Basware evaluates its personnel’s and retail dealers’ competence through certification tests
Prewise has produced a certification tool for Basware which is used in the personnel’s and retail dealers’ certification process. The test helps measuring the knowledge learned during the process, and the adequate competence level is guaranteed.
Basware is an international software house which develops solutions for large enterprises in order to automate their financial processes. The company has more than 650 employees in Finland and in eight subsidiaries in Europe and United States. The company has also a wide partner net and it has more than 70 retail dealers in more than 30 countries. Maintaining and testing the competence of geographically dispersed personnel and retail dealer net demands constant actions, and e-learning offers great tools for that.
- With the help of the certification test we evaluate both Basware’s personnel and retail dealers. Basware’s consulting and sales personnel have to pass the certification test and the related academy when joining our work force. The certification is an important part of the new salesperson’s or consultant’s training since passing the certification test shows that the new employee has adequate knowledge and proficiency to do the job, says Global Training Manager Nina Koivikko on the Basware certification principals.
- As for the retail dealers, the certification test grants them to be Basware’s certified partner, Koivikko continues.
Sanna Burton and Nina Koivikko from Basware are happy
with the certification tool.
Two routes to certification
- There are two possible routes to certification depending on the performer’s background and experience. For the new Basware employees and retail dealers the route to certification goes always through the academy. The academy lasts few months and it involves studying by oneself, as well as face-to-face and practical training. Passing the certification test is usually the academy’s final stage after which the participant becomes fully certified, says Koivikko.
- For more experienced retail dealers we give the possibility to make the certification test if they already have adequate knowledge on Basware products.
Prewise Gimlet LMS as the solution for the test tool
Basware’s certification tool is carried out with the Prewise Gimlet LMS system, which allows Basware to create and maintain new tests for different needs. Prewise has trained Basware’s contact persons in the Prewise Gimlet system’s use so that they are able to administer the whole process: producing and maintaining tests, inviting employees to do the test as well as follow-up and reporting.
- At the moment we have three different tests in use. In the future we will also make tests relating to renewing the certification in order to test that the certified person’s competence is on track. The renewing will be done once a year, Koivikko tells about Basware’s future plans.
Online testing provides time saving and flexibility
In the past the testing was done traditionally with a test on paper.
- In our case moving from paper to online test has meant saving time, since we don’t have to go through the answers manually. Also reporting is done through the system. We have also felt that it is very useful that we can set the system to ask randomly only part of the saved questions. This guarantees that the test is different every time and so it measures better the level of competence, says Basware Training Assistant Sanna Burton.
- The online test gives the participant the freedom to do the test anywhere where Internet connection is available, and anytime which is good for the participant.The tool was taken into use in the end of the summer and over 100 persons so far have completed the online test.
Online testing pleases the retail dealers
- After taking the certification tool into use, we have strongly encouraged our retail dealers to certify themselves. Academy programs and certification process in its present form haven’t been in use for that long, so we haven’t had a settled retail dealers’ certification practice before, says Burton.
- Without the online tool, motivating to certification would be much more difficult, but online tool makes participating to the test flexible and effortless. The reception has been positive and many of our retail dealers have already achieved certification, says Burton happily.
User feedback positive without an exception
- The certification system collects feedback from each user in the end of the test. We have received a lot of positive feedback from the test’s user environment and usability. We have also received development ideas for both test environment and test questions, says Burton.
- Many participants emphasize the advantage that making the test is not bound to certain place or time.
For more information on Basware, go to www.basware.com
Text: Jaana Raaska