When potential customers tell me, “Nancy, we just can’t afford the level of e-learning that you are trying to sell us.” I have to stop and ask them whether they are looking to reduce expenses around learning or are they looking to invest their learning dollars using a true ROI model. In the end, I ask them “How can you NOT afford the level of e-learning that assures engagement?” 

The difference means either focusing on cutting costs or on improved productivity/performance of learners. If you want to cut costs, e-learning can certainly get you there in terms of savings over traditional methods (e.g. travel, facilities, instructors). But if the e-learning is not motivational, memorable, engaging or relevant--the expense reduction doesn’t matter. 

Training occurs but learning does not. 

Why not look instead at what effective, interactive e-learning can do actually produce performance improvement ? You can better assure your investment will pay off in terms of learner performance by developing engaging e-learning with a vendor or resource that understands the basic elements of good instructional design: Context, Challenge, Activity and Feedback. That’s the best way to know you will get the “bang for your buck” when you’re looking for a true ROI of your dollars.