How Enablement Teams Can Level Up with Virtual IT Labs
Let’s be real—being part of an enablement team is no small task. You’re juggling a million things: getting new hires up to speed, empowering partners to sell confidently, and helping customers actually use the cool features you’ve built. It’s a lot. And while traditional training methods get the job done, they often fall short in scalability, engagement, and, let’s face it, excitement.
That’s where remote labs come in. Think of them as your secret weapon—a way to make training hands-on, interactive, and (dare we say) actually fun. Let’s break it down.
What Are Virtual IT Labs?
Okay, imagine this: instead of giving someone a long-winded demo or a dense manual, you give them an actual playground where they can test out tools, systems, and processes. It’s like a digital twin of your IT environment, except without the pressure of breaking anything important.
For enablement teams, this is gold. Research shows that interactive, hands-on training improves retention rates by up to 75% compared to traditional methods (officedynamics.com). Labs let your team create tailored, immersive training experiences that meet people where they are regardless of there current knowledge level of your platform —whether they’re a new hire, a long-time customer, or a sales partner.
Why Enablement Teams Love Labs
Let’s talk about whyl remoe labs are the ultimate upgrade for enablement teams. Spoiler: they fix a lot of the headaches you probably deal with daily.
1. Consistency and Scalability
Training 10 people in one location is one thing, but training 1,000 across the globe? That’s where labs shine. They let you deliver the same high-quality experience no matter where your team—or your audience—is located. Companies using labs have reduced logistical costs by as much as 40% while maintaining consistent training quality across regions (Deloitte).
2. Real-World Skill Retention
We all know that doing beats watching when it comes to learning. With labs, people actually get to try out your product, features, or workflows, building confidence and skills as they go. That’s why hands-on training in virtual labs has been shown to accelerate onboarding by 20% (Training Industry).
3. Actionable Data
Want to know what people are struggling with or which features excite them? Virtual labs track all that. Data-driven training strategies not only boost learner performance by 30% but also provide valuable insights for tailoring follow-ups and improving content (McKinsey).
4. Flexibility for Busy Schedules
People are busy—it’s just a fact. Remote labs let them learn at their own pace, on their own time, from anywhere. This flexibility keeps learners engaged and ensures higher completion rates, as studies show self-paced learning increases satisfaction by 18% (LinkedIn Learning).
Additional Benefits of Virtual IT Labs
1. Cost-Effective Training
Traditional training methods—think on-site workshops, printed manuals, and physical setups—can get expensive. Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT) eliminates the need for costly travel, venue bookings, and equipment rentals, delivering high-impact training at a fraction of the cost.
2. Gamification for Engagement
Who says training can’t be fun? Gamification features like leaderboards, achievement badges, and timed challenges can be part of the training experience to make learning competitive and enjoyable. TalentLMS found that gamified training increased learner engagement by 89%.
3. Safe Learning Environments
Mistakes are a part of learning, but making them in a live environment can be costly—or even risky. Remote labs provide a safe space where users can test scenarios, make errors, and learn without real-world consequences.
4. Training Across the Employee Lifecycle
From onboarding to leadership development, remote training labs can be adapted to meet the needs of every career stage. They’re a versatile tool for continuously upskilling employees and helping them grow within your organization.
How Enablement Teams Use Remote Labs
Now that you know the benefits, let’s talk about how teams are actually using lab environments. These aren’t just theoretical ideas—they’re proven ways to up your enablement game.
1. Employee Onboarding and Upskilling
New hires don’t want to sit through hours of presentations—they want to jump in and start learning. Labs let them practice in a safe, hands-on environment, making the transition faster and less intimidating. Companies using labs for onboarding report significant time savings, with employees ramping up faster and performing better on the job.
2. Partner Training and Certification
Training partners isn’t just about teaching product features—it’s about building real expertise. Labs make it easy to run certification programs that partners can complete on their own schedule. Certification programs using labs have been shown to increase partner readiness by 30% while reducing support requests by up to 15% (emerald.com).
3. Customer Enablement and Feature Adoption
Customers are more likely to adopt new features when they can try them out risk-free. Remote labs give them a sandbox to experiment in, boosting confidence and reducing the need for support calls. Training programs that incorporate labs have seen a 25% increase in customer engagement (eLearning Industry).
4. Sales Enablement and Live Demos
Static sales presentations? Boring. Labs let your prospects experience the product firsthand, making demos more impactful and speeding up the sales cycle. Gartner research highlights that hands-on demos can increase conversion rates by up to 30% (Gartner).
Case Study: How OLI Systems Transformed Training
Let’s look at OLI Systems, a leader in electrolyte chemistry simulation software. They used ReadyTech’s virtual IT labs to solve their training challenges:
- Employee Onboarding: New hires got hands-on experience from day one, reducing ramp-up time.
- Partner Certification: Certification programs helped partners gain confidence and expertise, lowering support needs.
- Customer Enablement: Customers explored new features in a controlled environment, leading to better adoption and fewer support tickets.
The result? Scalable, engaging training that worked for everyone—employees, partners, and customers alike.
Emerging Trends in Virtual IT Labs
1. AI-Powered Personalization
Labs are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence to personalize learning paths based on individual performance. This ensures learners get targeted support where they need it most.
2. Collaborative Training for Remote Teams
Labs now include collaborative tools, enabling teams to work together in real-time simulations. This fosters stronger team dynamics, even for fully remote groups.
3. Sustainability in Training
By eliminating travel and reducing reliance on printed materials, remote labs are an environmentally friendly option for modern training programs.
How ReadyTech Can Help You Build a Smarter Enablement Strategy
At ReadyTech, we’re all about making your enablement efforts smoother, smarter, and more effective. Here’s how we do it:
- Tailored Labs: We help you design custom virtual labs for onboarding, certification, customer training, or even sales demos. Your audience gets an experience that feels like it was built just for them.
- Real-Time Analytics: Our labs come with built-in tracking tools to show you exactly where users excel and where they need extra support. With this data, you can refine your training for maximum impact.
- Integration with Your Systems: ReadyTech’s labs plug seamlessly into your LMS, giving you a complete view of your training ecosystem.
- Scalable Solutions: Whether you’re training a handful of people or a thousand, our cloud-based labs scale effortlessly while delivering consistent quality.
- Ongoing Support: We don’t just set you up and walk away. Our team is here to provide ongoing support, updates, and ideas to keep your training programs evolving.
Let’s Build Something Great Together
Remote labs aren’t just a training tool—they’re the key to transforming how your team works, learns, and grows. If you’re ready to take your enablement strategy to the next level, let’s talk. Whether it’s onboarding new employees, empowering partners, or helping customers master your products, ReadyTech has the expertise to help you succeed.
Contact us today to see how virtual IT labs can make your enablement strategy unstoppable.