To become effective in your use of information, you can use technology to learn—not only about what certain information means—but more basically how to perform your work responsibilities better. Brink’s Home Security implemented an e-learning management system in 2005 to help (1) train its 2,600 employees, (2) increase customer retention, (3) improve profits, and (4) reduce employee turnover.

Many of Brink’s field personnel work nights and weekends installing home security systems. For them, instructor-led training classes in a central location (Brink’s has a nationwide field workforce) created problems and simply didn’t work.

The new e-learning management system helps managers develop customized online training modules and allows field personnel to access those modules 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The system even provides skills assessment and other forms of evaluation.

The total investment in the system for Brink’s was $300,000. It expects to save $500,000 in the first three years as a result of replacing instructor-led classes with the e-learning modules. Brink’s has already noticed that its better-trained field personnel have improved profit margins and increased customer retention.