CS Holdings successfully implements online training management system

CS Holdings is rapidly reaping the benefits of the new e-sced online training management system, implemented in January 2002 to facilitate the management, planning and organisation of training. Consequently, the company is now poised to market the system for Australian firm DPM Consulting, which specialises in management information systems and other customised database development solutions.

"Now that we have successfully implemented e-sced in our own company, we are confident of our reseller status and are eager to market it to training organisations and corporate companies," says CS Holdings director Madelise Grobler.

"The system has been rolled out to our major branches in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and is making a significant impact on our training operations, specifically with regard to our rapidly increasing volumes. We seat around 1 000 people per day, and without proper automation it`s impossible to deliver the level of service that our clients are used to."

Grobler says CS Holdings investigated several local and international systems on offer, but none could meet the level of functionality provided by the e-sced system. "E-sced provides us with complete visibility of our clients, their training needs, current bookings and training history. The system maintains a complete history and financial audit trail, and at the click of a button provides detailed information on costs, income, profitability, successes and overall productivity.

"E-sced is a hugely flexible application that integrates with our HR and financial systems, has a Web interface, and communicates electronically via e-mail to training managers, venue liaison, trainers, co-ordinators and participants," she continues. "We can plan training courses, book the trainer and venue, and accept bookings onto a course. E-sced also tracks costs, enabling us to see our potential revenue, as well as the individual profit and loss for each course or schedule.

"Additionally, we are able to pull national reports whenever necessary, which, previously, was very time-consuming. The fact that these reports are accurate and up-to-date not only provides us with valuable and strategic statistics, but also improves our productivity," Grobler continues. "We can also provide clients with customised reports on demand, which further enhances our profile in the marketplace."

E-sced can be used to track compliance to National Qualifications Framework standards, both internally and externally. "Labour legislation in SA is still under development and companies are under increasing pressure to produce accurate reports on their compliance. E-sced allows them to do this quickly and easily."

DPM Consulting marketing manager Patrick McLaughlin says users can look forward to several new features on the e-sced system, particularly its learning management capabilities that allow material to be launched from the Web component. "E-sced is able to launch customised e-learning as well as off-the-shelf content, giving corporate and government clients the flexibility they need. By offering instructor-led training, management and e-learning capabilities, e-sced offers a blended solution that companies require to manage staff development."

McLaughlin says DPM plans to further enhance e-sced with more functionality in the e-learning arena. "More sophisticated tracking will provide better feedback on how a student can learn in a manner that provides them and their workplace with the most effective way to gain practical knowledge. E-learning is helping reinforce instructor-led training to maximise the effectiveness of delivery. With blended learning, a five-day course can be reduced to three with pre-learning conducted electronically."

Extensive development has also been invested into the Web component of e-sced." Originally developed to take online bookings from individuals, Websced has been developed to match the full administration tasks that e-sced had provided," McLaughlin explains. "Websced also offers HR manager rights, allowing corporate clients to log in into a training company`s database to view current bookings, make group bookings, or view total spend."