TL;DR:
- Richardson partnered with BenchPrep to build Richardson Accelerate™, an adaptive digital sales training platform that launched in under 9 months [1]
- The platform blends assessments, video, social learning, gamification, and analytics into a blended learning model that pairs with classroom training [1]
- Results include a clean, intuitive learner experience, mobile-first omni-channel access, bite-sized microlearning, and the ability to scale training to 10,000+ professionals globally [1]
The Problem: A Sales Training Market Stuck in Neutral
By 2014, Richardson — a global leader in sales training — was still relying on instructor-led sessions and outdated e-learning modules [1]. Sales professionals were increasingly demanding digital, adaptive learning experiences, but the market was flooded with one-size-fits-all competitors that didn't fit the bill [1]. When Chris Tiné joined as SVP and Chief Product Officer in 2015, he made it a priority to find a digital learning partner that could close that gap [1].
The challenge wasn't just picking technology — it was cutting through "digital hype" to figure out what sales customers actually needed to succeed [1]. As Tiné put it, the industry lacked "a digital, cloud-based, adaptive tool that blended assessment, learning, gamification, and analytics in an effective manner" [1].
The Solution: Richardson Accelerate™
Richardson and BenchPrep partnered to launch Richardson Accelerate™, an online training solution designed to engage sales teams and drive measurable performance [1]. Built on BenchPrep's learner success platform, Accelerate gave Richardson's customers an adaptive system with everything needed to run a full blended learning program without building each component from scratch [1].
The platform equips sales professionals with:
- Assessments and online learning modules [1]
- Video and social learning [1]
- Reporting and leaderboards [1]
- Gamification and other engagement drivers [1]
Managers, meanwhile, get real-time visibility into seller performance and confidence levels — sharpening coaching precision and personalization [1].
Blending the Classroom with Digital Learning
Richardson didn't abandon the classroom — it made it more productive. The Accelerate model layers digital learning around instructor-led training in four stages [1]:
- Lessons — Learners get familiar with concepts and terminology before class [1]
- Instructor-led workshop — A live session for coaching and feedback on observed behaviors [1]
- Learning modules — Post-class video scenarios, quizzes, and interactive content to reinforce and validate skills [1]
- Feedback & social learning — Manager dashboards track progress while gamification builds peer-to-peer community and competition [1]
This blended structure respects the reality that sales professionals are chasing quotas and have limited time out of the field, while still preserving the interpersonal, soft-skill development that classroom time delivers [1].
The Results: Scale, Speed, and a Better Learner Experience
Richardson's customers reported consistently positive feedback on Accelerate's clean, intuitive interface — a contrast to the traditional LMS platforms many had used before [1]. That usability translated into more focused task completion and greater time-on-platform [1].
Other measurable gains:
- Omni-channel delivery — Mobile-first design lets learners access content from any device, with progress syncing across devices [1]
- Bite-sized microlearning — Ten-minute modules let learners fit a video, practice test, or reading into whatever time they have [1]
- Global scale — BenchPrep's cloud infrastructure lets Richardson deliver consistent training to anywhere from 20 to 10,000+ professionals across industries, generations, and company sizes [1]
- Speed to market — Accelerate went from concept to market-ready launch in under 9 months, jump-starting Richardson's digital transformation [1]
- A true collaboration — Richardson credits BenchPrep's willingness to listen and adapt features as the two companies continue building new digital learning programs together [1]
As Tiné summarized: "The platform allows us to deliver consistent, measurable value to sales organizations over time, enabling them to benchmark how somebody's skills and confidence levels develop as a result of our training program." [1]
Full detail: How Did Richardson Modernize Sales Training with a Digital Learning Platform?
Frequently asked questions
What platform did Richardson build with BenchPrep?
Richardson Accelerate™, an adaptive digital sales training platform combining assessments, video, social learning, reporting, leaderboards, and gamification, built on BenchPrep's learner success platform [1].
How long did it take Richardson to launch its digital training solution?
BenchPrep helped Richardson get Accelerate live and market-ready in less than 9 months [1].
Does Accelerate replace classroom sales training?
No — Richardson uses a blended model combining pre-class lessons, instructor-led workshops, post-class online learning modules, and manager feedback with social learning to make classroom time more productive [1].