Results

As the market for e-commerce and online business transactions continues to row, businesses are finding ways to ensure that web customers are having the same experience as those who visit brick-and-mortar locations. For example, a retail store like Best Buy wants to ensure that online shoppers can navigate to their video game section and find the product they came for just as easily as one could in the store. While Forrester research shows that 91% of companies surveyed say that internet customer experience is very important to them, it’s hard to know exactly what that means. How will businesses evaluate the satisfaction of online customers, and how will they make adjustments based on their findings?

When shopping online, it’s all too easy to find a competitor with the same product. If shoppers become frustrated by complicated interfaces or annoying advertising, they are far more likely to find an alternative than brick-and-mortar shoppers, who would presumably have to walk back to the car, navigate a crowded parking lot, and drive some minutes to another store. For this reason, online customer retention is a challenge facing many web retailers, and advanced measurement tools are helping them keep finicky customers.

One traditional software option was developed by TeaLeaf Technology, an offshoot of enterprise giant SAP. As the name suggests, TeaLeaf’s aim is to help businesses read the signs that their customers are having a hard time, and then find the solutions to help them retain their users. One high profile client who has successfully retained customers using TeaLeaf is U.S. Airways. They found that many customers were looking up flight schedules and prices on their website, but failing to purchase tickets. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, “The software revealed that many customers were typing in their frequent-flier numbers incorrectly…When the Web site couldn’t process an order, it notified customers they had inserted an error without being more specific.” TeaLeaf’s tool identified this error, and U.S. Airways saw their online ticket sales success rate jump to almost 100%.

Another tool which can help companies identify customer experience issues is Coremetrics, which follows the Software as a Service (SaaS) model. Their tool helped sporting goods giant Bass Pro Shops better focus email marketing materials. With so many different products for different sports enthusiasts, Bass has a uniquely large customer base. While many customers gave their email addresses as part of an online purchase, Bass Pro wanted to avoid “harassing” casual shoppers with unwanted emails while still sending special deals and promotions to targeted groups. Coremetrics platform allowed them to look at which items shoppers looked at and purchased, and they were able to target emails to user’s interests, causing a 10% increase in email-instigated sales.

While many businesses use some sort of website monitoring software, it takes a certain amount of expertise to interpret the data and find solutions to known problems. New tools like those provided by Coremetrics and TeaLeaf allow large and small companies alike to gather and understand web metrics that directly impact online customer experience. With more businesses realizing the potential value in reducing clicks and confusing interfaces, us avid consumers will hopefully find our web shopping experiences a lot more pleasant.

We’ve all been through a major software upgrade at work, and we’ve all experienced the training hiccups and usability headaches that follow. Traditional enterprise software is complicated, clunky, and difficult to learn. At my last job, an upgrade of our inventory database and customer service software paralyzed the company for weeks because the new system was so hard to use. Training was time-consuming and complex, and even the IT department was confused about how to perform our usual tasks. However, the days of impossible enterprise software are nearly behind us, as new offerings are mimicking the ease-of-use of our favorite websites. By incorporating web usability standards and familiar interfaces, new business software tools are edging out the clunky competition.

One such innovator is SuccessFactors, a San Mateo, California-based SaaS company which provides employee performance monitoring tools to businesses all over the globe. Their on-demand platform allows employees to create personalized profiles and set goals, monitor projects, and fill out evaluations. One of SuccessFactors clients, Belkin International, told the Wall Street Journal, “Most people just went in and used it [the program], no problem.” SuccessFactors purposefully used a familiar interface for their product to eliminate the need for ongoing training and tutorials, which can cost companies thousands of dollars and man hours.

CEO Lars Dalgaard says the system is “very much like an enterprise Facebook,” and the profile page was built on a social networking model. Employees can connect through personalized profiles, which display information such as work history, education, professional training/certifications, and a personal photo. Belkin uses this feature so that employees in different offices can get to know each other, despite having never met. By mimicking the look, feel, and ease-of-use of popular sites like Facebook, SuccessFactors can cut down the time it takes for employees to begin using their tools.

