Savannah, GA -
In its agreement with Lithia, OnPoint will provide a complete e-learning software platform from which Lithia will provide training to its employees covering a variety of topics, from ADP and corporate HR-related courses to sales, time management, and recruiting courses. Online courseware will allow employees to take required training from a local personal computer, at whatever time is convenient in their own schedule, rather than attending a scheduled classroom training event - which often involves travel as well as time away from the job. Employees can now take a training course directly from their own desktop, or in the case of staff members who do not have their own PCs, take a training course from a dedicated training PC workstation at the dealership.
Training courses are typically 15 to 20 minutes in length, and may be comprised of any combination of text, audio, animation and video components to ensure that the material is compelling and interactive. Courses generally include one or more assessments that so the user's knowledge of the presented material is measured and recorded. Test scores and course completion details are stored in the employee's training records and available for manager review to assist in guiding professional development, for promotion determination and to ensure that compliance certifications are met and properly tracked.
OnPoint will provide a hosted solution for Lithia, including all hardware, software and underlying systems necessary to support the online training courses for Lithia's employees. OnPoint will also provide custom content creation for Lithia's training organization, utilizing materials already in existence at Lithia in text-based or PowerPoint format and converting them to online flash-based learning modules, adding audio narration and video as may be needed to enhance the message. Lithia expects to have twenty-five to thirty courses online by the end of the year, resulting in substantial cost savings and better trained employees. High turnover is a major factor in the automobile industry, and Lithia hopes to realize a decrease in turnover rate for new hires by providing them a more timely, consistently delivered, and effective training program.
Jennifer Higgins, Lithia's Director of HRIS, states that "Reducing the expense of delivering training to each dealership is our primary goal, followed by decreasing turnover of our sales and office staffs. We believe that e-learning will help us achieve a more consistent training effort, and the online testing and competency tracking of each employee will allow us to gauge the effectiveness of each course as well as better manage the career paths of our personnel." Lithia plans to train every position type at a dealership, including Sales, Service, Parts, Finance and Insurance, and Office Operations.
Flexibility Allows for Compelling Courseware
OnPoint's industry recognized tools allow any variety of media -- including text, digital photos/images, flash animations, audio, video, and presentation programs such as PowerPoint and Director files - to be incorporated into an online course and optimized for streaming over the Internet. These files are managed in OnPoint's learning content management system ("LCMS") database, allowing customers to easily assemble and update online courses and deliver them to their employees, partners and customers. Users can take online courses from any standard PC or Macintosh computer with an Internet connection and any standard web browser.
"A flexible platform to author in, along with the ease of capture, conversion and delivery are the design tenants of our online learning strategy," said
The OnPoint Learning Suite
OnPoint offers a comprehensive suite of software tools and applications that address all of the currently recognized e-learning standard requirements, including a customizable learner interface, full-featured content learning management and delivery system, integrated assessments module, and ongoing performance management reporting and analytics functions.
The OnPoint Learning Suite is based on leading edge technologies including open source or industry standard tools and platforms, XML documents, reusable courseware specifications (via SCORM), and the Java/J2EE development environment. Open source tools and platform alternatives drive down acquisition and maintenance costs, and a non-proprietary architecture facilitates superior price/performance realization. OnPoint's solutions are available via an enterprise license or ASP hosted implementation.
About OnPoint Digital, Inc.
OnPoint Digital, Inc. is a Savannah, Georgia-based software developer and systems integrator specializing in the design, delivery and support of next generation e-learning and performance improvement tools for middle market customers, typically 200 to 20,000 employees. By offering highly capable and integrated software solutions at competitive price points, OnPoint delivers value that meets the immediate needs of managers across several business disciplines including management, HR, IT, safety, compliance, sales and operations.
For more information about OnPoint Digital and its current offerings, please visit our web site at www.onpointdigital.com or contact us at (912) 790-0700.
About Lithia Motors, Inc.
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Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Director are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Flash is a trademark of Macromedia.
The OnPoint Learning Suite is a trademark of OnPoint Digital, Inc.