FMI, LearnSomething Inc. Team Up on Web-Based Employee Training

WASHINGTON -- The Food Marketing Institute said yesterday that it would join forces with Tallahassee, Fla.-based LearnSomething, Inc., a provider of e-learning and multimedia products, to offer retailers and wholesalers with Web-based training or store-level and management employees.

The first two programs, "Shoplifting Awareness" and "Suggestive Selling," are currently available for purchase. "Shoplifting Awareness" informs store-level personnel about the characteristics of shoplifters and organized retail theft rings, while "Suggestive Selling" tells associates how to greet customers, ask questions and listen effectively, and sell products. A third program, "Sexual Harassment," coming in June, will clearly define the types of sexual harassment for store-level associates and managers.

As a result of the collaboration, many of FMI's most popular educational and training videos will be formatted for online use. FMI and LearnSomething will also develop original programs based on retail and wholesale needs.

"FMI and LearnSomething's partnership will provide new opportunities for food retail associates to improve their basic skills and enhance their professional development," noted FMI s.v.p. Michael Sansolo in a statement.

Among the many advantages the Web-based approach offers are a cost-effective alternative to trainers and video products; a convenient method for learning that can be used at any time; and a high level of customization that matches educational material to employee level, according to FMI.

"LearnSomething is pleased to work with FMI to offer its members high-quality training solutions that will meet the unique needs of the supermarket industry," said LearnSomething c.e.o. Steve Roden. "These programs expand beyond our current collaborative course on food safety training, 'SuperSafeMark,' to include two new programs focused on the retail best practices for solution selling and loss prevention. The programs are not only great learning experiences, but with the online tracking capability, retail management can better ensure their compliance and readiness throughout their organizations."

Samples of the new programs can be viewed at http://www.learnsomething.com/fmicourses, and a complete list of training products will be available for purchase through the online FMI Store (http://www.fmi.org/store). The average cost for a single user will range from $30 to $60, with the cost decreasing as companies increase their number of users.
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