Another good example of this is Salesforce.com’s on-demand enterprise software. With over 1.1 million subscribers, Salesforce’s sales management service is one of the most successful tools in the SaaS industry. CEO Marc Benoiff told the Wall Street Journal that his visions, “was basically a replica of the Amazon.com user interface.” Training offered for the program is minimal, since many employees who use the internet on a regular basis are already comfortable with sites like Amazon, Ebay, or Facebook.

Some of the traditional website features that have sneaked into business software include “progress trackers”, which tell employees their “profile is 25% complete” or their goals are “65% completed”. Other packages have used a color-coded system to indicate progress on projects or documents, which gives employees immediate access to the information they need most. Many have incorporated search functions based on web algorithms, and sharing tools that automatically send emails to collaborators when changes have been made to a product or document. RSS feeds, like those used to stay up on favorite blogs and websites, are sneaking into enterprise systems so employees can follow the progress of a project or goal.

Both Salesforce and SuccessFactors are web-based, so it was only natural to apply web usability standards to their products. This trend, however, is likely to expand to traditional software companies who are daily losing market share to SaaS products. Both Oracle and SAP posted below-expected earnings for the quarter, and they are struggling to compete with innovative interlopers like Salesforce and SuccessFactors. Poor usability not only frustrates businesses, but also costs them money in training, man hours, and ultimately customer service. Perhaps user experience and usability should take on a greater role in their development process, as it clearly matters to businesses who use their products.

Scott Adams’ popular workplace comic strip, Dilbert, has undergone a Web 2.0 makeover. The new Dilbert.com hosts a blog, features flash displays of newly color strips, and invites readers to outwit Adams by creating their own punch lines for favorite strips. Some industry watchers are speculating that the Web 2.0 flavor is an attempt for the popular strip to survive the waning popularity of print media, but fans don’t seem to think this is necessary. Indeed, user comments on the beta site are very critical of the upgrade, despite the chance to participate in Dilbert’s anti-Utopian office culture.

Adams told technology blog Machinist that he’s always considered his readers to be active participants in his content decisions for Dilbert. “People e-mail me with ideas, I draw the comic, they hang the comic on a wall,” he says. This trend towards user-generated content is at the center of Web 2.0 culture, and it makes sense for even traditional entertainment offerings like comics to capitalize on it. Dilbert.com has embraced this through what they call “mashups”, which will allow readers to create their own versions of Dilbert cartoons. The first feature to be added will let users insert their own captions into the final frame of the strip. The mashup function will expand in May to allow users to caption the entire cartoon, or allow them to write the first frame and pass it to friends to fill in the rest.

I added my twist to this strip:

Though the process was fun, the user interface leaves much to be desired, which I suspect is the reason behind the readers’ revolt. First of all, the new site required users to run Flash to look at every strip, and many have complained that this feature slows down their machines. Archived strips were hard to find, and it seems some readers are on the verge of revolt. One says, “I just registered to tell you, that the new layout sucks big time! Lose the layout or lose your readers!” Another user jokes, “Which of the Dilbert characters is responsible for this?”

While some people will grimace and groan at the smallest change in their routine (Dilbert readers may be particularly prone to this, I suspect), the users’ problems with Dilbert’s Web 2.0 makeover seem justified in their disappointment. The user interface of the new site is abysmal, and fancy new features are not what readers want. It seems like some basic usability testing could have prevented this backlash, and hopefully the site’s developers are reading the user comments and taking copious notes. More isn’t always better; better is better. A little less emphasis on trendy techniques and more consumer research could have made for a smooth, controversy-free launch.

That being said, I still find myself exploring the hard-to-navigate archives in search of the perfect strip with which to prank my boss and coworkers. On that account, the new site is a brilliant example of the power of user-generated content. Die-hard Dilbert fans get the opportunity to step into his cubicle hell (and out of their own), and that just may save Adams’ his online readers.

