If your organization is ready to implement or upgrade a learning management system, the technology is only half the equation. Who builds it, hosts it, and supports it matters just as much. A full-service LMS partner handles everything from custom development and hosting to ongoing maintenance and eLearning consulting, so your team can focus on training, not technology.
What is a Full-Service LMS and How is it Different?
A full-service LMS partner isn’t just a software vendor. They’re a strategic partner who collaborates with you to design, build, and continuously improve a learning system built around your organization’s specific needs.
At the core of that system is a learning management system (LMS), a software platform that helps companies manage their training programs and educational development.
When it’s working correctly, an LMS keeps your workforce skilled, informed, and aligned with your business, ensuring your people are trained the right way and that the knowledge they gain sticks.
What is LMS Hosting?
LMS hosting refers to where your learning management system lives and who manages it. Rather than storing software on your company’s own hardware, a hosted LMS runs on remote servers managed by your provider, making it accessible from anywhere and eliminating the need for internal IT resources to maintain it.
Some companies attempt to host an LMS on their own servers. While this can work for a larger organization with dedicated IT teams, it’s not realistic for most businesses. A full-service LMS partner hosts, maintains, and updates the platform for you without any heavy lifting on your part.
What Are the Benefits of Working With a Full-Service LMS Partner?
The right full-service LMS partner brings more to the table than technology. Here’s what that partnership actually delivers:
Collaboration
Working with a full-service LMS partner gives you a chance to collaborate deeply with professionals to develop your eLearning. There is never a one-size-fits-all approach to an LMS, and a full-service LMS partner will understand that. Together, you’ll produce the best ideas for your eLearning programs.
Innovation
A good full-service LMS provider uses a combination of tools and expertise to go beyond just being a technology provider. They’ll provide you with innovative options for your eLearning initiatives that will take them to the next level.
Expertise
By working with an eLearning LMS provider, you’ll benefit from that provider’s expertise and knowledge of creating high-quality learning experiences for your workers.
- eLearning Consulting: Many full-service LMS providers have deep knowledge in developing eLearning courses. They may be able to provide eLearning consulting as part of their services.
Worry-Free Support
When working with a full-service LMS provider, you don’t need to worry. They do everything for you to ensure your eLearning platform is up to date, well-maintained, and easy to use.
Who Benefits Most From a Full-Service LMS Partnership?
Organizations that benefit most from a full-service LMS partner tend to share a few common characteristics.
- They’re growing faster than their current training infrastructure can support.
- They’re managing compliance requirements that demand consistent, documented training
- They’ve tried to make an off-the-shelf LMS work and found it creates more problems than it solves
Small and mid-sized businesses in particular stand to gain significantly. Without large internal IT or L&D departments, the operational burden of self-hosting and maintaining an LMS is substantial. A full-service partner levels the playing field, giving smaller organizations access to enterprise-quality training infrastructure without the enterprise-level overhead.
How Do I Find the Right Full-Service LMS Partner for My Organization?
Effective eLearning improves company efficiency by building a more knowledgeable workforce, but only when the platform behind it is built and supported by people who know what they’re doing.
DHX Software specializes in consulting small and mid-sized businesses on corporate eLearning strategy and building customized learning management systems tailored to their specific needs. Schedule a call with our team today to talk about what your LMS should look like and how we can build it for you.
