Wakefern Implements New Axonify AI Content Authoring Tool
Content Assistant, the latest solution from Axonify, a provider of front-line employee training and communications, has been deployed by Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States. Axonify officially introduced the solution at the ATD 2022 International Conference, taking place May 15-18 in Orlando, Fla.
An artificial intelligence-powered question-writing tool within the Axonify training platform, Content Assistant helps instructional designers by reducing the time it takes to efficiently create multiple-choice questions. The new tool and expanded Content Marketplace support Axonify’s continuing mission to assist front-line companies in their efforts to build and deploy learning content that keeps up with rapidly changing business environments.
“It’s a critical business imperative for front-line employers to have access to, create and deliver fun, engaging content that fits a business problem, in the flow of work and in the moment of need,” noted Carol Leaman, CEO of Waterloo, Ontario-based Axonify, whose more than 160 customers in 150-plus countries around the world include Walmart and Kroger. “As learning teams look to borrow, build and buy content, Content Assistant, coupled with Content Marketplace, gives them a results-driven, right-fit content approach.”
To encourage behavior change, Content Assistant helps learning teams build meaningful questions that reinforce learning for existing content libraries and can lower content development time by as much as 30%. Through an easy upload of multiple-source content file types (.txt, .docx, text-based .pdf), the tool’s AI extracts key learning points for review and generates reinforcement questions and answers.
Wakefern depends on Axonify’s training platform, including the latest Content Assistant tool and Content Marketplace topics, to customize its digital learning experience.
“It’s incredibly important to deliver the right content rapidly to our 80,000-plus employees without disrupting their flow of work by tapping into new and existing content,” explained Katie Shields, Wakefern’s manager of retail learning and initiatives. “There is a ton of great industry-specific content already available, including in the Content Marketplace, and through Axonify and Content Assistant, we can quickly tweak it and launch new training topics out to our front-line associates in the moment of need.”
Used by 70% of existing Axonify customers, the expanded Content Marketplace has more than 600 complementary high-quality video and text-based training topics that drive an average of 20% improvement in knowledge in key areas of interest, according to the company. Taking into account more than 7,500 client content requests, the Content Marketplace is constantly being updated to reflect the needs of the front line, with more than 95 million training questions answered so far.
According to Axonify, the types of content that retail customers want has evolved over time to align with post-pandemic realities and social awareness issues; among the most frequently used topics are Communication Skills, Empathy Training, Maintaining Mental Health, Dealing with Customers, Diversity in The Workplace and Remaining Calm in Difficult Situations.
The largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative in the United States. Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern comprises 50 members that independently own and operate 362 supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Together with its member companies, Wakefern employs nearly 80,000 people. The company is No. 25 on The PG100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 listing of North America’s top food and consumables retailers in North America.