Some employers are offering a new employee benefit to compliment traditional health care practices: a second opinion. Large companies such as Genzyme, J.B. Hunt, and EMC have teamed up with a new service called Best Doctors, which provides a second look at medical records to assess the accuracy of diagnoses and treatment plans. Best Doctors, which consists of a team of experts chosen by their peers, can evaluate the work of a primary care physician to ensure that patients are receiving the correct care. The Boston-based company has partnered with employer health plans and worker’s compensation carriers, and their service is changing the way companies look at health care.

The goal of Best Doctors is to “give our members the power to make informed medical decisions.” The company was founded in 1989 by a group of physicians at Harvard University School of Medicine, and it has expanded to include experts in all medical fields. They draw their consulting doctors from a pool of 50,000 top specialists from around the world, which is how they’re able to make the most accurate diagnoses and recommend the latest treatments. Peer surveys are used to recruit new doctors to their pool, using questions such as, “If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty, to whom would you refer them?”

The Best Doctors service is meant to work side-by-side with employee health plans and physicians. As a recent press release explains, “When a patient calls Best Doctors, they are connected to a nurse who listens to all of their questions. Best Doctors compiles the patient’s medical information and selects an expert doctor from their database of 35,000 [now 50,000] physicians who is best qualified to assist the patient. The specialist examines the case and answers any questions posed by the patient. The findings are delivered to both the patient and their treating physician, so they can confidently choose the most appropriate next steps together.”

While it seems logical that a program which gives employees access to top medical experts might add cost to an insurance plan, Best Doctors suggests that correct treatment and diagnosis can save companies significant amounts of money. Indeed, having a specialist opinion from the start can cut down on mistakes and misdiagnoses, allowing patients to spend less time and money on expensive tests and inappropriate medications or treatments. Best Doctors “change rate” is astonishing. They change the initial diagnosis 22% of the time, and they modify the treatment plan for 61% percent of patients! On average, this adds up to $21,689 in savings by reducing unneeded medical costs.

Their website features testimonials from employers who have used the service. Stephen Wood, president of Insurers Administrative Corp, says “We’ve introduced Best Doctors as an added benefit that drives up quality of care. It really paid off. We’ve saved between $50,000 to $75,000 thanks to this program and maybe saved a life or two.” Indeed, as important as it is for employers to reduce the cost of providing health insurance to their workers, it can be even more important for employees to have the best possible medical care in case of serious illness. Hopefully, for the sake of the average worker, services like Best Doctors will become standard in employee benefits packages.

In today’s work-a-day world, most of us have multiple projects or tasks that we are working on simultaneously. Some handle multitasking well, and others struggle with it. That is why, under any circumstance, it is important to prioritize. The same is true of web development. However, corporate web developers have taken it one step further. A recent article in the New Hampshire Business Review discusses the hows and whys of prioritizing features and tasks within a web development cycle.

Any businesses developing a new site or conducting a redesign will end up with a long laundry list of changes, functionality, or new features to be added. Under these circumstances, “the challenge is not brainstorming new opportunities, but rather prioritizing all of the different options you have for upgrading or redesigning your site given your resources.” In order to maximize the usefulness of a website, each potential new feature must be carefully analyzed for its value to the company. Will the time it takes to complete each feature result in a better, more productive or more appealing site? The article suggests considering three specific factors when evaluating each change on your list:

CUSTOMER NEEDS: Customers should always be the first priority, since they determine the success of failure of a business or product. Correspondingly, any new features to a website should address their needs and desires. Thus, the first step in the prioritization process is to conduct research with actual users. This can be done by any number of means, including online surveys, focus groups, responses from promotional material, etc. Some corporations may even want to consider launching a beta website to show customers what the current plan is for the site. Based upon their reactions, a company will know if they are heading in the right direction.

