E-learning consulting | 2022
Venta Luftwäscher
Venta-Luftwäscher GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of humidifiers, air purifiers and air washers in Europe, based in Weingarten. In 1981, founder Fred Hitzler revolutionized the market with the principle of using water to humidify indoor air, which is often far too dry and contaminated with pollutants, while at the same time binding the pollutants in the water and thus reducing them in a natural way. While the vision has remained unchanged, Venta now has 120 employees.
The challenge
Product training in presence
The AirTreatment market mainly takes place in the online business, but Venta continues to expand its sales activities via the webshop and numerous online partners, as well as the important mainstay of specialist electronics retailers. While high sales figures were achieved via the online business, the desired sales could not be achieved via the partners in the specialist electronics trade.
The experts for indoor air identified the problem that retailers often have little expertise in the field of indoor air and are therefore not in a position to provide customers with the best possible advice on indoor air. Retailers therefore tended to give advice in favor of brands they are familiar with from other categories, even if they cannot compete with Venta's expertise in indoor air solutions. As a result, Venta products were rarely advertised on the market and therefore received little attention from end customers. There was therefore a need for Venta to be positioned as the best choice in the previously unfamiliar range.
It is very important for Venta to offer dealers support where possible. The product training courses for sales staff, which are designed for this purpose, were held only in person until 2021. This was not only cost-intensive, but the scheduling and planning with the individual specialist stores was also sometimes complicated. As a result, product training was not possible across the board and not all sales staff could be adequately trained. This was a decisive disadvantage for Venta, as its product portfolio is very extensive and the need for training is therefore high.
On top of this came the coronavirus crisis in 2020, which increased demand for humidifiers, air purifiers and air washers, but also made it much more difficult to conduct face-to-face training. In 2021, Venta wanted to digitize the training courses for its product portfolio in order to train salespeople in the best possible way and thus exploit the sales potential in the markets.
The solution
Digital all-round package: explainer video, learning journey and LMS
In order to make the right content available to all dealers in the DACH region at all times, Venta is focusing on digitalizing the entire product training process. In addition to an explainer video to strengthen the brand and a learning journey about the products, Venta is now using its own LMS to bring the learning content to dealers globally. Depending on their needs, stores can integrate the content into their own LMS or gain access to the Venta LMS.
In terms of content, the digital learning content should serve two goals in particular: Firstly, the Venta brand should be strengthened and secondly, the products should be presented along with their sales-relevant core attributes. While the explainer video "Venta introduces itself" serves as a basis for brand strengthening, the learning journey "Product training" is an optimal form of product presentation: salespeople can familiarize themselves with the Venta product range and learn relevant sales arguments. The "Made in Germany " quality seal is brought to the fore and the differences between the individual products are highlighted. In addition to training on the existing product portfolio, future product launches can also be supported in the best possible way.
The "Product training" learning journey consists of several courses, with each course revolving around a product family. Within each course, a mix of different learning formats awaits the salesperson. Each learning format has a learning time of approx. 2-7 minutes - in line with the micro learning approach. This not only keeps the salesperson's motivation high, but also focuses on the sales-relevant basic attributes of the respective products. Each course is structured as follows: First, the basic knowledge of the product is taught in a playful and motivating way in a learning nuggets. Then the salespeople can apply what they have learned in a simulated consultation - again within a learning nugget. Finally, learners are provided with the most important information to download: a fact sheet on the respective product containing all key data, as well as an overview of all devices. This means that what they have learned is always to hand and can be refreshed at any time.
Julia Söns
Marketing Communications Director
Venta Luftwäscher
„Product knowledge must be conveyed in an easy way and not like a strict training course. With a twinkle in the eye, without jargon and in the end customer's language - so that the sales staff can also pick up the end customers. In other words, it should be explained as simply as possible. We achieved this very well with the structure. At the beginning with an informal part and then an area of application. Here, for example, we have a customer come into the store and the salesperson learns how to guide them in which direction.“
The switch to digital learning has several other advantages: content can now be produced in consistent quality and always CI-compliant. In addition, all information is available at any time and can be refreshed as required. Venta uses the Learning Management System from youknow to distribute the digital learning content. This means that not only can all sales staff in the specialist stores access the product information at any time, but Venta can also use the platform to train its own employees. Digitalization is also beneficial from a business perspective: the impact of digital product training on sales can now be measured and evaluated. This allows the impact of the learning journey to be evaluated and optimized. In addition, content for international markets can be adapted quickly and cost-effectively.
What happens next?
Digitalization is being driven forward
Not least because of the very positive initial reactions to the explainer video and the learning journey, Venta is already planning further steps to drive forward the digitalization of product training. For 2022, Venta plans to create English versions, including subtitles in French and Spanish, in addition to the German learning journeys. In addition, Learning Nuggets are to be created for other products in the portfolio.
Ken Weid
Key Account Manager
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