Request a Demo

By

Kelsey Smith
A woman accesses FranConnect's dashboard while in a cafe
•

What is SAAS LMS?

SaaS LMS is an acronym for Software-as-a-Service Learning Management System. Quite the mouthful!

At the most basic level, a SaaS LMS is a cloud-based learning management system that is hosted online instead of being installed on your device.

So you can access content on your browser from any device, at any time.

Think of it as using a reference book in the library. You’re not allowed to check it out of the library but you can read it as much as you like.

Here’s the best part of using a SaaS LMS:

You leave the complex and often intimidating process of installation and maintenance to the experts.

If you encounter a glitch, the LMS vendor will avail IT staff to fix the system at no additional cost to you.

And they show you how to use the LMS effectively, reducing your learning curve.

You probably know what a learning management system is.

Learning and development enthusiasts like yourself are already using an LMS to create and deliver courses to enrolled employees.

An LMS not only facilitates learning, but it also enables you to track learners’ progress to find areas of improvement.

LMS deployment can be in-house or web-based (SaaS) and understanding how this is done is crucial.

Accurate information will guide you when you go shopping for the perfect LMS.

venturebeat iaas paas saas
Simplified chart for the three main layers of cloud computing by Venture Beat

What is SaaS?

TechTarget defines SaaS as:

A software distribution model in which a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the internet.

SaaS software can only be delivered to approved end-users, who gain access through a login and password.

It would be fitting to label Facebook, Instagram, and Google as SaaS products.

SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS – What’s the Difference?

SaaS, PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), and IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) are the three layers of cloud computing.

Train Employees

IaaS is the most basic layer; PaaS is in the middle, and SaaS sits on top.

Software as a Service: A vendor has already built the software, and you pay a monthly or annual fee to use it. The vendor handles maintenance, upgrades, and any other software-related issues. Think of it as using a passenger train. All you have to do is enjoy the service; schedules, routes, maintenance, and fees are determined by the vendor.

Common example: Google Apps

Platform as a Service: The vendor develops and deploys virtual servers, OS, applications, storage, and security, which saves you time and resources. To use the vehicle analogy, this would be like hailing a cab. The cab driver keeps the car running and takes you wherever you want to go. You must inform him of your destination and the best route to take.

Demo FranConnect’s World Manager

Common example: Google App Engine

Infrastructure as a Service: Instead of buying servers and expensive hardware, you can rent them from a vendor. Storage, networking, and offsite servers can then be accessed over the internet whenever you want. Think of it as leasing a car. All you have to do is fuel the car (install an OS and apps, in this case); maintenance is the vendor’s responsibility.

Common example: Google Compute Engine

History of SaaS

Here’s a brief history of how SaaS came to be:

The 1960s: Computers are huge and too expensive for educational institutions or small- to medium-sized businesses. Instead of owning a computer, people rent power and space from a vendor through time sharing. Every user has a specific time-share in which they can access the computer system.

eecis udel ibm
This is the IBM Model 360/67 at the University of Michigan in 1969, which allowed for timesharing.

1987: Pat Sullivan and Mike Muhney released ACT!, the first customer relationship management (CRM) software. It allows businesses to gather and store customer contacts.

Early to mid-90s: Computers become cheaper and employees can now have computers at their desks. Applications are now stored on in-house machines. Data is stored on a central server. IT departments are staffed to manage and ensure the smooth running of this Local Area Network. Hard drive space fills up pretty fast and getting a new one like the one shown in the ad below proves too costly.

buzzfeed 15mb hdd
15-Megabyte Hard Disk Drive holds less than four MP3 songs today.

Late 90s: Businesses start to explore cost-effective data storage solutions as the internet becomes widely accessible. Businesses store data offsite and access it over the internet through an Application Service Provider (ASP). The client must wait for the vendor to manually input his login credentials from his end. It’s not long before ASPs are replaced by a self-service solution.

