by Jim Lundy

In the last two weeks both Highspot and vablet have each announced their own sales coaching and learning modules that complement their respective sales enablement platforms. This move signals that more providers are launching their own sales coaching solutions. This blog discusses these moves by Highspot and vablet and the implications for the market.

The Highspot Training and Coaching Solution

The new training and coaching solution from Highspot is part of its overall sales enablement software platform. This new solution builds on the Highspot content editor capabilities and was built in-house.

The vablet Sales Coaching and Learning Solution

vablet is leveraging its mobile platform, which is ideal for sharing content, as its foundation for its learning solution. vablet makes it easy to import existing content and, with built-in push notifications, users know when it’s time to take training. This makes it easy for vablet to be rolled out in first-line worker scenarios, such as retail, fast food, and life sciences.

Following Bigtincan, SalesHood, Regalix, and Showpad

While others such as Bigtincan, SalesHood, Showpad, and Regalix with its Nytro.ai offering have added their own native sales coaching and learning capabilities, this move will put pressure on others to make similar moves. Overall, this can drive a consolidation phase in sales coaching and learning.

Basic sales skills training is more important than ever, and these providers' sales acceleration software may help enterprises define sales enablement best practices for their new associates.

Sales Coaching and Learning as Standalone vs. as Part of Sales Enablement

The challenge for the sales coaching and learning market is where it will go. The current market shows a trend towards integration in the sales enablement platform.

This happened in the corporate learning market, when talent management providers acquired or built learning capabilities into their talent management suites. While many talent management providers have done well, so have standalone learning providers.

For buyers, the decision is about evaluating the sales coaching and learning module on its own merits to make sure that it has all the capabilities needed.

Bottom Line

Highspot and vablet’s move into sales coaching and learning should help both firms in acquiring more clients as they continue to grow. What impact this will have on the sales enablement software market or the state of sales enablement more generally remains to be seen. We would point out that training is more than just a module, it is an ecosystem, and it involves more than just content. Aragon Research has extensive knowledge of sales coaching learning as well as corporate learning offerings. Enterprises that are challenged with making a decision in this market should talk to an Aragon analyst.