Digital makeover gets beautiful results

The challenge

• Former LMS, designed for higher education, didn't meet the visual and flexible needs of the Milady customer base
• Schools needed to customize and brand the curriculum to reflect their unique identities
• Accreditation compliance required robust time tracking for on-campus and distance education hours

Visual and flexible learning platform: The digital platform Milady previously used was designed for higher education and didn't meet the visual and flexible needs of the beauty learners they served.

Customizable curriculum: Schools required the ability to customize and brand their own curriculum to reflect their unique identities and operational structures.

Clock hour tracking: Milady supports clock-hour programs, meaning students are expected to successfully complete a set number of hours to receive any certification. 

Compliance with strict accreditation requirements demanded robust time tracking for both on-campus and distance education hours.

These learners , often non-traditional, required a visually appealing and flexible platform that could accommodate their dynamic schedules and rolling enrollments. Their existing LMS solution fell short in these areas, prompting Milady to seek a new partner that could deliver a tailored educational experience.

The solution

• Visually appealing, flexible, engaging, customizable platform
• Schools can upload their own branding and customized curriculum 
• Time tracking feature helps to ensure compliance with accreditation standards
• Accessible, multilingual content for diverse student needs and schedules

Engaging content: Milady was able to incorporate discussion questions, polls, and scenario-based activities to simulate what students might encounter in a salon. The incorporation of engaging and dynamic content significantly enhanced student participation, resulting in a remarkable 30% increase of engagement as reported by select Milady customers. This growth is attributed to creating content that captivates learners and their specific needs.

"We've been able to build out not just a boring kind of curriculum, but something that keeps students engaged throughout the 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, they're going through the program. And we've had really positive feedback from students and schools on the types of activities that are on the platform." **

Customization and branding: Milady was able to offer its customers the ability to tailor a program to suit their unique needs. In an industry where there is a high educator turnover rate, Milady was aware of the need to introduce and maintain consistency in how learners were being taught material. With this platform, students receive the same material always, regardless of who is teaching the course.

"You don't have that when you're dealing with a print textbook and an educator to stand at the front of the classroom. So that's been a huge benefit for schools is ensuring the quality and the consistency of the student's learning experience."

Additionally, the platform can meet the visual needs of customers by allowing any personal branding to be uploaded, helping customers remain consistent with their identity across all aspects of course content.

"We serve some chains that have spent quite a bit of money investing in their own brand. When they buy the curriculum from us, they still want students to feel like they're interacting with the brand of the school. So we needed a platform that was flexible enough to be visual and to allow schools to upload their own visual images as well." **

Time tracking: CYPHER built a time tracking feature to support the hourly nature of our beauty education programs. In beauty education, student program completion is based on the number of hours they accumulate. Time tracking is essential for verifying their completed hours.

"We needed a platform and a partner that would work with us to develop some features that were really unique for us. Our biggest thing was time tracking. We serve a clock hour industry and needed a partner that would work with us to develop the time tracking that would meet the very strict requirements of accrediting bodies and the Department of Education to enable schools to offer distance education for their students." **

Platform accessibility: The platform offers robust multilingual support and the convenience to be accessed at any time or place, making it a popular choice for students with busy schedules or families. Students are given the opportunity to learn at their own pace, on their own schedule and from any location, eliminating some of the many constraints that can hinder the learning experience. The platform's accessibility allows students to balance their educational pursuits alongside other personal and professional commitments.

"The students are predominantly female, with a significant representation of minorities, often balancing multiple jobs or family responsibilities. One woman mentioned, 'I can take my daughter to the park, where she can play on the swings while I study for my licensure exam on my phone." **

The results

• 180,000 learners and 50 million+ exams created since launch
• 30% increase in learner engagement as reported by select Milady customers
• 8-10% improvement in state licensure exam scores as reported by select Milady customers
• 33% increase in digital customer base from 21% to 54% in 3 years
• First beauty education provider to deliver 100% course content in Spanish

Rapid student success and course creation: Milady has assisted a large community of learners in completing their education.

"Since our launch three years ago, over 180,000 students have successfully completed their programs with over 50 million assessments submitted … I think that we can say that it is well-vetted and well-tested in the customer base that we serve." **

Increased learner engagement: Milady observed a notable increase in student involvement due to platform offerings.

"We’ve done some case studies, and one of the case studies said that there has been increased engagement of their students by 30% by interacting with the platform and the activities in the platform." **

Test score improvements: Milady has seen evidence of increased pass rates on students’ licensing exams.

"Most importantly, state licensure exam test scores have risen between 8%-10% as reported by select Milady customers." **

Digital customer increase: Milady was able to see a 33% increase in digital customers since March of 2023 due to an aligned product market fit with the platform.

"Having the right digital platform has enabled us to deliver three consecutive years of aggressive growth goals … we have another growth goal this year that we're confident that we will be able to deliver on because we have the right platform."

Language accessibility: Due to the platform's multilingual support, Milady was able to successfully create 100% of the educational content in Spanish, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility to Spanish-speaking beauty students.