Imagine if targeted training could directly boost your sales. Participants of the groundbreaking academy První u zdroje (First at the Source), which emerged from the collaboration between Plzeňský Prazdroj and Scormium, are experiencing just that. Thanks to the digitized education, the largest Czech brewery could effectively share decades of expertise in restaurant operations with all partner businesses. The outcome? Not only have restaurant services been elevated, driving up revenue, but online learning has also reduced costs tied to conventional training practices.
Quality and tradition, coupled with innovation
As a leading Czech brewery, Plzeňský Prazdroj positively impacts the employment of tens of thousands of individuals. Belief in mutual prosperity has driven it to explore new ways to alleviate the burden on partner outlets in challenging times when still facing the impacts of the coronavirus crisis, followed by sharp increase in energy costs and other inputs, not to mention customer spending constraints. In line with its core values, the brewery saw the solution in constantly improving the quality of services. Plzeňský Prazdroj has long supported outlet owners in establishing successful businesses and fostering subsequent growth. Past educational efforts primarily relied on interactions with sales representatives and in-person training. To enrich and expand the scope of existing consulting and educational services, the time had come to seek modern, innovative, and notably flexible solutions.
Inspiring knowledge sharing
In 2021, the company initiated the digitalization and streamlining of educational tools, emphasizing innovation, speed, and simplicity. A survey conducted among designated outlets revealed clear demands from their owners and staff, identifying weak points deserving attention.
The digital training aimed to reach a diverse range of individuals, from restaurant owners to bartenders, waitstaff, and supporting personnel. With the target audience in mind, emphasis was placed on ensuring that the final solution was user-friendly, clear, easy to navigate, and capable of accommodating a large number of users, with the prospect of expansion into other countries.
The project took shape in the form of an academy aptly named ‘První u zdroje’ (First at the Source), which aimed to educate business owners and their staff in an engaging and comprehensible manner, accessible anytime and anywhere.
The program ‘První u zdroje’ complements in the digital environment what Plzeňský Prazdroj has long been collaborating on with outlet owners in person.
Collaboration yielding swift results
Plzeňský Prazdroj had not utilized any learning management platform previously. For the technical solution of its academy, it entrusted Scormium, a leading Czech provider of cloud-based solutions for creating and distributing educational content, and a pioneer in training business partners.
The integration with the corporate system of Prazdroj, to which the outlets were already connected, facilitated the automatic creation of accounts and the definition of rules and rights for different user types. Naturally, the learning environment also mirrored the client’s visual identity.
Scormium boasts advanced scalability, enabling the connection of hundreds of restaurants, represented by thousands of users. The platform is already equipped for language variations and optimized for mobile devices.
In addition to easy navigation, it also offers gamification, allowing sharing of study achievements with colleagues, which motivates ongoing learning engagement. Certification earned upon academy completion can confer a competitive edge in the job market.
Other benefits include detailed reporting and advanced learning management, analysis of the target group needs, and, of course, comprehensive technical support.
Scormium thus brought an advanced solution that replaced numerous time-consuming and financially demanding activities previously undertaken by sales representatives, trainers, or mystery shoppers.
Everything at hand, neatly in one place
The educational content of the academy was entrusted to the partner company of Scormium, SantiaX. It was involved not only in creating the video courses but also provided supporting study materials. The authors covered all areas of restaurant management, addressing common real-life situations in the hospitality industry. Zdeněk Pohlreich, a renowned chef and television personality, became the project's ambassador, joined by other experts closely related to the individual fields covered.
The positive feedback didn't take long
The Academy was launched in September 2022 and immediately made available to an unlimited number of users across all direct customers of Plzeňský Prazdroj, totaling over eleven thousand in the Czech Republic alone. Hundreds of them joined the academy each month.
The results show that the training has already brought tangible benefits to both sides. Thanks to improved services and successful promotion on social media, restaurants are experiencing increased foot traffic. Additionally, better-managed operational economics contribute to cost savings and an overall increase in revenue.
In the outlets surveyed, sales increased by a significant 10%, with beer sales seeing a staggering 12% rise, reflected in higher supply orders. For Prazdroj, the academy also reduced the time and costs associated with conventional training and the accompanying administrative duties.
Moving way ahead
Following the success of the project's initial phase, we are now advancing with its further expansion. Our close collaboration with Prazdroj fuels intense discussions on academy development, both in terms of content and enhanced functionalities. The intuitive learning platform enables us to flexibly adapt to changes in the field by updating training content and broadening the course offering to include other valuable areas of interest and useful information.
