BROCHURE

Click on one of the topics below to see full details of the programme.

Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: Delegates will be given a systematic methodology for ensuring that their presentations are effective and achieve the necessary business objectives. The importance of analysing and defining the purpose of the presentation will be stressed. Delegates will learn how to plan, prepare and deliver their presentations. They will also be made aware of the impact of non-verbal communication on their message. Delegates will also learn how to handle question time confidently and select appropriate visual aids.

Who should attend? Anyone who needs to speak in front of groups of people.

Course Objectives:

o At the end of the course, delegates will be able to:
o Make presentations with confidence
o Harness their nervous energy into exciting presentations
o Plan and structure a presentation
o Get their message across with more impact and professionalism
o Use their voice with more clarity, variety and projection
o Use body language to appear credible and confident
o Use visual aids to greater effect
o Handle question and answer sessions successfully
Course Overview:

o Introduction and objectives:
o Understanding what holds us back
o Identifying our positive image
o Supercharging our image
o Planning and preparation:
o The importance of identifying a clear objective
o Understanding our audiences' needs, concerns benefits
o What holds an audience's attention and what sends them to sleep
o How to structure your talk:
o Gaining impact and interest with Introductions
o Getting your audience into a yes mindset
o Structuring the body of your talk into clear chunks
o Using persuasive language
o Selecting material for quality not quantity
o Closing the presentation
o Non-verbal communication:
o Standing a gesturing to look confident and credible
o Eye contact
o Vocal skills to give authority and projection to the voice
o Pausing and emphasis and add impact
o Question and Answer Sessions:
o Handling questions concisely and confidently
o Tips on using Visual Aids
o Practice Sessions:
o Participants' talks will be videoed to help with feedback and analysis
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: Managers are increasingly expecting their project staff to manage more complex projects. However, not many organisations have a formalised project and programme methodology to help manage these projects effectively. This course aims to develop the methodical skills necessary to manage more complex projects. It also gives the opportunity to learn and assess two existing 'standard' methodologies - PRINCE2 and the PMI Body of Knowledge.

Who should attend? The course address the needs of experienced project staff who what to develop their skills to manage more complex projects.

Course Objectives:

o What makes a successful project
o Defining roles and responsibilities of all people involved in the project
o Obtaining commitment through Service Level Agreements
o Focusing on the customer needs
o Identifying and assessing project risks
o Handling project issues
o More effective estimating
o Earned Value Analysis
o Clean closure
Course Overview:

o The key to a successful project:
o Planning, communication and commitment
o Using a 'standard' methodology - an overview of the PRINCE2 and PMI Bok project methodologies
o Managing the risk:
o A risk management culture
o Proactive risk management
o Effective use of Risk Logs
o Objective evaluation pf project risks
o Impact of risk to the project and to the business
o Planning effective responses
o The project environment:
o The project team and the wider project environment
o Organisational structure
o Defining project team roles in matrix organisations
o Commitment register
o Financial control:
o 3 point estimating
o Earned Value Analysis
o Focusing on customer needs:
o Defining, understanding and agreeing 'deliverables'
o Getting 'customer' commitment
o Stage management of the project:
o Managing the project Stage by Stage with customer approval
o Accurate record keeping
o Eliminating the gap between desired outcome and actual outcomes
o Looking forward
o Managing change
o Handling project issues
o Closing the project:
o Clean end to a project
o Follow-on activities
o Post-project audit and post-project appraisal
o Lessons learned Log
o Survival tips for project managers
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: Meetings - so much valuable time is spent in meetings that it makes sense to ensure that the time is spent as wisely as possible. All too often a group of people meet with no real purpose or agenda - and leave the meeting feeling very little was achieved. This course is designed to help individuals who are responsible for chairing meetings at all levels, to ensure that time is used effectively and to achieve objectives in a structured and productive manner.

Who should attend? Those involved with chairing meetings or who will be involved in the near future.

