MindTickle Releases Version 2 of MindTickle for Sales

MindTickle, a learning platform provider, today released an updated version of its MindTickle for Sales training solution.

The original platform combined gamification and management features with the goal of streamlining inter-company training processes. With the offerings, managers can act independently to test their sales reps’ knowledge, track progress through data reports, and send out relevant content.

The goal of the bundle is to reduce the amount of time managers spend trying to improve their training processes manually, as well the amount of time it takes employees to adjust to their roles.

This latest update, which improves usability, comes just four months after MindTickle’s first unveiling of the product at Salesforce.com's DreamForce 2014 user conference. At DreamForce, the company announced its integration with Salesforce.com and its intention to target sales teams in the hopes that other company segments would follow suit.

According to an unofficial statement, the improved version will run on a more appealing "Apple-like" user interface, which will incorporate gamification aspects in a more subtle, secondary manner. It will also reduce the amount of clicks required to send out notifications from 12 to four. This is especially important, says Mohit Garg, MindTickle's cofounder, in the age of the cloud, when updates are expected more frequently.

"With the SaaS model...features change every couple of weeks," Garg says. "Now the old sales model of having a sales kickoff once a quarter and letting the product manager walk everybody through is not going to work. What we need to do is enable [teams] to push bite-sized content on a regular basis."

Right now, the company aims to target smaller companies for which scalable solutions are key, particularly those that are "willing to get their hands dirty," Garg says.

Garg notes that cutting out the third party creates a convenience that larger companies are not quite ready for. Many larger companies have already invested large amounts of money into hiring outside trainers.

Still, Garg doesn't discount the enterprise, and hopes that larger companies will be inspired to adopt when they see the success smaller companies are having. "We believe the ability to push content democratically as opposed to getting learning experts to do that is what's going to make a big difference in shortening the cycle of learning for sales people," he says.

Despite these benefits, the strategy takes for granted the fact that startups will always have a clear grasp on what their plan is, Brent Leary, founder of CRM Essentials, points out.

"This is a good idea only for those businesses who really have a detailed handle on their needs," Leary says. "Many companies think all they need to do is buy technology and that will solve their issues. But buying a service like this without having a real plan, and without knowing how to determine what success is, could lead to disappointing outcomes. Those companies end up still having to pay a third party to help untangle the mess, which ends up being more expensive in the long run."

Pricewise, the potential appeal to SMBs is that the program will be offered on a monthly subscription basis. Garg does not have an exact number in mind, but estimates that it will be $25 to $50 a month per user.

MindTickle has more than 70 customers and plans to double that amount in the next six months. According to Garg, the company is signing one to two new customers per week. Among the larger companies currently listed as adopters of MindTickle's sales corporate training solutions are eBay, SAP, and Yahoo.

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