1999: Salesforce introduces multiple products and services that are delivered over the internet. They include CRM software, sales cloud, and service cloud. Businesses are attracted to this model, as they no longer have to deal with long-term contracts and licensing. A $50 monthly subscription fee is enough to enjoy the perks.

 

 

The 2000s: Concur, which previously sold packaged software in computer stores, becomes a fully SaaS company. Writing software in disks, packaging, and shipping had become too costly. Concur sells software licenses to businesses directly until 2001, when they go SaaS. As a result, Concur’s gross margins grow to 72%. Soon, Oracle and Sage start to deliver a SaaS version of their products. There’s no turning back.

History of the SaaS LMS

The history of the SaaS LMS can be traced back to 2008 when Eucalyptus software was introduced.

Eucalyptus was open-source, meaning that developers could modify the code.

It was compatible with the Amazon Web Services (AWS) application program interface (API), meaning it would operate with other AWS-based services.

This enabled users to deploy private and hybrid clouds.

As an IaaS, Eucalyptus allowed learning and development professionals to deploy their LMS entirely online. No installation was required.

Today, you’ll come across leading SaaS LMSs such as:

  • World Manager
  • Open edX
  • ScholarLMS

Why is SaaS LMS so Popular?

Businesses are fast adopting SaaS LMS because of these obvious reasons:

  • It’s fast and easy to deploy
  • It’s cost-effective

Let’s look at other not-so-obvious reasons that have contributed to the rise of SaaS LMS:

Automatic Upgrades

A SaaS LMS is upgraded centrally, ensuring everyone is using the latest version.

Upgrades happen fast, without interrupting ongoing processes.

If you get an advanced LMS such as World Manager, you’ll enjoy free upgrades for the life of your agreement.

Security

Your data is safe because it’s stored in a central location.

All your content is organized so you can find materials easily when creating courses.

That’s a huge time saver.

A credible SaaS LMS comes with user authentication, data encryption, and other safety protocols.

Your employees won’t worry about privacy infringement when they’re logged in.

Scalability

With a SaaS LMS, you can install add-ons or enroll more users as you see fit.

A SaaS LMS evolves according to your business needs. You can start small and add to the breadth of your LMS as you onboard more staff.

If you don’t want to pay for extra features, you can downgrade to a cheaper plan at any time.

How Can I Get a SaaS LMS for My Business?

SaaS is fast replacing on-premise software in modern businesses.

Train your staff with an LMS that allows for self-authored eLearning, policy sign-offs, and real-time reporting.

Request A Demo

The World Manager LMS is exactly what a growing business like yours needs to gain a competitive edge.

Reap the benefits of a leading SaaS LMS by booking a customized demo today.

A man drinks a coffee whilst completing training in a cafe
•

What is an LMS?

What Is an LMS-1

Today’s LMS is not your grandparents’ LMS. With an array of rich, robust features and benefits, LMS has evolved into a must-have training delivery system for universities, government institutions, and companies of all sizes. (more…)

A blurred image of businesspeople in a meeting
•,

6 Quick Ways to Grow Your Qualified Leads

Sales and Development Executives in franchising are always looking for ways to increase qualified lead flow to sell more franchise units. Many marketers are finding that purchased leads do not convert at the same rate as leads gained through organic search. Often it is thought that the more leads the better, but we have learned that it’s about the quality of the lead in the first place that can make all the difference. Quality over quantity is the way to go in this instance. The world of franchise development is changing every day. With so much information available about almost every business model, it’s difficult to get prospects interested in your brand over others. We’ve put together 6 ways that you can elevate your marketing efforts in order to return more qualified leads.

(more…)

A man's finger draws a digitized arrow
•,

FranConnect Reports Record Sales Growth in 2021

HERNDON, Va., Jan. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — FranConnect, the leading provider of franchise management solutions for driving success in franchise sales, operations, and marketing, announced record sales growth in 2021. FranConnect welcomed over 125 franchise brands and multi-location businesses to its client roster, celebrating its highest-ever bookings year and expanded partnerships with more than 100 brands to triple its annual sales from 2020. FranConnect proudly counts approximately 900 franchise brands and over 300,000 units worldwide among its client base and is quickly becoming the “gold standard” for technology in the franchise industry.