BUSINESS VALUE: This has to do with assessing the bottom line. In this step, it is important to consider the following questions: What are you trying to accomplish internally? Will this feature help you accomplish that? Is this feature cost-effective? How will it increase the usability of the site? The answers to these questions will help to prioritize different features that a company may be considering. For example, suppose a company wants to reach out to new customers through a new product. What feature can be added to the website to promote this product among new users? How do current customers respond to this product? Does it gel with current branding, or will it confuse existing users? This stage is all about analyzing a potential new feature from a business perspective to ensure that money spent on a site will be worth it.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS: This analysis is best done by the IT team in conjunction with real-world users. After the “customer research” phase, the relative technical cost of these features can be analyzed. However, this must go beyond the monetary cost. Other factors to consider include: the time it will take a tech team to develop these features, the amount of space these features will require on the website itself, what kind of maintenance will be needed, and how users with different levels of technical experience will use the features. This is a crucial consideration for any new site or upgrade.

This type of prioritization makes sense not only from a development standpoint, but also for the bottom line. After all, adding features that don’t meet customer needs, that are unwise from a business perspective, or that are unrealistic in terms of technological resources is a sure way to fail. Successful development teams carefully evaluate new features based on their potential to pay off in terms of user experience and financial success. By following the above protocol, any new website has a much better chance of success.

Online surveys have long been used by marketing teams to gather feedback on consumer products or customer satisfaction, but now the trend is starting to enter the workplace. Many employers struggle to accurately gauge employee moral. It’s a taboo subject in the workplace, and employees are not comfortable sharing their impressions and suggestions with managers or HR representatives. Web-based surveys are a great way to assure confidentiality and gather constructive feedback while enhancing employee engagement.

Surveys can be beneficial in a number of ways. You might discover a shortcoming that was not obvious to management, such as a technology gap or a customer service failing. You also might find that employees are not being utilized to the height of their abilities. Employee satisfaction surveys can alert you to problems and opportunities you didn’t even know existed. Acting on the results of employee surveys can reduce turnover, improvement management techniques, identify cost-saving opportunities, fill gaps in training, and reduce communication problems. Without gathering this information, you have no way to solve the unidentified problems in your workplace.

Surveys conducted online give employees the chance to express their concerns in a controlled, self-directed, and anonymous way. Many companies offer web-based applications for building and administering surveys, and they all aim to help you measure the impact of your employees on your business goals. One of the benefits of using an outside survey firm is that it assures employees that their direct managers will not be responsible for gathering or analyzing their responses. Many companies in this industry will host the survey on an outside website, issue passwords to employees, and assure that no one at your company has access to identifying information.

Perhaps the best-known service is offered through Gallup, which is a market leader in statistics and polling across industries. Gallup can help an organization not only collect data, but also organize and interpret the results. In addition to measuring employee engagement, Gallup offers consulting services that can help companies determine a course of action after the data is analyzed.

Another provider of employee satisfaction surveys is HR Solutions, which offers support to businesses during every step of the survey process. Their service is aimed to help you design, write, and code an online survey, and they can collect feedback, provide analysis, and develop an action plan based on the results. Their website’s press release section also offers helpful articles and advice for those who wish to conduct employee surveys on their own. Many other companies also offer online employee surveys, and some let you craft your own questions.

While many businesses understand the benefits of measuring employee satisfaction, it’s difficult to know what kinds of questions will yield the best results. Many surveys use a rating system (1 for strongly agree, 5 for strongly disagree, etc.) to gauge a number of opinions. Consider the following questions as a starting point:

• What is the best thing about working at Company ABC?
• What is the worst thing?
• Does your position challenge you Why or why not?
• Do you enjoy coming to work? Why or why not?
• How would you describe the collaboration within your team?
• What would you do differently if you were managing your team?
• How do you think Company ABC’s customers view them?
• What would be your advice to a new colleague?
• If you could change anything about Company ABC, what would it be?

Many survey firms report that open-ended questions (rather than yes/no questions) which encourage detailed answers yield the best results. Not only will you find surprising responses from your employees, but you will be prepared to act on their advice. Though it’s a cliché, the most important resource of any organization is its employees, and if you engage them in improving your workplace, their dedication to their jobs will be reflected in their interactions with customers.

Since its introduction into the market in 2006, user reviews of Microsoft Windows Vista have generally been bad. If this blog is any indication, all it takes is one user to lament over their troubles with the OS, and pretty soon, hundreds more are ready to jump on board with the negative argument. Furthermore, the list of grievances seems pretty hefty. According to Vista users, the OS monopolizes system resources, has an unacceptable lag time, user account control (or lack thereof), and some experts claim that Vista is an imitation platform of the Mac OS X Tiger (a “copycat,” if you will). One article even published several ways to hack the Vista in an attempt to improve its performance to end users. Across the board, it seems as though Vista has failed to impress.

It seems that Microsoft has picked up on this vibe from Vista users. In a recent eWeek article, the question was asked, has Microsoft given up on its own OS? As author Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols puts it, when it comes to the perceived failure of Vista, “I know it. You know it. Even Microsoft’s most devoted yes-men know it…and perhaps Microsoft knows it as well. What else can explain why there’s so much talk about Windows 7?” For those who haven’t been keeping up with their technology gossip, Windows 7 is the current title of the next supposed big Microsoft release, and many industry insiders expect that it will far surpass Vista. The industry buzz on this topic, as well as the expedited fashion in which Microsoft seems to be developing this next operating system, has lead many to believe that Vista is being pushed wayside.

But just how much of this buzz is coming from Microsoft? As this article points out, much of the supposed “leaked information” may be coming from Microsoft insiders who are trying to counteract the negative feedback that has been generated from the release of Vista. In that same article, Directions on Microsoft analyst Michael Cherry relayed his opinion that some of the allegations being waged against Vista may have been trumped up by Microsoft, claiming, “I don’t think Vista is as bad as Microsoft has convinced people it is.”

Could it be, perhaps, that in light of the disappointments with the initial release of Vista (which had many users and businesses running back to Windows XP), Microsoft is now helping to sabotage its own OS in hopes of generating even greater sales with Microsoft Windows 7? Though I am neither an industry expert nor a marketing guru, it does make sense if you think about it. If Microsoft perpetuates the negative image of Vista, their next release will then by comparison seem infinitely better, which will more than likely beef up sales. It’s a likely explanation for Microsoft’s lack of support for Vista.

In any case, one thing seems clear - users are ready for an alternative to Vista. With more and more users and corporations opting to stay with their current OS (Windows XP), it makes sense that the buzz for the next big Microsoft release would be growing. Expectations are certainly high for Windows 7. Let’s just hope Microsoft can deliver!

Would you put a price on the security of your personal data? One company did, and now they are paying for it in a big way. For over two years, TJX, Inc. (the Massachusetts-based parent company of popular retail stores such as T.J. Maxx, A.J. Wright, and Bob’s Stores) was unknowingly a victim of continuous data theft. By the time the problem was discovered at the end of 2006, an estimated 94 million credit card reports had been stolen by hackers, making this case, as Baseline Magazine puts it, “the worst security breach in the history of the Internet to date.” The company spent much of last year dealing with the fallout and trying to reach settlements with the affected clients and banks. Industry experts harshly criticize TJX for not previously adhering to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI). As part of the reached settlement, TJX must act as a promoter of PCI, which, according to published reports, means having to endorse “the standard that they willfully ignored by not upgrading the company’s wireless network security.” The company expects to feel the fiscal hit of this catastrophe well into 2010.

Ironically, money was the reason behind TJX’s lack of up-to-date security features in the first place. As Baseline reports, the security measures had been measured against a “check-box” compliance with PCI, meaning that as long as the company was technically following PCI’s twelve security requirements, they were in the clear. This was a way for the company to cut corners and save money. This also illustrates the biggest weakness of PCI: though companies may be forced into this type of compliance, the “check-box” method leaves the door open for free interpretation and manipulation of minimum requirements. Perhaps in light of what happened at TJX, more businesses will think twice before cutting these corners. Saving a few thousand dollars during an audit does not compensate for the potential millions lost with a severe security breach.

