Myth-Busting: Should You Outsource Your Customer Education?

Customer education is one of the most powerful tools for driving product adoption, reducing churn, and building long-term customer loyalty. But when it comes to how to build and deliver it, there’s often hesitation—especially around the idea of outsourcing.

Let’s clear the air.

Here are some of the most common myths we hear about outsourcing customer education—and the facts that prove otherwise.

Myth #1: "Outsourcing won’t work because the vendor doesn’t know our products like we do."

Fact: True curriculum and instructional design professionals don’t need to be your product experts—they need to know how to work with your product experts. Experienced education consultants collaborate with internal subject matter experts (SMEs) to build targeted, accurate, and effective learning experiences. This means they know how to ask the right questions, gather the right information, and make the most out of your SMEs’ time. It’s about bringing the best of both worlds together.

Myth #2: "It’s easier for our internal staff to learn how to build training than for outsiders to learn the ins and outs of our industry."

Fact: There’s a reason instructional design, curriculum development, and education strategy are full-time careers. These skills take years to master through a mix of formal education, real-world experience, and a deep understanding of how adults learn. Your internal team might know the product—but without that educational expertise, their training content might miss the mark. True instructional content enables behavior change, it’s not just about telling, informing, or demonstrating something. While it may seem like anyone can put together training materials, professionally developed learning experiences will truly lead to business results. 

Myth #3: "We’re not ready for customer education."

Fact: If you have customers, you’re ready. Customer education isn’t a one-size-fits-all initiative—it can be as simple as a few key onboarding resources or as robust as a full certification program. If your goals include generating more qualified leads, speeding up onboarding, improving time-to-value, or reducing support tickets and churn, then it’s time to consider how education can help.

Myth #4: "We already have in-app help. Isn’t that enough?"

Fact: In-app help is great—and often necessary—but it’s not always enough. It usually focuses on "how to click this button," not "why would I choose this option over another?" Thoughtful education programs go beyond step-by-step guidance and help users think critically, solve real problems, and make the most of your product in a variety of contexts.

Think of it this way: If your product users need to decide to use feature A or feature B, and that decision depends on a variety of factors, then they need more than simply an explanation of the feature. They need a deeper understanding of the cause and effect of those factors and the impact of their choices. 

The Bottom Line

Outsourcing your customer education doesn’t mean sacrificing quality or losing control—it means getting the right expertise to build content that works.

But here’s what sets Echtus apart: we’re not a content agency. We don’t just create assets and hand them off. We partner with you end-to-end—from education strategy and program design to scaled delivery, learner assessment, and performance reporting. Our goal is to build programs that drive real impact, not just content that checks a box.

At Echtus, we’ve spent over 15 years helping organizations build, launch, and scale impactful customer education programs. From technical topics like cloud networking and adtech to areas like real estate investing and credit card fraud, we’ve seen it all. Our team works closely with your internal SMEs to align on business goals, design smart content, and deliver meaningful results for your customers—and your business.

Ready to rethink your approach to customer education? Let’s talk.