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Switching Providers & Workforce Migrations – An expert’s guide to a seamless digital transition

01 / 07 / 2024

The decision to move service providers is not to be taken lightly, and one of the main challenges our clients face is how exactly the migration will take place, especially when already integrated with another training platform.

In this Q&A, our Customer Success Manager Liam Smith shares his knowledge and experience on how to digitally migrate a workforce. You can also learn more about how BSM went through this process with 20,000 seafarers in our most recent customer case study, which deep dives into the process and how both organisations worked together to overcome challenges along the way to deliver our biggest migration yet.

Liam is based in Mintra’s Aberdeen office and has worked for the company in various customer support roles for over ten years. During his time with Mintra, he has managed more than 200 workforce migration projects with customers worldwide, ranging from 10 – 20,000 employees with all levels of complexity in both the Maritime and Energy sectors.

Will this take up lots of my time? You’ll be relieved to know the answer is no. Once the T’s and C’s are done, you are assigned a customer success manager who will facilitate the whole process from start to finish. Upfront we take details of all the important stakeholders to be involved such as service providers and the IT team, as well as a list of nominated super-users to be trained. From here, everything is automated and bulk-imported to the new system including your up-to-date training matrix (if it is being refreshed and streamlined at the same time), employee lists, certifications etc.

Do bigger workforces take longer? The import process is the same regardless of the size of the workforce. However, we generally find that bigger (more global) companies have more complex internal processes with regional variations. In this scenario, each region is handled separately with an individualised project plan and rollout. This enables us to meet the needs of each region individually.

We work closely with your team to meet any deadlines and make sure we are always ready to go live beforehand! Always! "

Liam Smith, Service Centre Manager
Liam Smith

How do we keep the project on track? Your assigned customer success manager will pull together a timeline and project plan (attached image) to fit your requirements. A schedule of meetings is organised to make sure everything is on track. If your current provider gives you a completion deadline, we will work with them to gather everything we need to make sure that we deliver for you on time.

Can we continue to access courses from our current provider? If the content is hosted by another provider, we can integrate or work with them to ensure the content can be made available on our platform. If you own the content, it is also easy to import it to Trainingportal through SCORM or other file types such as MP4 videos, PPT etc.

We have over 2,600 courses in our content library but if there are still gaps in the training matrix or anything further is required, we have simple functionality to enable you to create your own courses through the platform or you can work with our Innovations and Content Team to create something unique to meet your needs.

All these options enable you to have the utmost flexibility about how you create your training matrix and still enable your workforce to access all of their learning and certifications in one place.

Up-to-date content mapping is vital for ensuring the safety requirements and certifications of the workforce are met in the best possible way. "

Liam Smith, Customer Success Manager

Could we lose access to our current learning platform? This will never happen because Trainingportal is hosted online and is always available so there will be full access to both systems before the old system is shut off. Getting your team set up on the new system is almost always one of the first tasks. We work closely with your team to meet any deadlines and make sure we are always ready to go live beforehand! Always!

Will there be training on the new system? Key people in your business, are identified super-users to support the rest of the team. They are specially trained by our product consultants through in-person workshops or online training sessions. These will take place throughout the migration process and again afterwards to iron out any challenges or concerns or provide additional learning support. User guides are also provided for all admins and end users and live chat support is available 7 days a week.

How do we share access details with our end users? We have a specially created communication plan/ pack that is sent to each end user with their login and simple-to-follow instructions. This can also be tailored to your unique workforce, situation or needs. It will include your company branding to ensure that it is recognised by employees.

Will you manage the transfer of certificates from our previous system? Certification data is imported before going live so everything is checked and verified. As part of the communications plan, end users are reassured that their certifications have been transferred and they will not have to start from scratch in advance of going live.

How can we ensure all our learning outcomes are met? We can undergo a complete review of the content and streamline the training matrix with the learning outcomes for you. Up-to-date content mapping is vital for ensuring the safety requirements and certifications of the workforce are met in the best possible way.

This process involves understanding your learning outcomes and cross-referencing them with your current course provision so we can see any gaps and streamline them. Our specialist team will do this for you and rationalise the training matrix from our own award-winning and certified learning library to improve engagement and reduce the amount of time employees need to spend doing unnecessary repetition when training.

What if internet connectivity isn’t good in some of our locations? In this circumstance, onboard users can access training through the app and download it onto a personal device so they can train anytime, anywhere. Their data will be stored in the cloud so certifications can be awarded as soon as they’re able to access an internet connection. We also offer a fully offline system, which can be installed onboard your server allowing employees to complete content without any internet connection.

Who is responsible for the project plan and deliverables? Mintra’s Customer Success Manager will work through each of the milestones with you, making sure they are delivered on time and within budget.

What are the main project milestones?

Phase 1 – kick-off and project planning

Timelines are created through detailed Q&A with the client and Mintra.

Phase 2. Portal configuration and setup

Mintra ensures the new system is set up to meet the customer’s requirements with their branding/ terminology/ personalised user interface/ internal certificates etc.

Phase 3. Data import (users, courses, historical completions)

Once the previous provider has been informed, we liaise with them to gather a template to enable us to transfer information into the new system. Taking everything from the old and making sure it’s like for like or even better.

Phase 4. Offline installation and vessel guides

If the offline option is requested (maritime sector) we ensure the installation is complete and provide training if required. If the vessel has bandwidth, it may be able to synchronise automatically, or a USB can be used to download. Usually, this process is managed with the customer’s IT team.

Phase 5. System training for administrators

Before going live there is plenty of time to try out the system. We collaborate to make sure it is adapted to each customer’s unique requirements when it comes to reporting or management of data, notifications and alerts or automated reminders.

Phase 6. Go Live. Launch Trainingportal for employees inc. offline.

A communications pack is issued with a user guide and 2 weeks’ notice to complete any half-completed courses before the hard stop/ switchover, so all remaining data is captured.

We know the decision to move training provider is significant, and in the case of BSM it involved 20,000 seafarers as well as a substantial number of their onshore technical support team. When it comes to safety training you cannot miss the mark, maintaining service delivery is critical and every single certification is as important as the next. Hopefully, this article addresses some of the most common questions about the migration process. We know that with the right team, thorough preparation and detailed project planning, we can ensure a seamless migration every time.

If you have any questions, please submit a request form here and one of our consultants will be happy to assist you.