Case Studies

2 To learn more, visit us at www.opensesame.com or contact us at (503) 808-1268 To learn more, visit us at www.opensesame.com or contact us at (503) 808-1268 2 Once the skill gaps were identified, it would have been easy to flip a switch and simply require training for their suppliers as a matter of course. Instead, the Supplier Diversity team created a pilot program for a group of 12 suppliers to gauge interest and see what training modules would be most utilized. According to the Grocer's Supplier Diversity Manager "it was like we struck a match…". The pilot participants fell in love and quickly adopted the training into their businesses. From there, the organization recognized that the procurement teams (those who worked closest with the small-business suppliers) were best positioned to continue introducing the training program within the communities and identify additional suppliers that would benefit the most from the training. Right away, and somewhat surprisingly, the pilot learners consumed ALL of the courses. It was so successful that when the learners were surveyed, the feedback brought 'happy tears' to some of the rollout team. One supplier even stated "this is why I do business with (Grocer). Because you care." Another learner, head of a well-known product brand, went into the learning program vocally skeptical of the need for a business planning course. After completing the module, however, they reported wishing it had been longer! Their learning program consists of more than 50 course modules - about half of these courses are created by internal subject matter experts and business teams, focusing on organization-specific processes and systems. The other half are from the OpenSesame catalog, serving as"supplementary training". This hybrid approach has allowed the organization to identify where they need to build training and where they can maximize their investment in curated off-the-shelf courses–creating a comprehensive professional development program for the small businesses. The craving for course content was always there, and leveraging the procurement teams as "the front line" to deliver what the small businesses needed was the most appropriate and authentic way to deliver the training. However, as any L&D team will tell you, sometimes the day gets away from a learner and they need a little nudge. Here again, the Grocer leads with an authentic desire to be of service and works with their learners to help them finish the courses by sending reminders or extending deadlines as necessary. Quizzes at the end of modules are appreciated and help the learners truly capture the information. This pilot learning program has already created a positive impact - not just on the supplier community's ability to scale their businesses, but it has also revealed the need for similar training programs throughout the organization. With help from our Customer Success team, the Grocer will be scaling the program using a blend of in-house training and curated content from the OpenSesame catalog. Rollout with authenticity to attract learners The hybrid approach More than delivering the right courses Momentum for continued growth The Supplier Diversity Manager explains,"It might be a service provider or stay-at-home mom who just wanted to continue the legacy of their Grandma's recipe… they entered their product into our contest and won, suddenly they need real business skills. They may not be able to commit fully to taking a course or paying for school but through our program, it's not intimidating. They get real feedback and the training gives those suppliers a one- up in their businesses - the content we get from OpenSesame are those courses that (the small businesses) would need to pay for at a University."

• Cover