Certification programs are often reviewed in isolation. Positioned under learning, enablement, or operations, they are typically assessed through a narrow lens of cost. When budgets tighten, certification is asked to justify its place alongside every other initiative competing for funding.
At Kryterion, we’ve observed that this framing misses the broader role credentialing plays. When designed well, certification is not simply an expense. It is a growth capability that supports operational efficiency, protects brand credibility, and strengthens long-term engagement with partners and customers.
To change the internal conversation, leaders must move beyond pass rates and speak the language of the business: efficiency, adoption, and risk.
The Hidden Cost of Customer Confusion
Many organisations already absorb the cost of gaps in certification, but that cost often shows up in support rather than planned investment. When users ask how to use a feature or where to find a setting, the issue is rarely technical—it is a knowledge gap. Research shows that formalised customer education and certification programs can reduce support costs by up to 15.5% (Intellum, 2024).
The financial impact is significant. Resolving a single technical support ticket in North America costs an average of $22 (ServiceNow, 2024). For programs receiving around 50 “how-to” tickets per week, that equates to more than $57,000 annually spent on remedial education. Shifting this burden into a structured path, starting with the basics of how to build a certification program—turns a reactive cost into a proactive growth lever.
Driving Adoption and Retention
Certified users tend to be more confident and engaged. They understand the product, use it more effectively, and are more likely to advocate for it. According to Thought Industries (2025), trained and certified customers show retention rates up to 40% higher than those who are not. However, simply having a program isn’t enough; organizations must also learn how to market your certification to ensure it reaches the right audience. When certification is framed as a contributor to customer lifetime value, the conversation moves from delivery cost to revenue impact.
Turning Data into Insight
Certification programs generate valuable data that is often underused. Beyond participation and no-show rates, candidate feedback and performance data reveal where users struggle and where training or documentation may be falling short.
Kryterion’s modern assessment platforms provide behavioural and psychometric insight that helps organisations move from reactive support to continuous improvement. Rather than guessing where intervention is needed, certification data points directly to areas of opportunity.
Making the Business Case
An effective business case should focus on three primary areas:
- Support reduction: Quantify “how-to” tickets and their annual cost.
- Retention uplift: Compare certified versus non-certified account performance.
- Operational efficiency: Demonstrate how Kryterion’s scalable delivery extends reach without increasing headcount.
The Bottom Line
Certification is not a static requirement to maintain. It is a capability that evolves with the organisation. When viewed through this lens, and supported by a partner like Kryterion, investment becomes easier to justify because the value is clearer and the risks of inaction are more visible.
About Kryterion
Kryterion Inc. is a global leader in innovative testing and credentialing solutions, helping organizations across various sectors develop and manage their assessments with our advanced test development platform and multi-modal delivery solutions. Established in 2001, Kryterion offers secure, integrated services and extensive support, empowering candidates to demonstrate skills and achieve success in world-class careers.