While there is still some resistance to PCI in some venues, more businesses are adopting this method of security, mainly due to the pressure being put on them from the credit card industry. It has been reported that major credit card companies such as Visa will begin imposing hefty fines for businesses that do not adhere to the PCI model. And even though there is some resistance for a variety of reasons (initial cost of upgrading older systems, complexity of technology, the potential of impeding productivity, etc.), definite headway has been made in this area.

But what can consumers do to help themselves? Instances like this are a strong reminder to be extremely careful with personal information and data. As one blogger reminds us, “As severe as the data breach has been for TJX, the company is hardly the only organization that has suffered from an embarrassing loss of its customers’ personal information. And these types of data thefts are hardly limited to retail companies.” It is important to realize that the possibility of identity theft is very real in our technology-driven world. However, as this blogger points out, there are several steps one can take in order to protect your personal information. These include thoroughly reading all correspondence from your financial institutions (bank, money lender, credit card company, etc.) and checking your credit report at least three times per year. Simple steps such as these can go a long way in helping to protect yourself against identity theft.

New technology may also provide a way for consumers to protect themselves from fraud and identity theft. Nokia has developed a cell phone model which contains “Near Field Communications” (NFC) technology that enables consumers to pay by touching their phone to a payment device, similar to some systems used at gas station pumps. According to The Star Online, the technology is being tested in Malaysia, and consumers are reportedly responding well. This payment method could allow stores to check user identity by comparing the unique serial numbers on phones with the purchaser’s records.

Until new technology enables better security practices across the board, it is up to the individual company to weigh the potential benefits of a costly security upgrade against the potential ramifications of a multi-million dollar lawsuit when customer information is breached. If TJX has taught us anything, it’s that cutting corners can have devastating repercussions. A PCI-approved security system, one that has the customers’ best interests in mind and does not simply follow a “check-box” model to meet required standards, could be a wise investment for the future.

Whenever Google comes out with a new product or service, U.S. industry watchers seem to shower praise on the search giant. They have become the advertising and web technology version of Apple, and consumers eagerly speculate about their latest moves and await their product releases. Not so in the tech-savvy nation of Japan, where users were quick to pan a mobile version of Google Maps which was well-received by U.S. consumers. As Businessweek reports, “Says [Google] software engineer Ken Wakasa: “People’s expectations are very high here compared to other regions.” As Google prepares to expand their mobile search division, they are using picky Japanese consumers as a test market for products and services designed for web-enabled cell phones.

In the summer of 2006, Google famously teamed up with Japanese mobile carrier KDDI, the second largest in the Asian nation. Last month, Google also struck a deal with the largest carrier, NTT DoCoMo. The two companies provide cell service to nearly 100 million users, and a much larger percentage of them (compared with U.S. consumers) use their cell phones for web access. The partnership aims to improve search engine technology, email access, ads, and website performance for mobile phones. Japan is the location of choice for Google not only because of the discerning population of cell phone users, but also because plenty of popular Japanese websites are specifically formatted for mobile access.

Google employs an observation method for testing, as a representative told Businessweek. “We just tell them: ‘Find me a restaurant for tonight in Shibuya,’ and we just watch.” Testing is sometimes done in-house, but participants are encouraged to use their mobile devices as they normally would. This gives Google a more realistic picture of how to improve their search technology. The ultimate goal of testing is to allow mobile users to find what they need using the smallest number of clicks.

The search engine’s testing efforts in Japan have revealed some surprising results. For example, while many computer users access Google to search for news stories and articles, data from testing in Japan suggested that mobile searchers are looking for images or videos rather than sites with lengthy (and necessarily tiny) text. This focus on image results has helped Google tweak their mobile search service. Rather than having the options to search for a number of different media (like on the regular Google home page), mobile users will have these options automatically integrated into their results. This move is a step forward for universal search, an initiative to automatically provide search results in many formats to users.

