Suzanne Saraya, International Sales Manager
ExploreLearning is a US based eLearning company. We develop innovative, research-proven online solutions to improve Math and Science learning worldwide. Our goal is to help all students achieve success in maths and science and acquire essential 21st century skills. We presently work in over 80 countries and support schools on all continents with effective online solutions they can use in their classrooms.
Five years ago, the international division of ExploreLearning represented a smaller portion of overall company sales and in five years that has changed significantly. The data and intelligence we get from ISC Research has been crucial to our international success.
How did ISC Research help you develop your international business?
All our international strategies region by region and country by country were informed by ISC Research. The international schools market changes quickly and having access to ISC Research data and intelligence is like having an in-country consultant available, on demand, 24 hours a day; that is so valuable.
The resources provided have led to great cost savings overall in terms of in-house research, avoiding potential strategy missteps and targets we could have missed had we not had such access. The intelligence supplied by ISC Research has also pushed us to go beyond the data and create improved profiles of ideal buyers and better understand teachers and students’ needs – and that has been brilliant.
Since we have acquired access to ISC Research, we have used feature available. If ISC Research is doing it, we are using it!
What resources from ISC Research are most valuable to you?
We review our strategy on a quarterly basis and the ISC Research reports and webinars help us learn about all the big market trends and develop a plan that is based on facts and reality on the ground. It would take us weeks to put this type of information together for each country; instead we have it at the tip of our fingers, anytime, anywhere. We use the International School Leader Magazine as an impressive information resource as well as a great tool to continue developing our market.
We use the ISC Outreach database weekly: If an international school contacts us, it’s actually much faster to look up information about the school on ISC Outreach than on the school’s website. It gives us a very clear and accurate picture of what the school teaches, who they are, what they do, the curriculum they follow, and who the contacts are. It’s very very quick and effective for us to use: We could do research online of course, but we would never get the breadth of accurate information that we can obtain from the ISC Outreach database. I love other features of ISC Outreach too, like the Newsfeed as it is really detailed about the markets and any changes happening. The calendar of events is also helpful, as I might be aware of some events but not others and this again helps me to strategize everything that we do.
We look out for ISC Research at the conferences we attend. I’ve learnt something new from every ISC Research session or presentation I have attended. We have had so many rich conversations with ISC Research staff; they know the market extensively and often help give us a different outlook. ISC Research is an integral part of our International Strategy.
