Rototilt digs digitally

When Rototilt AB decided to digitalize its training programs a few years ago, they realized that the concept of online courses was more challenging than they had initially anticipated. Together with NXT Learning, they have now developed the initial courses and established a functional methodology for future course production.

Rototilt AB manufactures tiltrotators that are mounted on excavator’s arms. Their customers are distributors around the world who service and maintain their products. The fact that these individuals are trained has always been central to the company.

Purchasing and Aftermarket Manager, Jan Karlsson at Rototilt, shares how the idea of digital courses took shape:
– As our market has grown, it has become increasingly challenging to conduct traditional courses with physical meetings. Previously, we could travel around with a PowerPoint and deliver customer-specific training. Now, with sales companies across Europe starting to acquire customers in other parts of the world, that approach no longer works, especially not during a pandemic situation. We realized that the only way forward for us was to establish a foundation of digital training to disseminate knowledge about our products.

More challenging than expected

Jan Karlsson explains that the initial plan was for the company to acquire an LMS (Learning Management System) and quickly start publishing courses, but it turned out to be more challenging than they expected.
– We started discussing developing digital training about a year ago, and at that time, we thought that online courses couldn’t be that difficult. But the more we delved into it, the more we realized that it wasn’t that simple, especially since we had never done it before. We knew very little about how to structure a course and how to organize and arrange the content. It was challenging to gather materials, and we hit a roadblock.

At that point, Rototilt got in touch with NXT Learning, which not only provided a platform and course production but, most importantly, offered a methodology for how the course material should be structured.
– If we had done it ourselves, it would have turned into a comprehensive, three-hour training,” says Jan Karlsson, laughing. “But that’s where NXT Learning came in and taught us how to create courses with a clear purpose and structure.

First courses completed

Together with NXT Learning, they have started building a course library that not only covers their current needs but also aims to assist them in expanding into new markets with new products. The first courses in areas such as hydraulics and electronics are now completed and have been tested on reference groups within the organization to ensure quality. ‘We have tested the courses on both those familiar with the course content and those who are not. It has helped us understand how to structure the courses and how to work with content, animations, etc. Now that we know what we can do and how to do it, we can start developing more complex, specific product training. Another requirement from Rototilt was that the courses should also be easily usable by their OEM customers.

– The excavator manufacturers we supply naturally want the courses branded with their own logo. Therefore, NXT Learning has assisted us in a way that the courses are saved in a format where the OEM customer’s branding is automatically applied to the course.