The demand for virtual software experiences is growing dramatically, both for sales organizations and customer training teams. Anecdotally, this has been true for nearly two years — the new remote reality from 2020 onward accelerated the need for virtual platforms. But a new study from CloudShare is among the first to back up the stories with raw data. 

As forward-thinking organizations start to investigate options for engaging buyers digitally, it’s no surprise that CloudShare’s research identified a sharp increase in demand for virtual sales experiences. There was a 368% increase in virtual proof-of-concept experiences delivered on the CloudShare platform from 2020 to 2021, along with a 311% increase in activity on the same proof-of-concept environments. 

Similarly, there has been a significant increase in self-paced virtual learning. In a recent survey, 42% of software-as-a-service (SaaS) leaders said scheduling across the globe is their number one barrier to effective training. That’s one underlying factor behind the shift to self-paced learning in virtual environments. While virtual instructor-led training (VILT) still has a major place in onboarding and complex product training, CloudShare’s study found a major shift in 2021: VILT courses decreased by 16%, while self-paced experiences increased by 365%. 

Meanwhile, the use of multiple instructors in the same class has a positive impact on sales/training engagement. While self-paced learning is growing, live engagement still has an important place in prospect and customer interactions. One way to boost engagement is bringing multiple instructors into a VILT environment. CloudShare’s research found that companies using multiple instructors in a single class saw an average of 53% higher attendance and nearly 20% higher class completion rates. 

And finally, video conferencing affects participation like no other training tool. According to CloudShare’s study, in-app video conferencing brings class completion rates up to 67%, compared to just 46% when trainers and learners have to switch back and forth between materials and video conferencing.

The report from Cloudshare includes data from 500,000 unique CloudShare users.

Read the full report by CloudShare.