I realize that there are some poor online classes out there. Ones without multimedia or hands-on learning or instructor interaction.

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The good news is that Next Level Purchasing’s online purchasing classes are not mundane like that. The bad news is that those crappy classes make people assume that all online classes are that bad.

I had an interesting conversation with a potential customer the other day who wasn’t sure that there was an advantage to our purchasing training compared to reading a supply chain book. So I laid out seven points that clearly make our classes much more valuable than reading a book. Those points are:

1. You can ask an unlimited number of questions over a period of 60 days with a guaranteed 24 hour response time. Try getting that type of response from a supply chain book author.

2. You engage in interactive, Web-based exercises that make learning more “hands-on.”

3. Each class has 8 quizzes to test your knowledge and identify areas for you to review for greater understanding.

4. There are audio clips that you can listen to when you need a break from reading.

5. All material is online, meaning that you get updates in real-time and can be assured of having the latest information immediately available to you.

6. You get a Certificate of Completion mailed to you.

7. You earn Continuing Education Hours which you can apply towards your purchasing certification requirements.

So if you were thinking that a supply chain book will help you as much as our classes, hopefully, this post will make the advantages clearer to you.