Another surprise for Google came during an unusual spike in searches late one night. As Google’s chief in the Japanese lab Ken Tokusei told Businessweek, “We were wondering: Was it spam? Was it a system error?” The late-night surge came from a popular television show which promoted a freeringtone download but did not show the web address long enough for viewers to log on. This surge is remarkable because it shows that Japanese cell phone users, who are a few years ahead of their American counterparts, are using phones for web searches even when their at home, and presumably, have access to a PC.

Perhaps the biggest barrier to making Google searches as easy from a phone as they are from a computer is the compatibility issue. Unlike computer software, where users really have very little choice of operating system, cell phones come with a myriad of different software packages depending on the manufacturer and service provider. The variety of software makes it hard for Google to optimize their offerings for every user, though their mobile platform Android aims to unite developers. With Japanese consumers as their guide, Google will hopefully bring a new uniformity to web-enabled phone software, allowing more users to experience their useful apps anytime, anywhere.

Businesses have increasingly turned to online training methods in recent years, using technology as a way to better serve the needs of their employees’ professional development. This is especially true for those employees who need help with “hard skills,” such as computer training, operating machinery, or safety standards. Now, HR departments are starting to look to e-learning as a means of teaching “soft skills” or “people skills,” like communication, conflict resolution, management techniques, teamwork, and foreign language. This trend is still in its infancy, and some business are scratching their heads and asking, “Can you really learn people skills online?”

Employers are turning to e-learning to ensure that younger workers are developing the soft skills they need as they take over the work force. Baby boomers are slated to retire soon, and companies are worried that their experience and knowledge will go with them. Younger workers are accustomed to using computers, cell phones, and social networking websites in their everyday activities, and e-learning advocates hope that these two groups can be linked through online mentoring and training programs.

U.S. Bancorp has begun using a software package called Open Mentoring which connects workers across the organization for personalized training and mentoring services. Open Mentoring matches up employees based on demographic and competency information, and helps them connect through phone calls, online chats, and forums. The strategy may help preserve some of the organizational knowledge and memory that would otherwise be lost when experienced employees retire.

Employers are also using e-learning technologies to improve the language skills of their increasingly diverse workforces. Many companies who use an outsourcing employment model or who operate overseas are finding it increasingly important to provide language training to employees at locations all over the world. E-learning tools can help make that experience uniform and ensure the quality of teaching is the same across the company. One leader in this market is GlobalEnglish, which boasts clients such as Reuters, Mitsubishi, Nestle, General Motors, Canon, and Hilton International. They offer customized programs which will allow for specific problems or challenges to be addressed depending on the native language of the employee.

Online training has also come in handy for companies who need to give seminars on ethics or sexual harassment laws. During my tenure at a major publishing company with thousands of employees worldwide, we were required to participate in a web-based sexual harassment course. The 60-minute interactive class included a pretest, videos of real-life scenarios, test questions, and follow-up material that could be printed. Rather than attending a crowded meeting with a frustrated HR rep trying to shout over the chatter of bored employees, we were able to complete the training on our own schedule without the distractions of our immature coworkers.

So how do we know if online training is appropriate or effective for soft skills development? Many organizations are attempting to answer the same question. A number of online training models include follow-up meetings and sessions to allow trainees to interact and test their knowledge. This means that local HR reps have a chance to evaluate the effectiveness of the training, if only on an informal level. Metrics for soft skills learning are hard to define, but many programs use a survey/user satisfaction model to collect data and measure success. However, with the incorporation of more and more Web 2.0 tools into e-learning programs, people skills can indeed be exercised online. Between blogs, WIKI, social networking/bookmarking, and video sharing, employees really are able to communicate and learn in a group setting from the comfort of their cubes.