AEON Co. (M) Berhad - Client Success Story
The Challenge
There were 2 main issues:
The first was that online live virtual classroom training was something new and still untested in my company. We had no real track record. So the client didn't know what to expect, and didn't know how participants would react to online training.
The second was that online training alone was not enough to replicate the overall learning experience of a 6-month long leadership program with in-person training events, group work, peer-to-peer discussion, and informal human interactions. So, how could we replicate the holistic and diverse learning experiences felt by participants that are so impactful and memorable while the world is on strict lockdown?
The Situation
It was 2020, and the Covid-19 pandemic was triggering strict lockdowns in many countries.
The client was worried and anxious about the annual leadership program that we deliver every year - would it have to be cancelled or postponed indefinitely?
If it was cancelled, then AEON HR team would not be able to provide adequate leadership training to the candidates in 2020 - restricting their career development and affecting their respective companies’ ability to promote them.
My company was desperate to find a workable solution that would not only deliver on expectations but exceed them and hopefully win the client for life.
The Solution
For the online live virtual classroom training, we decided to use Zoom. That was the easy part.
The trickier part was finding a way to replicate the overall learning experience of a 6-month long leadership program - but 100% online with no in-person events allowed.
After much experimentation with online training software options, we decided on using a mobile micro-learning platform called Gnowbe.
Using Gnowbe, I designed our first-of-its-kind digital learning companion app for AEON that allowed candidates to connect with each other, learn from each other, and access all the learning materials at anytime and anywhere using the mobile app.
The digital learning companion app also allowed instructors to engage with candidates through asking questions, commenting on their answers, designing quizzes, and sharing assignments. It played a critical role to maintain a cohesive overall learning journey for all candidates throughout the 6-month Leadership Program.
The Results
The client was delighted with the results for both the online live virtual classroom trainings via Zoom, and the digital learning companion app that I designed for AEON.
It took a while for candidates to find their groove, but they demonstrated high engagement and participation in the online live virtual classroom setting. They loved the breakout room discussions, and the interactive group exercises that we redesigned for online setting.
But what was the most surprising was how excited and engaged people were to use the digital learning companion app. It revolutionized the candidate learning experience before and after a live training. It allowed people to connect with instructors like never before. It allowed instructors to design pre- and post-training tasks to retain learning better. It allowed shy candidates a place to share their opinions and insights freely. It allowed non-native speakers the option to rewatch certain parts of a training that they didn't quite understand.
In short, it was a game-changer. It blew the client away. It was far beyond what they imagined - the boring and unengaging sequence of pre-recorded videos that are so common in online training. Instead, we created an engaging digital learning experience that made candidates feel closer to the instructors and closer to their cohort.
Since 2020, we have kept delivering the same style of leadership program to AEON candidates year-after-year with tremendous success and transformative results. And the online live virtual classroom plus the digital learning companion app have become our new signature package offering.
