The Next Wave in Customer Education: 8 Future Changes

By John Leh and Brett Strauss

Forecasting the future is fun because there are no wrong answers. But some are better than others. Which of the eight predictions below are most likely to leave the biggest mark on the future of customer education? To find out what Brett and John think, tune-in to this 10-minute video…

EDITOR’S NOTE: This Customer Ed Nuggets content has been adapted and published with permission from the Talented Learning blog.

I’ve been part of the customer education community for almost three decades, and it’s been stable up until recently. While newcomers once tackled a steep learning curve, staying updated was relatively straightforward.

However, the landscape has shifted, making the future of customer education more unpredictable. What’s causing this shift? Here are the main reasons…

The factors shaping the future of customer education:

Tech that’s focused on customer education: Advancements in technology now make it easier to measure the actual business impact of customer education. This has led to increased demand, resulting in the emergence of a new LMS category dedicated to supporting customer education.
Interdisciplinary approach: Customer education now spans multiple disciplines such as learning, marketing, customer experience, and service. This interdisciplinary approach challenges everyone to step out of their comfort zones, integrating ideas, strategies, and technology.
Artificial intelligence: AI is revolutionizing various sectors, including customer education. The rapid pace of AI innovation is evident in learning tools and systems, although its precise impact on customer education remains to be seen.

What lies ahead?

What can you anticipate and why? How will technology innovation shape the landscape, and what changes will instructional strategies undergo in response?

These are crucial questions, prompting us to dig into future possibilities. Join us as we look into our crystal ball to explore the pivotal shifts that are likely to redefine customer education in the next three years.

While we can’t predict everything, certain developments merit closer attention. Tune in to Talented Learning’s 16th episode of the C ustomer Ed Nuggets podcast for insights into the future of customer education.

8 predictions for the future of customer education

These predictions from industry experts Brett Strauss and John Leh are already making waves in the industry and are poised to shape its trajectory over the next three years and beyond:

GenAI Impact: Generative AI, a recent entrant, is rapidly transforming customer education teams across various fronts, from course development, content productivity, strategy formulation, and cost-effectiveness. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more to come.
Untethered Learning: The evolution of learning platforms allows learners to access content seamlessly without the need for constant LMS logins. This flexibility enables real-time support at the point of need, with the added advantage of comprehensive activity tracking and analysis by the LMS.
Personalized Learning: Content delivery now extends beyond mere customization to adapt to learners’ goals, interests, and preferences. This adaptability extends to leveraging contextual cues such as past educational engagements, purchase history, and other relevant data points.
Convergence of Customer and Partner Education: Recognizing the strategic synergy, the distinction between customer and partner education will blur, prompting integrated management approaches for enhanced business outcomes.
Automated ROI Assessment: The future will include automated processes for measuring education success, seamlessly integrating data sources and generating custom analytics dashboards. All will be powered by AI-driven LMS capabilities.
Professional Certification in Customer Education: Anticipating a surge in demand for upskilling, industry bodies like CEdMA, CELab (Customer Education Lab), and Talented Learning are expected to roll out comprehensive certification programs that include learning, marketing, customer experience, use case scenarios, and technology competencies.
Academic Recognition: Forward-looking universities may introduce formal degree programs and certifications tailored to customer education, bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements.
Evolution of LMS Providers: The landscape of Learning Management Systems is set for further transformation through mergers and acquisitions, driving integration with complementary solutions in marketing, customer experience, support services, and learning operations. This ongoing disruption indicates a potential shift to different LMS platforms in the coming years.

These predictions reflect not just possibilities but impending realities that will reshape the customer education domain, urging everyone to embrace adaptability and innovation to stay relevant and successful.

Key Takeaways for the Future of Customer Education

The trends Brett and John outlined were not just theoretical; they are actively shaping the industry. Whether you’re aware of it or not, these shifts are impacting your organization. That’s why proactive planning for the future of customer education is imperative.

Time flies, and the rapid pace of change demands staying ahead rather than falling behind.

About Talented Learning Customer Ed Nuggets

Hosted by Talented Learning CEO John Leh, the Customer Ed Nuggets podcast is a trusted source of advice, guidance and best practices for customer education professionals of all types. In this series of brief video and audio “nuggets” (each 10 minutes or less), we explore key topics with numerous guest experts.

Today’s Guest Expert – Brett Strauss

It’s a pleasure to welcome back someone who’s been leading the way in customer and partner education since its early days — Brett Strauss, Founder and President of NetExam. As an expert in this domain, Brett understands how to define ROI metrics and use them effectively to measure business impact.

Learn More from Brett Strauss

Want more of Brett’s customer education wisdom? Check out these Talented Learning productions: