The sky's the limit with online learning
Québec-based Ellicom is getting noticed in the exploding market of e-learning solutions. Thanks to the expertise and drive of its young team, the firm, launched in 2002 by Hugues Foltz and Jerry Dubé, is banking on an ambitious marketing strategy. In 2008, sales of its online training products and services in Quebec actually tripled!
What accounts for its skyrocketing success these past few years?
Providing good stuff for good learning
Ellicom was quick to gear its services and products to the corporate world, targeting such companies as Bombardier and AXA Canada, whose human resources (HR) management responsibilities extend beyond Quebec to thousands of people in other provinces and even outside the country. Training new arrivals, for example, is very time consuming for HR departments. Reducing that time while ensuring consistency of the information received, regardless of location or language, is where Ellicom’s expertise comes in, providing solutions tailored to meet the needs of its clients.
The company also invests a lot in R - D to develop new online training tools.
For instance, Ellicom recently introduced the Ellitool, online learning software that delivers training content via a mobile device such as a cellphone. In 2010, new functionalities will be added to the 2009 version, which Hydro-Québec notably built on and converted into a task simulator.
Strutting its stuff…on the international stage
Ellicom, which now employs 75 people in Québec and Montréal, received financial support from Canada Economic Development to implement a marketing strategy for its products and services in Canada, the United States and Europe. The SME is already present in Toronto, France and Belgium and the young management team is currently negotiating a contract with a potential client in Great Britain.
In 2010, Ellicom received numerous awards for the quality of its products, including two awards at the 24th edition of the OCTAS contest, one of them in the category Web environment: collaboration or participation for its HR online training, FormationRH.ca, designed for its client TECHNOCompétences.
A few years ago, Ellicom did not know it would break into the European market so quickly: Canada Economic Development’s assistance was instrumental in allowing the firm to benefit from favourable market conditions instead of having to wait another year or two before taking on the challenge.
Having the right stuff
The e-learning industry is in full swing worldwide. With market size estimated at several billion dollars, Ellicom is well positioned to capture a substantial share thanks to its integrated offering. Indeed, the firm provides a complete range of e-learning products and services, from consultation to educational content creation and from conceptualization to implementation through an innovative technological application.
In 2006, Ellicom had 12 employees. By 2010, the figure had risen to 75 and company annual sales had increased by 850%! Needless to say, Ellicom has since moved into more spacious premises to support its growth and development.
Ellicom is looking at a promising future, as Hugues Foltz and Jerry Dubé, assisted since 2005 by two new associates, Patrick Després and Jean-Philippe Bradette, certainly have a flair for combining audacity with a winning strategy.
