Historically, cloud software has been about standardization—meaning a company needs to adapt its processes to the technology instead of the on-premise method of adapting technology to processes.
However, there are exceptions, and development tools such as the SAP Cloud Platform allow for an organization to expand on cloud software to fit a specific need.
For Hydro-Québec, North America’s largest utility, the challenge was training 20,000 employees who are serving more than four million customers. The utility industry presents a unique training challenge with many employees out in the field while others are in the office. That means training from employee to employee can vary greatly, and that presents a challenge for those tasked with scheduling and providing training.
If You Need It, Build It
Previously, Hydro-Québec used a home-grown training planning tool that wasn’t meeting the highly complex learning processes and large volumes of sessions it needed to wrangle. That made it tough to implement a successful learning strategy.
The goal for Hydro-Québec was to centralize its learning by getting a comprehensive overview of its training practices and the activities of its more than 250 trainers. Once the learning organization has that total view, it can better plan training that fits the individual schedules and function needs of its employees.
The SAP SuccessFactors Learning Management System (LMS) provided an excellent end-user experience that appealed to a wide variety of potential trainees. From there, Hydro-Québec looked to a go a step further to achieve its learning goals by creating a great experience for trainers and schedulers as well.
That’s where the SAP Cloud Platform and Rizing’s learning experts came into play. Hydro-Québec needed to extend its SuccessFactors LMS module, and Rizing helped build the LMS Planner solution on SAP Cloud Platform that gave trainers and schedulers access to all of Hydro-Quebec’s employee training needs and schedules, allowing for better coordination.
“We have enabled our training teams to react quickly and better serve our advanced operational needs,” said Marlène Larue, Director, Training and Development Human Resources at Hydro-Québec.
The Benefits of Innovation
Going forward, Hydro-Québec will benefit from the SAP Cloud Platform extension through better long-term forecasting and planning of training and greater transparency with reporting output for its business partners.
However, the overall goal of the project was to ensure Hydro-Québec provided the best service for its customers. With the ability to better target training programs for its employees in a more efficient manner, Hydro-Québec can get closer to ensuring a great customer experience across its footprint in the Quebec province.
So far, Hydro-Québec has seen a 25 percent dip in the effort required for training planning optimization which equates to three full-time equivalent positions.
That’s the benefit of being able to develop extensions for cloud software beyond basic standardization. Instead of trying to fit a round peg in a square hole with its training programs, Hydro-Québec partnered with Rizing HCM to build a learning management solution that fit its needs—and will fit the needs of many other companies everywhere with diverse workforces and high volumes of training.
Need More?
To find out more about how Rizing can help you achieve a better learning program, check out LMS Planner.