Renewable Energy Systems Ltd has outsourced its end-user training to specialist IT skills consultancy Optimum.

Organisations invest in the best business systems to make themselves as efficient as possible. However, it’s the not the system itself that makes the difference but how it’s actually used by their employees. RES, one of the world’s leading renewable energy developers, is one company that recognises that a spend on software is very much more effective with a corresponding investment in IT skills training for its staff.

“Back in 2007, the various RES markets were solely focused on the core business of developing and constructing wind farms, placing constraints on the time they could contribute to Group initiatives. Simultaneously the Group were introducing a complex finance system that would impact on virtually every employee but with little or no training facilities, equipment, documentation or expertise,” said Tony Fidler, RES’ Agresso system development manager.

Optimum and RES have since developed a close relationship which has grown from the original implementation, through monthly ‘business-as-usual’ training for new joiners, to a recent major system upgrade and extra training on the new functionality that RES is introducing as it continually develops its system.

Tony Fidler noted that the revamped upgrade training has had a noticeable impact on the users: “It’s certainly helped change attitudes to the system. The number of negative comments has reduced and the amount of requests for training support from individuals has dropped as well. The quality of the Optimum trainers was a key factor here. We put them in front of staff at all levels in the company and we didn’t get a single negative comment back but a lot of very positive ones. I’m delighted,” he added. “It couldn’t have gone better.”

Going forward, RES will continue to develop its Agresso system, using more of the system’s functionality to submit credit card expenses for example. Optimum is likely to be involved in the user training. Working with Optimum has also boosted RES’ own in-house training capabilities. The company now does its own ‘business-as-usual’ training on the system and is looking at developing more webex sessions, however Tony Fidler believes they will always need a specialist user training resource.

“Getting the user training right at the beginning is critical,” he said. “If it gets off on the wrong foot, it’s very hard to turn it round later. That’s why professional trainers can add so much value and Optimum has certainly got it right for us. We’ve grown together.”

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