Anixter Selects GeoLearning’s Hosted LMS to Power Blended Learning

GeoLearning, Inc., the leading provider of ASP-hosted human capital management and development (HCMD) solutions, announced today that Anixter International, Inc. (NYSE: AXE), the world’s leading distributor of wiring systems, networking products and fasteners, has selected the company’s GeoMaestro™ learning management platform to administer blended learning for its 5,000 global employees. Anixter’s deployment also includes GeoLearning’s Class & Event Scheduler to manage classroom-based training, as well as its MyPlan module to prescribe and manage employee development plans.

GeoMaestro is an Internet-hosted human capital management and development platform that enables organizations to capture, create, manage and share knowledge to improve workforce productivity, accelerate critical business processes, and drive organizational performance. The system centralizes and automates the entire learning management process, making the administration of enterprise learning and development both effective and efficient.

“Anixter’s culture has always placed a high value on educating and mentoring employees by direct personal communication and face-to-face classroom instruction,” said Jim Serenbetz, vice president of technology markets and learning at Anixter. “However, in 2001 a challenging economy combined with ongoing process improvement activities motivated us to invest in a Learning Management System (LMS) to provide training faster and more efficiently. Since then, e-learning has become our primary global delivery mechanism for self-directed study and classroom pre-work. We’ve found online learning management to be invaluable for improving content quality, consistency and keeping material up-to-date. By delivering factual information online in advance of class sessions, we’ve been able to reduce the number of class days required for skill development and spend more class time on practice versus presentation. Additionally, overall administrative costs, travel and expense budgets have been reduced using an LMS.”

Anixter moved to GeoLearning’s platform in early 2004 because its functionality complemented the company’s growing business needs and provided the flexibility to support an evolving learning model. Today, Anixter’s learning strategy is based on a blended model built around the delivery of topical facts online, followed by practice workshops facilitated by field managers. The GeoLearning platform provides field managers with easy access to learning transcripts and instructional tools, as well as more options for prescribing individual employee development paths. As a global company, Anixter also found it easier to share content and leverage these benefits with a greater degree of consistency across multiple business segments and geographic regions which include the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.

“While no LMS will provide everything an organization needs right out of the box, GeoLearning could provide most of the features and level of customer support we required,” said Serenbetz. “But most importantly, the GeoLearning staff expressed a real desire to work with us to achieve specific business goals, and they’ve delivered. Together we’ve created a blended learning system that supports an atmosphere of continuous on-demand learning and successfully meets our delivery, reporting and administrative needs. Above all, the GeoLearning LMS has helped us meet the needs of the typical Anixter learner—it’s always available, and it’s easy to use.”

About GeoLearning, Inc.
GeoLearning is the leading provider of ASP-hosted human capital management and development (HCMD) solutions, having been chosen by more than 350 organizations around the world to manage learning and development. The company’s GeoMaestro™ and GeoExpress™ learning management platforms offer robust registration, tracking and reporting functionality crucial for managing enterprise-wide learning, development and knowledge acquisition. With no hardware or software to install, GeoLearning’s ASP-hosted platforms can be deployed quickly, allowing clients to efficiently manage human capital development, accelerate critical business processes, and drive organizational performance. Additional information is available at www.geolearning.com.

About Anixter International
Anixter International is the world’s leading distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire and cable, and a leading distributor of fasteners and other small parts (“C” Class inventory components) to Original Equipment Manufacturers. The company adds value to the distribution process by providing its customers access to 1) innovative inventory management programs; 2) more than 225,000 products and $500 million in inventory; 3) 151 warehouses with more than 4.5 million square feet of space; and 4) locations in 180 cities in 42 countries. Founded in 1957 and headquartered near Chicago, Anixter trades on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AXE. For more information visit www.anixter.com.