“Over the last two years, we made an unwavering commitment to solve the hardest problems faced by the franchise industry and to support our customers during considerable market volatility,” said Gabby Wong, CEO of FranConnect. “We fundamentally believe that the operational challenges faced by franchise brands are unique and require franchise-specific enterprise technology to achieve scaled growth. Brands not only require applications that support specific processes like franchise sales, field operations, and royalty collection, but also need a clearer view of the performance of the franchise system as a whole and standardized methods for engaging with owners.”

FranConnect reported that increased adoption of its Operations solution, launched in 2020, drove over one-third of the company’s sales growth in 2021, largely due to customers seeking technology that automates support of unit-level operational needs. The growing challenges of labor shortages, continuously-evolving regulatory and health requirements, and greater pressure for unit-level profitability means that Brands are looking for solutions that help drive better results. As a result, FranConnect expects continued growth in market adoption of its Operations solution in 2022.

“Working with FranConnect has been a real blessing. It’s given us data at our fingertips and it’s allowed us to take the data to manage the business.” said Chris Dull, CEO of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, a fast casual franchise concept with more than 400 locations across 34 states. “Coming into Freddy’s organization, we had dozens of spreadsheets and other data assets around the company that all operated in silos. And we were able to take all of that data and aggregate it into the FranConnect system, which created one source of truth.”

For the coming year, FranConnect has a focused market expansion plan and an ambitious technology, solutions, and experience management roadmap as it continues its push toward reaching over 1,000 customers and a half million locations worldwide. After growing its employee base by 20% last year, FranConnect is continuing to hire across all functions as part of the company’s growth plans. FranConnect was recently named one of the 2022 “Best Places to Work in Virginia” by Virginia Business. In the coming weeks, FranConnect will open an office in the United Kingdom, its first office in Europe, to better serve the EMEA market and will continue to grow its strategic partnership program, including the Consulting Alliance Partnership Program launched in April 2021.

“We continue to heavily invest in our multi-year growth strategy across all areas of our business, including our product, people, and customer experience and will look to expand our partnership capabilities to provide broader reach,” said Wong. “The success of our customers and the broader franchise market over the last two years demonstrates the strength of the franchise business model and its ability to continue to drive economic growth and recovery. We look forward to continuing to be a premier vendor and partner in this market.”

About FranConnect
FranConnect is the leading franchise management software provider. For 20 years, the FranConnect platform has served as the sales, operations, and marketing backbone for approximately 1500 brands worldwide. Nine of the Franchise Times Top 10 Fastest-Growing franchise businesses rely on FranConnect to drive growth, improve profitability, and streamline operational performance. FranConnect customers span all sizes, growth phases, and industries and they grow 44% faster on average than the broader franchising market. Backed by private-equity investor Serent Capital, FranConnect is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, with global follow-the-sun operations. For more information on FranConnect, visit www.franconnect.com.

A retro microphone
•

Restaurant Technology News Spotlight Interview with Jason Kealey

Jason Kealey is Vice President of Strategy at FranConnect, the leading provider of franchise management solutions. Jason became VP in January 2021 following FranConnect’s acquisition of FranchiseBlast, a software company Jason founded in 2007 and grew to represent over 100 franchise brands and multi-location businesses. At FranConnect, Jason focuses on technology innovation, bringing his extensive knowledge of operations, above-store leadership, and business process modeling to drive solutions to real-world problems.

(more…)

A cartoon of people working in an office efficiently
•,

5 Most Popular Employee Training Methods

Written by Kelsey Smith

It’s a truth universally acknowledged: Well-trained employees are more satisfied and more productive than those who are not. Given how important training can be for an employee’s day-to-day success, managers must take care when designing training courses and modules. There are many exciting training options for learners to explore – it’s hard not to get caught up in the latest trends and technologies.Different training methods have different strengths and drawbacks, of course. By understanding the options available to your and your team, you can begin considering the best fit for your needs. Here are five of the most popular employee training methods – and why you should consider implementing each one.

