From field service training to video podcasts

Continuous learning at Kärcher

Kärcher is the world market leader in the field of cleaning equipment. Whether for home users or in the commercial sector, the products with the distinctive yellow color are omnipresent.

The family-owned company from Baden-Württemberg employs more than 15,000 people in 80 countries. More than 50,000 service points in all countries ensure a seamless supply to customers all over the world.

Continuous learning is important to the company. Under the heading "WOW Development", the company operates its own campus and offers employees a wide range of development opportunities.

Decentralized learning environment with SlidePresenter

To strengthen digital learning, Kärcher introduced SlidePresenter software in 2020. "We were undergoing a digital transformation process at the time. Due to the strong trend towards working from home, we needed a solution that would enable decentralized learning," explains Michael Pirke, responsible for the Kärcher Academy. "We didn't just want to send Powerpoints, we also wanted to share the speaker's important explanations interactively."

SlidePresenter was introduced step by step. It started with training videos for the sales force, which had to be reached at many locations. These videos were initially created by the academy's trainers.

Other departments and authors from customer service and personnel development were gradually integrated. "We got off to a quick start and the support was great! We not only received technical support, but also didactic tips. That helped us a lot in this new medium, even for us," recalls Pirke of the first few months.

"It's very easy to create content"

In addition to the internal sales network, product training courses are now also shared with the large external dealer network. This is done very transparently using the corresponding release guidelines in SlidePresenter. "We use SlidePresenter from managers to traditional field service or service technicians, from the HR department to our trade partners throughout Germany," says Michael Pirke, summarizing the wide range of applications.

In addition, Kärcher also publishes podcasts or video podcasts for internal communication with the SlidePresenter authoring tool.

Since its launch, more than 800 pieces of content have already been produced with SlidePresenter. These are currently accessed more than 5,000 times per quarter - and the trend is rising.

Michael Pirke is still convinced: "It is very easy to create content, even without experience in film editing. Easy sharing via a link and full control over video material and training materials are still the main benefits for us."