Interview: Building knowledge with JTL’s e-learning formats

The current coronavirus pandemic has made them particularly popular: online learning formats. JTL has also been offering various e-learning channels for many years, which you can use to build up knowledge in the field of eCommerce from the comfort of your own home. They have all been designed for different target groups and requirements.

In the interview with our head of the JTL training department, Manuel Mälzner, you can find out which training formats, learning content or platforms suit you and your level of knowledge.

JTL: Hello Manuel. Nice that you are available for this interview. Experience has shown that the JTL community is very inquisitive and interested. Can you outline what expectations this places on JTL’s training program?

Manuel: Hello, I can absolutely confirm that the JTL community is very interested in further training! Of course, we realize that not every interested party or online retailer has the time to deal with the training courses on offer. There are also differences in the preferred forms of training. The challenge is to offer as many different forms as possible, with virtually no differences in the quality of the content, i.e. the transfer of Good.

JTL: You mean that a written JTL-Guide post should be no less informative and educational than a recorded video or webinar?

Manuel: Yes, exactly. And yet all formats are different. Especially in the depth of the facts presented. In addition, not every prospective customer or online retailer has the same starting position. Some users know exactly what they can do with our products and need the knowledge to implement them. Others are looking for an overview of the possibilities and wonder whether their personal use case can be covered by JTL’s solutions.

JTL: You have just outlined the differences in the requirements. Can you give us an overview of which JTL training format makes sense for which purpose?

Manuel: Of course, of course. Let’s take the differences I just mentioned as an example. Is it about whether JTL’s products are suitable for use or is it about how our products are used?

I can recommend our weekly webinar entitled “My start with JTL │ Products, functions, possible uses“ to answer the question of whether our products can be used. Every Thursday, in this 90-minute webinar, we give an insight into the JTL product world, roughly outline the functions and show possible uses.

We also address questions in these sessions. It is important to know that this webinar really only provides an initial overview. We cannot turn the participants into experts in 90 minutes. In the short time available, too much detailed knowledge would not be very useful.

JTL: Can the participants in this webinar already formulate individual requirements?

Manuel: Yes. We are often asked: “Can I integrate this and that into JTL-Wawi?” Or: “Can we automatically import our supplier files into JTL-Wawi?” However, there is not enough time in this webinar to go into the “how”.

JTL: We offer other formats for the “how”. Feel free to introduce them to us!

Manuel: The detailed counterpart to the weekly webinar is the “new sellers training“, in which we deal with the aforementioned “How can I use the products”. This event is also listed as a webinar. Over the course of seven days, participants will learn about six different areas of JTL-Wawi step by step. An already installed JTL-Wawi is the best basis for being able to follow the content practically. On the 7th day we go into the products JTL-Shop and JTL-POS.

In this training format, we can then provide individual answers about the product with specific recommendations for action. We have the time to do this here.

If you prefer to learn how to use it at your own pace, you can log in to our video course “Getting started with eCommerce with JTL software“. It consists of many smaller and larger on-demand videos and deals even more intensively with the possibilities of JTL-Wawi, for example. The course is a step-by-step guide and our aim is to provide long-term information acquisition. Participants can test what they have learned directly with small exercises.

Our live webinars offer an answer to the “how” in many topics. But the “whether” is also frequently highlighted. They are therefore a kind of hybrid form of the two initial questions. Participants can take away knowledge for their own company from the webinars in a concise and understandable way. In the Q&A sessions at the end, we have already had one or two interesting discussions on topics that were taken up more comprehensively in another webinar.

Overview of training opportunities at JTL

JTL: We have now seen three very comprehensive audiovisual formats. What possibilities are there to read the desired information on a topic?

Manuel: The most important thing to mention here is the JTL-Guideour comprehensive online manual for JTL products. Here, interested parties and customers will not only find an overview of the functions of our products, but also step-by-step instructions for certain setups, such as the integration of eBay via JTL-eazyAuction with JTL-Wawi or the installation of JTL-Shop. Through a link to our YouTube channel you can supplement what you have read with a video.

JTL: It is difficult to ask your own questions within these two media. What do I do if I still need an urgent answer?

Manuel: That’s right. You can ask questions, for example, in the JTL forum. There is a lively exchange on challenges, possibilities and functions here. A lot of questions are also answered and support is provided. The remarkable thing about the JTL forum is that it has an “everyone-helps-everyone” mentality. Whether it’s customers, JTL service partners or JTL employees – everyone helps everyone here.

Also the JTL Software Facebook group has developed into a real knowledge base over time. With over 2800 members, there is always someone who can help.

JTL: Manuel, thank you very much for your time!

Manuel: With pleasure. For the new sellers among you, I have prepared a PDF in which I have summarized the most important contact points and information offers for newcomers to eCommerce. You can download it here free of charge: