustainable and scalable knowledge network, such
a network helps manufacturers to efficiently sell and support their products. How?
Let’s take a look at business as usual.
Each manufacturer has probably prepared sales literature to ship out to all retail
outlets. While the intention is to have sales reps read, understand and appreciate
the nuances of specific products, what happens to these materials when they are
distributed is anyone’s guess. Some are diligently handed out to employees who
then sit down and study them. Others are distributed but merely glanced at. In a
few cases, the literature sits in a storeroom never to see the light of day.
Some companies attempt to circumvent this outcome by a variety of means. They
post materials online and hope to entice staff to view them. They sometimes send
their own personnel out into the field to train sales reps on the peculiarities and
fine points of their product lines. They perhaps send out newsletters and e-mail in
an attempt to engage external audiences. The issue, though, is that competitors
are conducting similar efforts. Without the Extended Enterprise solution, it is
impossible to gauge success and bring your goods to the front of the line.
The best way to boost brand image in this situation is to initiate an Extended
Enterprise program. Captivating Webcasts and presentations can be made available
online to rapidly take sales personnel through the key points of your pitch. They can
be briefed on why your goods are superior. Further, progress can be tracked right
down to how many reps have accessed or completed the content asset on a per
store basis, how many have started, how far they have gotten, their feedback and
even how this is related to sales performance in that area. Consequently, programs This ultimately leads
can be adjusted to ensure maximum success through integration with incentive to sales personnel at
and award programs, using certifications to vest sales people in your offering, and a retail level that will
providing a consistent and accurate message that can be evaluated for effectiveness. push your products
This ultimately leads to sales personnel at a retail level that will push your products instead of those of
a rival. Why? Because
instead of those of a rival. Why? Because you have gained mind-share.
you have gained
Manufacturers already enjoying the benefits of the SumTotal Extended Enterprise mind-share.
solution include Black & Decker, Harris Corporation, International Rectifier,
United Technologies Corporation, ZLB Behring and Anixter International.

Healthcare
The medical world is probably one of the most dynamic sectors of the modern
economy. Constant changes are the norm as new technologies, procedures, and
compliance requirements are introduced. Combine this with the complexities
and pressures of healthcare staffing shortages, a constant demand for cost
containment and ongoing efforts at reform and you have an industry like no other.
What isn’t so well appreciated, though, is the fact that many healthcare organizations
typically service an area that consists of smaller clinics, outpatient facilities, field
caregivers and other external workers whose livelihood is dependent upon the
primary facility. Delivering knowledge and information to these individuals on
health, safety, hygiene and organizational protocols can be a nightmare given the
busy schedules of most of these personnel. As a result, the critical exchange of
information often takes a back seat.



Enter the SumTotal Extended Enterprise solution. Federating knowledge and
information online allows doctors, nurses, technicians and support personnel
in the field to work their way through the content they need during the small
windows available to them. Whether it is a few minutes or a couple of hours,
the Extended Enterprise solution keeps track of where each individual is at and
makes it easy for them to return and complete their activity when time allows.
This is also important when it comes to continuing education and certification. Staff
needs to put in a certain number of hours annually to maintain their accreditations
and stay up to date. The Extended Enterprise solution facilitates such activities, often
bypassing the need to transport individuals with skill sets in short supply to a seminar
on the other coast or, worst-case scenario, another continent.
When it comes to regulations such as HIPAA, FDA, The Joint Commission, OSHA,
and those of the EPA as well as state and local authorities, keeping track of
compliance is a simple matter with the Extended Enterprise solution. All Web-based
assets within the solution can be tracked for external staff progress and completion.
This can be vital when it comes to defending the organization against legal actions
– success or failure in court can depend upon being able to prove that one person
completed specific requirements of a given program at a specific date.
Additionally, the Extended Enterprise solution is of great value in the area of
customer acquisition and retention. Prospective patients, for instance, can view
presentations online about the facility, their specific condition and available
procedures to help them gain confidence in commencing treatment. Existing
patients can be offered value-added information and knowledge on such topics
as preventive medicine, or how diet and fitness can play a role in their recovery.
Additionally, the
Healthcare customers currently taking advantage of the SumTotal Extended
Extended Enterprise
Enterprise solution include HealthQuest, Kaiser Permanente, Sisters of Mercy
solution is of great
Health System, SwedishAmerican Health System, US Oncology, Association of value in the area of
periOperative Registered Nurses and MedAssets, Inc. customer acquisition
Retail and retention.
Employers in the highly competitive retail sector are challenged to disperse
knowledge and information to employees on a wide range of skills, including
detailed product knowledge, how to sell, complaint handling, price products and
services, objection handling and much more. To make it even more challenging,
sales associates, clerks, floor managers, distributors and dealers comprise a
geographically dispersed population, many of whom are not direct company
employees. Nevertheless, how they represent your organization to customers
directly impacts revenue and customer satisfaction. It takes the right methodology
and system to maintain your brand image while improving business performance.
This is made difficult due to the high turnover rates experienced in the retail
sector. Under these circumstances, it can be difficult to maintain any consistency
of brand. That’s where SumTotal’s Extended Enterprise solution comes in. It
provides the right vehicle for updates to product information, training, sales
programs and service management information to those on the front lines.



