Extended Enterprise Training 101

Have you recently been introduced to the term "extended enterprise?" Perhaps you are a training manager who manages partner training. Or maybe you are tasked with improving your company's customer success. In this article, we look at what a company's extended enterprise is, and what extended enterprise training entails.

Photo by StockMonkeys.com / CC BY

Defining Extended Enterprise

A company's extended enterprise includes each external group (non-employees) that makes up the company's network. This can include: customers, channel partners, franchises, advertising agencies and other external groups.

The term "extended enterprise" was coined in the 1990's by the Chrysler Corporation, focusing on the collaboration needed between suppliers and manufacturers. Today, the term has a broader meaning, expanding to include any external group with direct impact on, or directly impacted by, a company.

Extended Enterprise Training

Extended enterprise training refers to educating an organization’s external audiences. Common use cases include:

• Customers: Providing training for initial product onboarding and ongoing customer success.
• Channel Partners: Certifying channel and distribution partners with the information and skills needed to best sell your product.
• Suppliers: Educating supply chain partners on software tools, contracts, quality, environmental standards, and expected working conditions.

Download free eBook 

Extended enterprise training presents unique challenges for trainers which differ from employee training. To learn more about extended enterprise training, download our free eBook. "Choosing an LMS for Customer Training" dives into the unique considerations that arise when choosing an LMS for customer and other extended enterprise training.

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