It`s business as usual for South African customers of SmartForce and SkillSoft following the announcement this week of the merger of the two global giants in e-learning courseware.
This is the view of Ricky Robinson, MD of Learning Resources, sole distributor of SkillSoft in this country, who is bullish about the prospects the deal holds for the local market.
Robinson says that two main issues surround the merger: "Is this good for the industry?" and "Is this good for the customer?" The answer to both is a resounding "yes" in his view.
Recently returned from the American Society for Training and Development`s conference in the US and a benchmarking visit into the UK and US markets, Robinson believes the merger should be seen in the light of ongoing consolidation in the e-learning environment.
"Seventy percent of the vendors in the e-learning and LMS space who were represented at ASTD two years ago are no longer around. It was a startling difference."
He adds that similar to the rise of the dot-coms, there was a lot of hype surrounding the advent of e-learning. "A lot of people managed to raise capital to start ventures a few years ago and expected quick returns. But then the bubble burst. Now we are left with the companies that are going to be here for the long-term, and that has to be good for the industry."
This holds particularly true for the South African market which is now served by two major players in generic courseware, Thompson Learning/NETg and SmartForce/SkillSoft, with Harvard Business School Publishing having a strong niche in management development.
"These are the players that will be around in the future. Those that were in it for the short-term have disappeared," Robinson says.
The merger, he adds, means that customers now have more certainty around product and supply, and can be assured of continued service.
"What`s good for the industry in terms of consolidation is good for the customer. The market was previously confused and e-learning started to get a bad reputation. That will no longer be the case," Robinson concludes. "What the industry and market most need in my view is adaptability and sustainability," he suggests, "and that is what we are getting now."
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