Take the case of education about a new product line. Short online courses can
be accessed by personnel as time permits and managers can keep track of
everything to ensure everyone completes in a timely manner without impacting
productivity and ensuring consistency of the message.
It gets even more interesting when you deal with more complex goods such as
personal electronics. In many cases these goods are so sophisticated that the
general consumer requires formal initiation to gain proficiency. One retailer, for
instance, was experiencing a heavy rate of returns for its latest phone. Many
customers complained that their products were faulty. Analysis showed almost all of
Furthermore, by
them to be working correctly, and that customers simply didn’t know how to utilize
capturing customer-
them. An Extended Enterprise solution was introduced to train sales associates on
support-related data,
how to use the phones, quickly making them experts in its use. When customers small media-based
came into the store with the latest wave of returns, sales associates were able to snippets on “how
educate customers on these products resulting in a tremendous drop in the rate of to” can be pushed
return, adding millions to the bottom line in a short period. Such courses can also be to the mobile
made available to customers as a means of improving their purchasing experience. device in order to
Furthermore, by capturing customer-support-related data, small media-based reduce call-in rates
for similar knowledge
snippets on “how to” can be pushed to the mobile device in order to reduce call-in
deficiencies.
rates for similar knowledge deficiencies.
Finally, there is the aspect of harnessing the External Enterprise solution as a direct
revenue generation engine. Some organizations are so dominant in their field that
agents, dealers, service technicians and other professionals are clamoring to be
associated with them. By requiring these individuals and groups to complete paid
certification programs and maintain their credentials annually, significant amounts of
income can be generated. And by taking the burden of this training off the organiza-
tion and positioning it online, resources can be freed up for more pressing matters.
The Extended Enterprise solution, therefore, helps retailers to reinforce their
brand and heighten the customer experience by providing consistent information
for thousands of employees across multiple franchises, geographic regions
and languages. This directly drives revenue by providing associates with the
knowledge and skills to cross- and up-sell to meet customer needs and boost
repeat purchases. In addition, it reduces turnover and supports career planning
initiatives, as well as streamlining new employee orientation and on-boarding for
full-time, part-time and seasonal employees.
By targeting sales personnel in a retail chain, it is possible to incentivize them to
access and complete specific content focused on helping them become better
informed about specific products. By aligning these types of programs to a distinct
business purpose such as the improvement of sales, a small investment can pay
substantial dividends. In a world where a multitude of brands are vying for attention,
a professionally produced program is an excellent way to reinforce brand recognition.
Done correctly, it cleverly differentiates a brand in the eyes of external audiences.
Another critical factor: In many verticals, speed to market is a major component
of success. Particularly in industries such as computer hardware, software,
durable goods and telecommunications, rapid development of products is rarely
enough. It takes velocity and agility on the marketing side to ensure results.



