Balancing Scalability, Personalization in Online Learning

Q: How does Open English’s positioning in Mexico reflect its broader expansion across Latin America?

A: Mexico is our most important market and serves as a strategic benchmark for the entire region. We rigorously test initiatives here, and successful strategies are then replicated across Latin America. This makes Mexico a vital testing ground for scalable, region-wide approaches.

Q: What are Open English’s main competitive advantages compared to other platforms?

A: Our core differentiator is live, 24/7 classes that offer flexibility essential for working professionals with varying schedules, including those who travel or work across time zones. We focus intensely on protecting the learner’s investment, ensuring that corporate upskilling is impactful and repeatable. Our holistic support system builds long-term trust in these training investments.

Operating fully online allows us to measure every interaction, enabling continuous improvement. From enrollment, our algorithms forecast instructor demand based on 15 years of behavioral data, ensuring live class availability even for millions of users. We also analyze individual learner behaviors to personalize recommendations. 

Q: How do you balance personalization with scalability in your platform, and how are you integrating AI to enhance learning?

A: We leverage data and AI not only to scale but also to personalize learning. Our AI assistant, Jenny, discreetly attends live classes, analyzes individual performance in real time, and delivers personalized feedback, such as correcting specific grammar mistakes. This enables individualized attention for every learner simultaneously, making personalization scalable. We plan to deepen Jenny’s interactive role within classes, reflecting our commitment to ongoing innovation. Jenny and other improvements are provided to all users at no extra cost, reinforcing long-term client value.

Q: What role does gamification play in learner motivation and retention at Open English?

A: Gamification drives engagement effectively. Our “Travelers” system rewards learners with badges based on platform usage. These badges sometimes include tangible incentives like promotional refunds up to US$100. Even without rewards, learners enjoy tracking progress, as gamification taps intrinsic motivation and transforms learning into an engaging, game-like experience with measurable outcomes.

Q: How does the live class format impact learning outcomes compared to pre-recorded lessons?

A: Live instruction fosters essential human connection, enabling direct interaction and rapport-building between learners and teachers through cultural exchanges. Live teachers provide real-time corrections in pronunciation, grammar, and sentence structure, and encourage spontaneous conversation, capabilities static videos cannot replicate. Our methodology mimics real-world immersion by requiring active speaking, similar to living abroad.

Our diagnostic exams reveal employees’ true English proficiency, which often diverges from certification levels, especially if skills have lapsed. After assessing actual skill levels and gaps, we design targeted programs adapted to industry-specific needs, such as technical vocabulary for engineers or conversational fluency for sales teams, ensuring language training is relevant and directly applicable.

Q: What role do partnerships play in Open English’s strategy, whether with governments, companies, or foundations?

A: Partnerships are central to our mission of transforming lives through language education. For example, our “Sueños Bilingües” initiative in Colombia, in collaboration with Fraternidad Medellín and other foundations, focuses on youth with limited access to education. While not our most commercially impactful alliance, it is profoundly meaningful. Institutionally, we are piloting a project with the government of El Salvador to support workforce development through enhanced English proficiency.

Bilingualism can increase earning potential by up to 42% in Mexico and opens access to global opportunities. 

Q: How have hybrid and remote work models changed how companies approach language training?

A: Remote work has removed significant logistical barriers, especially in areas like Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Queretaro, where commuting times previously consumed hours daily. Even when companies allocate learning time during work hours, interruptions are common. Remote models give employees more control over schedules, increasing participation and completion rates, while broadening access to continuous education across multiple skill sets.

Onsite training is often inefficient, particularly in industrial environments where transporting instructors consumes time and learners face constant interruptions. Even dedicated training rooms are not immune to operational distractions, which degrade learning quality and engagement. Online platforms eliminate these obstacles by providing flexible, uninterrupted environments where employees can focus and progress at their own pace.

Q: What advice would you offer business leaders looking to implement or scale English training programs successfully?

A: My key advice is to overcome fear of investing in people. Workforce development is a strategic investment, but it must be made wisely. Choosing the least expensive option rarely delivers the best return. Open English’s experience with over 10,000 companies equips us with insight into diverse corporate challenges and effective solutions. While many providers exist, few match our expertise or scalability. If you are ready to invest, do so with a partner that ensures sustainable value.

Open English is the leading online English-learning platform in Latin America, serving over 2 million students and 10,000 companies. Its 24/7 method combines live classes with native teachers and interactive tools.