Ocean Basket, a vibrant seafood restaurant chain, needed more than just a Learning Management System (LMS); they needed a platform to engage their diverse team across multiple countries and strengthen communication with a variety of stakeholders, from crew members to franchisees.
Through their partnership with PlutoLMS, Ocean Basket created a dynamic learning environment that not only streamlined training but also fostered stronger connections across all levels of the organisation. This case study explores how Ocean Basket utilised PlutoLMS to keep their crew motivated, share positive stories, and maintain a strong sense of community, no matter where their restaurants are located.
Ocean Basket is a brand that thrives on the spirit of togetherness. Since its inception in 1995, this South African seafood restaurant chain has grown into a global family with over 200 restaurants across 17 countries. Guided by a commitment to generosity, authenticity, and the joy of sharing, Ocean Basket believes in creating memorable experiences not just for its customers but also for its employees and stakeholders.
However, with such a vast footprint come the challenges of maintaining consistent communication and an engaging learning environment for a diverse, geographically dispersed team.
The company’s Learning and Development (L&D) team, led by the visionary Jessica Pallister, was determined to find a solution that would meet the needs of all stakeholders, from crew members on the front lines to managers and franchisees responsible for local operations.
Before partnering with PlutoLMS, the L&D team — based in Johannesburg, South Africa — faced the complex task of managing training across numerous locations. In the restaurant industry, maintaining a cohesive and engaged workforce across multiple locations is crucial to addressing several significant challenges inherent to the field.
High turnover rates are a constant reality, and can have a negative impact not only on the continuity of service but also the consistency of knowledge retention. Without an efficient onboarding process and easy access to training and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), new Ocean Basket employees often struggled to integrate quickly and effectively into the team.
Communication is another common hurdle. With important information and updates being delivered through multiple channels, each Ocean Basket restaurant would end up with their own methods and materials, making it difficult to ensure that all stakeholders stay on the same page.
Jessica and her team knew they needed a centralised platform that could unify their training efforts and improve the flow of communication across the organisation. They envisioned a solution that could provide better access to organisational knowledge, support seamless communication, and build a more connected Ocean Basket community.
The Ocean Basket team initially explored the idea of building a custom LMS to meet their specific requirements. While the development costs of such an initiative were prohibitive, it gave them a clear understanding of the type of solution they needed: an LMS that could be as dynamic and diverse as their team — one that could offer both customisation and affordability.
In May 2023, the decision to choose PlutoLMS marked a turning point for Ocean Basket. The platform provided a flexible and scalable solution that could grow with the company. They were particularly impressed by its capabilities to enhance engagement and communication across different stakeholder groups.
The option to deploy a white-labelled mobile app was very appealing, as it would allow employees, managers, and franchisees to access training, updates, and resources from anywhere (even offline), ensuring that everyone has the information they need at their fingertips.
Social learning and communication tools like forums, announcements, and online messaging would allow employees to interact, share insights, provide feedback, and learn from each other in a unified digital space.
Finally, the system’s flexibility and PlutoLMS’s customer-focused approach assured Jessica and her team that the platform could support their vision of creating a connected community across all levels of the organisation.
Implementing PlutoLMS was a carefully planned journey for the Ocean Basket team. The transition involved several phases, with an initial focus on understanding the platform’s capabilities and leveraging it to achieve their vision. The team took a strategic approach, starting with a small-scale rollout to test the system, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments.
By March 2024, the Ocean Basket Academy was officially launched as a central hub for all training materials and resources. This centralisation streamlined Ocean Basket’s knowledge management practices — consolidating training content, SOPs, and organisational knowledge into a single, easily accessible platform.
The creative L&D team leveraged the platform’s customisation features to create a strong, on-brand learning experience that resonates with their crew members, managers, and franchisees.
They customised their LMS design to reflect Ocean Basket’s unique culture, with engaging visuals, intuitive navigation, and content that communicates the company’s core values of generosity, community, and sharing. This attention to branding and design created a further sense of connection to the company, helping employees feel more aligned with Ocean Basket's mission.
To keep learning dynamic and enjoyable,the team even launched an internal “Beyond the Wave” podcast to share stories, news, and education. The ability to incorporate engaging elements like this helps them turn everyday learning into a meaningful experience that keeps employees motivated.
Once they mastered the platform and their local operations were running smoothly, the ambitious L&D team used the platform’s multi-tenancy capabilities to extend their reach to new international locations. The ability to set up distinct learning environments for different user segments, enabled them to tailor training content to the regional needs of their UK and Cyprus teams without compromising on quality or consistency.
Today, Ocean Basket's training processes are centralised, consistent, and accessible across all locations, creating a unified learning experience. The success of the new system went beyond technology; it was about engaging the people who used it every day.
The Ocean Basket team have embraced the platform with enthusiasm, taking full advantage of its features to create a lively and interactive training environment that has resulted in tangible benefits:
The scalability of the platform has also proven invaluable and has provided Ocean Basket with the flexibility to ensure relevant and effective training across diverse markets. Employees can easily access training from anywhere, anytime — even offline — empowering the global workforce to learn on their terms and integrate development into their busy schedules.
Ocean Basket’s journey is only just beginning, but already showcases the value of investing in a solution that fosters connection, engagement, and growth. With PlutoLMS, their competent and future-thinking team has set a solid foundation for continued success — ensuring that every team member feels seen, heard, and empowered to contribute to the brand's story.
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