Take the example of a security software release. In many cases, multiple vendors
come to market at the same time with their latest offerings. Extended Enterprise
solutions can help differentiate products by educating channel partners and resellers
about your new release. The speed with which that knowledge gets out, as well as
the ease of access and management, can make or break a marketing campaign.
This doesn’t mean that formal training has to be involved. Distribution of a webcast,
PDF or PowerPoint in conjunction with accurate tracking of viewing patterns might
be enough to move your product to top of mind in the target audience.
Another way to become more nimble in an evolving marketplace is in the area of
centralized training. Many companies require external sales personnel to come in
to the head office for one week every year for an update on products, pricing and
policy. This represents a hefty annual expense for all concerned when you take
airfares, hotels, food and lost productivity into account. What if that week could be
either eliminated entirely or reduced to only two days, with the rest of the training
done online? The Extended Enterprise solution is a way to facilitate the transition. What if that week
Organizations currently using SumTotal’s Extended Enterprise solution include AMC could be either
Entertainment, Cabela’s, Hudson’s Bay Company, Pilot Travel Centers and Oreck. eliminated entirely
or reduced to only
Government two days, with the
SumTotal’s Extended Enterprise solution is especially suited to federal, state and rest of the training
local government organizations. In the federal arena, SumTotal has a wealth of done online?
knowledge and experience in developing premier human capital management
and development solutions for federal agencies— systems that raise workforce
productivity, improve employee retention, aid regulatory compliance, cut expenses
and reduce training time (GSA Contract Number GS-02F-0114R).
This depth of experience has been used to full advantage in the Extended
Enterprise solution. Agencies that sell services to the public can deliver
knowledge, information, training and certification, harnessing the SumTotal
platform to improve time to market and increase customer satisfaction. The
system can also be used to provide solutions to a geographically dispersed
employee base. With many agencies having offices in all 50 states, it can be
daunting to maintain control and accountability for the individual progress of
thousands of employees. Failure to keep track of No FEAR Act, ethics, sexual
harassment and other mandated training and information initiatives can have
serious consequences.
Federal agencies deploying the Extended Enterprise solution have saved
taxpayers millions of dollars by reducing expenses associated with the exchange
of information, knowledge and formal training to remote employees. In terms
of cost avoidance, the GoLearn.gov Learning Center alone saved taxpayers
approximately $20 million in expenses related to travel, lodging and time away
from work in just the first 20 weeks of operation.
SumTotal has also helped smaller agencies provide one-stop access to high quality
knowledge, learning & performance products and services by unifying initiatives
across departments, thereby eliminating redundant procurement and licensing costs.
The platform is compliant with Section 508 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998,



which requires all public institutions to use information technology accessible to
persons with disabilities. Further, SumTotal’s world-class security infrastructure has
been audited by independent organizations on behalf of the U.S. Office of Personnel
Management. The hosting environment utilized by the Extended Enterprise solution
meets OPM Baseline Security Requirements, making SumTotal a certified and
accredited host for the e-government learning initiative.
SumTotal is the engine behind some of the largest human capital and knowledge
A searchable
management and development initiatives in the public sector, serving more than 50
catalog provides
agencies, including OPM/GoLearn, the Departments of Education and Interior, U.S.
all the information
Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Office of and knowledge
Personnel Management/GoLearn and the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. required by a diverse
In the state and local category, the Extended Enterprise solution is used in community.
local agencies such as Loudon Water as well as state agencies such as State
of Arizona Department of Health Services, State of Washington, State of
South Carolina, NY State Police Academy, State of North Dakota and Florida
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Agency administrators are
able to track compliance to vital initiatives around the country and create content
tailored to their needs. A searchable catalog provides all the information and
knowledge required by a diverse community.