1. Classroom Learning

There’s a reason why traditional instructor-led training is such a classic: the method allows for constant back and forth between trainers and trainees. Questions are addressed that might go unanswered in other types of employee training, and participants can bounce ideas and concepts off of one another. So long as energy remains high, learners stay engaged throughout the entire process. While other forms of training might be more technologically advanced, there’s something to be said for the magic of in-person, collaborative learning opportunities.

Train Employees

Of course, classroom learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Some learners may find traditional sit-and-get style training boring. There’s also the matter of venues, travel, and catering. Classroom learning can become expensive, and fast. Still, this classic form of staff training is unlikely to lose popularity any time soon – the benefits simply outweigh most of the drawbacks.

2. eLearning

Virtual learning has become more prevalent in recent years, for obvious reasons. We’re all constantly on our devices anyway, so this employee training method is a natural extension of our daily habits. This kind of learning style is ideal for self-paced training; without an in-person facilitator guiding learners through each session, employees can take their time with the material. The real benefit to eLearning is its scalability, though. Any number of people can take online workplace training at once, making it easy to roll out content for an entire company’s workforce.

eLearning doesn’t come without its share of challenges. The graphics and visuals that make up computer-based training can age quickly, so keeping things updated is critical. And since most eLearning training is completed without supervision, it can be hard to know how engaged with the content employees really are. You may want to supplement eLearning with surveys, quizzes, or additional evaluation tools to gauge its impact and drive completion.

3. Hands-On Training

Some people learn best by doing. Hands-on training allows learners to jump straight into the practical skills necessary for a given role. It’s an ideal way to train someone for a new position or to prepare them for new responsibilities. By participating in theoretical activities and applying them to their current role, learners can develop the muscle memory necessary for all kinds of duties and responsibilities.

Hands-on staff training can be overwhelming for some individuals, so it’s important to keep an eye on the progress of your learners. It may be worthwhile to pair more experienced employees with newer folks, allowing newbies to gain important context before diving into an activity on their own. Shadowing can be beneficial for the more experienced partner, too – there’s no better way to reinforce ideas and procedures than by showing others how it’s done.

4. Mentorship

Structured forms of the curriculum will always have their place in the world of employee training, but alternative methods are gaining in popularity. Mentorship programs can do wonders in supporting and training new employees. By pairing them with a more senior staff member, you’ll help foster relationships while also making them feel supported and welcomed. It’s ideal for employees who may not feel comfortable speaking up and asking questions in traditional classroom settings.

The one drawback of mentorship programs? They take a lot of time to implement the right way. Mentoring can be incredibly costly in terms of employee hours, and if your more senior staff are reluctant to take on more responsibility, the relationship may feel forced. So long as there’s buy-in from both mentor and mentee, though, this form of workplace training can prove successful.

5. Role-playing

Acting out potential work scenarios is another effective training method for employees. Role-playing provides a controlled setting for new and experienced staff members alike to practice handling difficult situations. Especially useful for those in customer-facing roles, role-playing activities give people the opportunity to think on their feet while examining different perspectives.

Not everyone enjoys being the center of attention, even in role-playing scenarios. While the practice may seem low-key to some, the idea of acting out a scene with colleagues is enough to send some learners cowering in the back of the classroom. Play to the strengths of your team and never force someone’s participation. Doing so could backfire and cause negative associations with that particular aspect of training.

MG-5-Most-Popular-Employee-Training-Methods-01

Choosing The Right Training for Your Team

At FranConnect, we know no single employee training method will work for all learners. For organizations to truly thrive, management must constantly work to develop the talents and skills of their employees. This often depends on finding the right training method – or a blend of several. If you’re eager to explore your options and want a learning management system to help you manage your training methods in one place, World Manager is the answer. Reach out today for a demo!

Contact Us

1 … 21 22 23 24 25 … 38
en_USEN
en_AUEN_AU en_USEN