5 Things To Know Before Buying A TMS

Training management systems are significant software packages that act as the HQ of your training business. This is a major software purchase we’re talking about and your team are going to be using this system all day, every day – so you want to make the right choice.

Here are five things to consider before spending any money on a TMS:

#1 – Not All TMS Are The Same

Some systems offer a wide range of features, while others focus on a smaller set of tools executed exceptionally well. Usability is key as your team will be using this system daily, so it must be intuitive and reliable.

Also consider:

• Support & Service Quality — integrations, customisations, and technical issues will require reliable support.
• Pricing — this varies significantly between providers and can add unexpected costs.

#2 – What Does Your Business need?

To choose the right training management software for your business, you have to start by knowing what you need. What this really means is identifying the problems your business faces and how a TMS might help you overcome these.

For example, are you simply looking to switch from spreadsheets to a more automated system for course and delegate management? Or are you running into issues with resource allocation where it takes too long to check which venues and rooms are available?

Perhaps you’ve already got a course management system that works but you realise you’re not getting enough repeat business and you need a better solution for nurturing relationships to secure follow-up bookings.

It could be all of the above and a dozen other things preventing your training business from achieving its growth potential but identifying these problems is key to choosing the right TMS.

#3 – Prioritise The Features That Matter Most

Once you know which problems you’re trying to solve with a TMS, you can determine which features are most important to you.

• For course management efficiency – look for course templates, schedulers, intuitive calendars, real-time resource availability, and delegate management.
• For marketing and online bookings – you’ll need an online booking system that integrates with your website, updates availability in real-time and processes payments.
• For accounts and financing features – explore systems that will send invoices, follow up on missed payments and automate email communications.

Focusing on your priorities helps you choose a system that supports growth rather than just filling space with unused features.

We’ve heard so many horror stories from our customers and business owners we meet at events about TMS pricing that we decided to do something about this problem. Instead of following the industry trend of complex pricing and hidden fees, we’re taking the opposite approach with an ultra-simple and fully transparent pricing model.

We run two plans with flat-rate pricing and setup fees significantly lower than any of our rivals. We don’t ask you to pay for 12 months up-front or sign any contracts so the price you sign up for is the price you pay each month and you’re free to cancel at any time without worrying about early termination fees.

We also don’t charge you anything for course bookings, registrations or invoices so you’re never penalised for generating more business or revenue. Dante is designed to help training businesses grow by handling more customers and increasing revenue so we’re not interested in charging unnecessary fees that could get in the way of generating more business.

#5 – TMS Implementation Takes Time (And Money)

Training management systems are heavyweight software solutions that take time to implement. The setup process depends on the features you’re buying into – for example, implementing an online booking system to your website and a training CRM into your TMS adds to the implementation workload.

While most TMS providers charge between several and tens of thousands of pounds for a complete implementation, Dante takes a different approach.

We run the same six-step implementation process for all of our customers with setup fees ranging between £500 – £2500:

Phase 1: Needs Assessment

• • We start by understanding how your training business operates today and what you need from a training management system. This includes reviewing your current processes, identifying pain points, and confirming your short- and long-term goals. The outcome of this phase is a clear picture of which Dante features will deliver the most value to your business and how the system should be configured to support your workflows.

Phase 2: Free Trial

• • You’ll be given access to a free trial of Dante so you can explore the system in a real-world context. This allows you and your team to test key features, validate that the platform fits your requirements, and ensure it feels intuitive to use. The trial removes risk from the decision-making process and gives you confidence that Dante is the right TMS for your business before moving forward.

Phase 3: Training & Setup

• • Once you’re ready to proceed, we provide hands-on training and configure Dante to match your business processes. This includes setting up courses, schedules, pricing, email templates, invoicing, and user permissions. By the end of this phase, your team is fully trained and prepared to use the system effectively from day one.

Phase 4: Data Import

• • We take care of importing your existing data into Dante, such as companies, delegates, and historical records where required. This ensures continuity and avoids the need for manual re-entry. Data is validated during the import process so everything is accurate, structured, and ready to use within the system.

Phase 5: Go-Live

• • Your Dante system is launched and put into active use. We work with you to confirm everything is functioning as expected, from bookings and scheduling to invoicing and communications. This phase focuses on ensuring a smooth transition, minimising disruption, and giving your team confidence as they start using Dante in live scenarios.

Phase 6: Ongoing Support

• • After go-live, we continue to support you as your business grows. This includes access to technical support, guidance on best practices, and help with new features or workflow improvements. Our goal is to make sure you continue getting maximum value from Dante, not just during implementation, but long-term.

Our priority is to make sure Dante delivers enough value to your business that you stay signed up to our software. We’re more interested in long-term relationships than hefty up-front payments so we charge minimal fees for implementation and provide quality ongoing support, ensuring your business sees results.