Associations
The distribution of knowledge via the Internet continues to change the business
of associations. When a vast amount of information is available online and
on-demand for a variety of industries, association resources are often competing
with “free” information that is available via the Web. Today’s successful and
growing associations must be able to show differentiation and demonstrate value
to members. Implementing an online knowledge management strategy while
continuing to run an association presents unique challenges and opportunities
for those organizations.
Associations are embracing Extended Enterprise and the e-learning that it Figure 1
can provide (see Figure 1). 61% of associations surveyed are currently deliver Associations Embracing
e-learning, 25% are planning to deliver e-learning in the next 6-12 months. Only Extended Enterprise
13% of those surveyed have no plans for e-learning for at least the next 12
months. (The State of the Sector, Tagoras, 2009)
Executing a strategically-designed Extended Enterprise solution delivered via 61% 13%
a Software as a Service (SaaS) model and powered by SumTotal provides
25%
proven value and member engagement opportunities to associations and its
membership in terms of reinforcing association value to members, increasing
member retention and acquisition, and boosting communication agility under
currently d li
tl deliver e-learning
l i
rapidly changing industry conditions.
planning to deliver 6-12 mos.
For example, today’s consolidated association staffs are asked to distribute no plans for = or > 12 mos.
information to members using a variety of communication methods. Delivering
online content, courses for free, courses for a fee (via e-commerce), certification
programs, Webcasts and even Web 2.0 discussion areas and collaboration can
all be executed, measured and tracked using the Extended Enterprise solution.



Members simply access a public Web site created specifically for them and view
the available free or fee-based educational offerings. Associations can then
decide if they want to have members login and use an e-commerce system in
order to access the content or if the content is available as a member benefit.
Courses, Webinars and even Web-based synchronous annual meetings can all
be efficiently managed via the Extended Enterprise solution saving time, money
and association resources.
Members simply
And for associations offering certifications or continuing education credits to its access a public
membership, the Extended Enterprise solution offers an association ultimate Web site created
flexibility. Members may need to put in a certain number of hours annually to specifically for them
maintain their accreditations and stay up to date. The Extended Enterprise and view the available
solution supports these activities, eliminating the need for members to get free or fee-based
educational offerings.
together for a local, regional or national meetings or tests. Knowledge and
information can be made available to them online as an effective means of
managing certifications and upcoming expirations to avoid lapses in licensing.
Associations already taking advantage of the SumTotal Extended Enterprise
solution include the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, American
Institute of Architects, National Education Association, National Glass Association
and the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials.



Conclusion
Fields such as insurance, real estate, financial services, durable goods manufacturing,
associations, healthcare, technology, communications, government or any other
area relying on the channel or independent reps/dealerships can all benefit markedly
from SumTotal’s Extended Enterprise solution.
Organizations operating in such sectors can harness it to:

• Protect, reinforce, differentiate and promote brand image

• Increase customer retention and acquisition

• Boost agility in rapidly changing market conditions

• Improve business performance and productivity

The purpose of SumTotal’s Extended Enterprise solution, then, is to bring about
the efficient delivery of knowledge for the strategic purpose of transforming
business performance. Those organizations that best understand the Extended
Enterprise solution are most likely to thrive in a tough economy.
SumTotal’s Extended Enterprise solutions can help you:

• Develop and deliver knowledge and information to audiences
outside your organization

• Drive revenue through customer, channel and distributor channels

• Improve productivity and information sharing with external partners

• Deliver certification programs and share knowledge

• Eliminate excess content costs while accelerating time to market

• Increase customer satisfaction and product adoption

• Provide consistent access to training, information and knowledge
assets 24/7/365

Such assets can easily be developed and delivered on-demand in a timely
manner to customers, members, partners and resellers with no hardware to
install. A Software as a Service model only requires users to have Internet access
to complete their training. This delivery method allows for maximum return on
investment by providing a functional, flexible and scalable solution.



About SumTotal
SumTotal Systems, Inc. is the global leader in complete talent management software
that enables organizations to more effectively drive business strategy. Recognized
by industry analysts as the most comprehensive talent management solution,
SumTotal provides full employee lifecycle management, including a core system
of record, from a single provider for improved business intelligence. The company
offers customers of all sizes and in all industries the most flexibility and choice with
multiple purchase, configuration, and deployment options. We have increased the
performance of the world’s largest organizations including Sony Electronics (NYSE:
SNE), AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN [ADR]; London: AZN), and Amway (KUL:AMWAY).
For more information, or to request a demo, please call +1 (800) 881-2546 (US /
Canada), +1 (508) 358-1072 (international) or visit http://www.sumtotalsystems.com/

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