Questions You Need To Ask Potential CBT Vendors

February 8, 2013 No Comments

Below are the 33 critical questions you need to ask each prospective CBT vendor:

• How long has your company been in business?
• How many employees do you have?  
• Where are they located?  Any near me?
• What industries do you specialize in?  
• How many employees do you have that have actually worked in these industries?
• How long have you offered safety training programs?  How long have you offered online CBT products?
• Who develops your training programs’ content [in-house (preferred) or outside]?  We prefer courses developed by experienced/degreed safety professionals with CSP, CIH, and/or OSHA experience.
• Describe the major types of training products you offer (e.g. DVD kits, streaming video, online training, intranet, blended).
• Can your products be integrated into my SCORM compliant Learning Management System (LMS)?
• What computer hardware and software is required to run your programs?
• What Internet speed do I need to use your products?
• How do you keep your programs up to date?
• What instructional materials (e.g. sign-in sheets, posters, instructors guide, student guide, worksheets, certificates, wallet cards) do you provide with a program?
• Are your programs customizable so they can be made site specific?
• Do your programs run on mobile devices?  If so, which ones (smart phones/tablets, Apple/Android)?
• Can I view a free preview (or a free trial) of your products without having to sign up?
• Will I get unlimited access to your entire library of titles?
• What languages do your programs come in?
• If a student has a question, are they able to contact a U.S. customer service rep to get an immediate answer?  If so, how (instant messaging, Skype, discussion boards, online chat room, email, phone)?
• How much do your products cost?  What are my purchasing options? Do I have to pay state sales tax, or shipping/handling fees?
• Do you have a money-back guarantee?  If so, for how many days (14 days is customary)?
• How many titles do you currently have?
• What titles do you have that are specific to my industry?
• How long does a typical training session last?
• Are your courses self-paced?
• What types of built in-interactive exercises are included (e.g. pre-tests, lesson tests, interactive checklists, final exams)? 
• Are students send automatic reminders when training is due?
• Do you have instructors who are available to provide on-site instructor-led blended training (aka synchronous learning)?
• What type of reporting/documentation is provided to track completed training and test scores?
• Do most orders ship within one day?
• Do you accept purchase orders?
• Do you have a salesperson who’s available to meet with me?
• Give me the names of 3 customers who are similar to my company that I can contact for references.

 

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