10.27.2008 — Best Buy is launching its new Learning Lounge, a "Web 2.0" social learning community its employees.

The Learning Lounge program, linked through the Best Buy Employee Toolkit in-store, is accessible to employees anytime and anywhere.

It features interactive product information, e-learning, online message boards, blogs, social networking, and other media for its employees nationwide.

Creative Channel Services LLC developed and will manage the portal. Best Buy employees will be encouraged to use the Learning Lounge to directly influence their development path in the company, and to choose modes of learning that fit their individual needs and styles.

Employees will be encouraged to:

• search, rate and comment on a massive library of Best Buy and manufacturer-supplied audio, video, e-learning and document resources
• share their knowledge through Wiki and message boards
• create and upload their own videos and other content

Andy Restivo, president & CEO of CCS, which also created cyberscholar.com, says he hopes Learning Lounge will "revolutionized how learning is approached at retail."

He says the long-term relationship is aimed to empower Best Buy associated "to become subject matter experts who can best assist customers with their specific needs and provide an outstanding shopping experience. The result will be more knowledgeable sales associates, and this will benefit Best Buy, manufacturers, and most importantly, consumers."

Best Buy has 120,000 employees in 990+ stores.