MetLife gets virtual. It pays.

MetLife Financial Services offers face-to-face financial services advice through 255 agencies in key markets across the United States. In 1999, after extensive best practice research, MLFS's training and development staff recognized that technology-enabled learning can deliver high benefits to a dispersed workforce, including

• decreased travel and lodging costs
• fewer productivity disruptions
• reduced employee stress from traveling
• consistent delivery to a wider audience
• reliable, just-in-time content.

For MLFS, delivering training to a dispersed workforce forced us to investigate distance learning as a delivery option. Another reason to develop distance learning was the need for MLFS sales representatives to prepare for mandated examinations and learn new product information and procedural changes quickly. However, questions persisted: How could we retain the impact and immediacy of face-to-face instruction while reaping the benefits of distance learning? How could MLFS retain participant interactivity, a known success factor in adult learning.

Enter the MLFS virtual classroom, an online learning delivery system that brings interactive, real-time classroom experience to sales people via their laptop computers. Courses are instructor-led, with one-way audio from the instructor to participants. Participants respond using a public chat area and by clicking on specific response buttons. Private chat with the instructor is also available.

Over the course of 18 months, the following critical success factors were uncovered:

Assess and build from current programs. When it's time to make decisions about new learning opportunities, most organizations build on what already exists. In general, organizations don’t have the luxury of starting from a clean slate. Thus, taking inventory is critical.

In our case, the organization already had some distance learning basics established before the virtual classroom was introduced, including a branded Website dedicated to the professional development, performance support, and training of the sales force. The Website served as a centralized learning repository that was available 24/7. In addition, salespeople were issued a standard laptop computer when hired. Each laptop was configured with standard issue software, some proprietary programs, and Internet access.

However, our sales offices had limited bandwidth capacity, creating the challenge of choosing a virtual classroom that would be accessible to as many people as possible.

Choose the best delivery partner for your requirements. To begin our search for a virtual classroom vendor, we compiled a list of crucial requirements. The first list was overwhelming and sometimes contradictory. For instance, we wanted every feature currently available but at the lowest cost. Fortunately, we had prepared a thorough assessment and were armed against making an uninformed decision. We revisited the requirements list, distilling it to only factors that we would use to judge vendors, including

• ease of use for participants and instructors
• minimal impact on in-house networks
• ability to pass our internal quality tests
• few plug-ins
• price
• quality of audio
• easy deployment of the audio component.

Most important, we looked for a company that was interested in being a partner, rather than a vendor.

Design and implement rigorous pilot programs. In order to test new technology for infrastructure and learning issues, the team designed a series of pilot classes to answer the following questions:

• Would participants be able to relate to the virtual classroom interface? For example, could they use the chat function to ask questions and respond to the instructor immediately?
• Would participants learn equally well in the virtual classroom as the traditional classroom?
• How would the network respond to the software? Could participants stay connected?

We observed particpants and administered knowledge acquisition tests and participant satisfaction evaluations for three classes. The classes differed in design and content. For each class, we established two groups: one taught in the traditional classroom and the other taught via the virtual classroom.

Participant observation revealed that learners had zero problems interacting with the software. In fact, the participants demonstrated surprising sophistication in solving problems on their own. Tests on the content showed the same average scores for virtual and face-to-face learners, and the same range of scores overall. Participants also were asked to evaluate three class dimensions separately: content, instructors, and technology. For the virtual classroom, content and instructor scores ranged from satisfied to very satisfied. Technology received mixed results.

The technical challenges of running the virtual classroom application on our internal networks took weeks to solve. Our advice: Expect the unexpected.

Track benefits and costs diligently. As with any learning program, it's essential to track and monitor activity in the virtual classroom. However, cost-benefit analysis is more critical for new projects that require substantial initial investments of money, time, and other resources. Inability to demonstrate value in concrete ways will damage the credibility of the new initiative.

Our analysis found that we delivered 45 types of classes to 1300 participants during the first full year of operation; an equal number of learners used the 15 available archives. Our financial results during the same period showed a 3:1 ratio. We included the licensing contract, compensation, and equipment costs in calculating our investment costs. We also compared our initial investment against travel and lodging savings.

Determine best content and usage. Not all content is appropriate for online delivery. We found that the virtual classroom was most successful when used to reinforce subject matter in which participants had received some basic training and to prepare participants for an intensive classroom experience.

For example, new sales representatives that lack a financial industry background attend a week-long basic training class. Because learners from across the United States attend the class, the investment is considerable. Although participants were required to complete several assignments before coming to class, many arrived unprepared. Our team developed a virtual class covering a checklist of activities and assignments to review and a big picture view explaining why new hires were required to complete the program. All new hires were directed to the class archive. Consequently, more learners came to class prepared and, equally important, motivated.

In another example, sales representatives who are advancing in their careers are nominated for a four-day classroom session on MetLife’s financial planning process and principles. However, newly minted planners who attended the class still struggled to produce the promised financial results. A survey revealed that participants felt they needed more long-term assistance and guidance. MLFS designed a series of virtual classes that reinforced key points taught in the classroom. Analysis showed marked improvement in productivity and increased confidence among planners who used the online resources.

Build partnerships between technology providers and content developers. Almost two years after introducing the virtual classroom to MLFS’s sales force, we discovered the most important success factor: a creative partnership between technology providers and content developers. The relationship between the two groups moved beyond mere good working relationships and productive team skills to build an alliance that's fueled by a persistent customer focus. Our team defined customer focus as a commitment to understanding customer needs and expectations, and bringing in-depth that knowledge into the development of every virtual class. Here are some ways to accomplish that task:

• Conduct focus groups and surveys to determine the subjects that field associates think are worth spending time to develop.
• Administer customized evaluations after each class, monitoring and feeding the results into a continuous improvement process.
• Publish the results of course evaluations and tests to participants and managers.

While working together, our team developed a fusion of expertise that was far more valuable than the technical and creative contributions of each individual. That, combined with a fanatical customer focus, resulted in successful ongoing e-learning service to our workers in the field. That legacy--the knowledge transfers between team members--became the foundation for new e-learning initiatives.

The future

The development team at MLFS is confident that there will be continued growth of the virtual classroom during the coming year. Indeed, other groups in the MetLife enterprise have expressed interest in adding virtual classes to their learning programs. In addition, advances in our internal network capability and hardware are making it possible to design more fully realized classroom interactivity among participants.

For instance, we've moved from using a conference call to connect expert panels to a moderator-facilitated virtual class at a studio, streaming the audio to participants over the intranet. The moderator in the virtual class experienced unparalleled flexibility, calling on any expert to add rich, up-to-the-minute information that's unavailable elsewhere. We've added a virtual whiteboard that lets instructors hold brainstorming sessions or capture ideas during a virtual class, making participants feel heard and part of a learning community. Likewise, we intend to explore new uses of the virtual classroom, including collaboration tools for learning between peers and ways to extend classes to such key business partners as third-party benefit consultants.

The virtual classroom at MLFS has far exceeded its expectations. Online learning has been well received by participants. More important, the virtual classes have delivered the financial results promised by distance learning.

Published: May 2001