Course Objectives:

o A structured approach to achieving real results from every meeting they chair
o Understand what leads to ineffective meetings
o Appreciate the role of the Chair
o Use time effectively
o Select techniques to manage dominant and reluctant attendees
o Demonstrate good communication skills
o Energise meetings
Course Overview:

o Objectives:
o Purposes of the Meetings
o Timings
o Selecting Key People
o Planning:
o Setting clear agendas
o Inviting agenda points prior to the meeting
o Preparing documentation
o Self-management:
o Successful Chair qualities
o Encouraging discussion and controlling timings
o Visual aids, note-taking
o Effective communication skills:
o Choosing the correct pitch
o Questioning and listening techniques
o Summarising and implementing action plans
o The media interview: Making the best use of time and creating a good impression.
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: In today's fast moving business environment, we all need to be able to use reports effectively for a variety of purposes. To sell ideas, in influence decision making or just to ensure that everyone has the key information they need about the business. Whether analysing past performance or setting out future strategy, effective reports are critical to influencing effectively and achieving goals. This course is designed for managers who have to write complex reports and wish to ensure they are read, understood and acted upon. The course is designed to be highly interactive and give delegates a chance to review issues pertaining to reports they are currently producing.

Who should attend? Anyone who wants to ensure that they are producing the best reports they can; people writing reports on a regular basis who want to make their reports more effective. Anyone looking for new ideas to increase the impact of their reports. This 1-day workshop is designed to help experienced report writers produce even more effective documents.

Course Objectives:

o Recognise how reports fit with other influencing activities as a strategic process
o Ensure that a report writing brief is correctly interpreted and developed
o Establish the correct scope and depth for a document
o Define precise communication objectives in relation to the report's audience
Course Overview:

o Defining the key issues to be covered and the 'question' being asked
o Communication objectives: precise objectives for what we want the readers to know, feel and do
o Develop a research strategy
o Research methods: Primary and secondary
o Report types and structures
o Principles of plain English
o Principles of page layout and document design
o The role of supporting elements such as the executive summary and follow up
o Structure the argument effectively
o Use a style of plain English that improves understanding and raises levels of interest
o Produce and effective and attractive layout
o Package the report with an interesting title, executive summary, contents page, etc
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: Conflict can have a devastating effect on productivity, morale, teamwork and ultimately your organisation. This seminar does not promise an end to all conflict. That is impossible. But the course does provide the necessary insights, a proven approach and the relevant skills which can be applied whenever conflict arise. Delegates will also gain insight into how conflict can produce positive change, lead to unity and promote collaboration

Who should attend? Team leaders, managers and supervisors who facilitate group process. Anyone who has the task of resolving conflict or disputes. Those in conflict with others who wish to find solutions.

Course Objectives:

o Give a clear insight into the root causes of all forms of conflict, an understanding of how conflict manifests and how to begin to resolve it
o See and understand why conflict happens
o Know how to manage and resolve interpersonal conflict
o Recognise the signs of conflict emerging in a team situation
o How to mediate in a conflict situation
o Identify and deal with behaviours which trigger and escalate conflict
Course Overview:

o Recognising and Understanding:
o The seven home truths about conflict
o The two primary reasons why conflict occurs
o How to spot the red flags which indicate conflict is brewing and what you can do to prevent escalation
o The seven types of conflict
o Dissolving and Resolving:
o Seven steps to co-operative resolution
o Five essential rules for open communication
o Proven ways to prevent conflict from escalating
o Separating the person from the problem - what it really means and how to do it
o Mediating in a conflict situation
o Behaviours and Barriers:
o How to confront people in a way that minimises defensiveness and hostility
o The secrets to controlling your own anxiety, anger and fear in a conflict situation
o How to break the automatic link between emotions and actions
o How to use the power of influence to overcome obstacles
o How to build trust and respect
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: Creative thinking makes problem solving fun. This workshop provides delegates with the tools and techniques to substantially enhance their performance and results. They will recognise their lateral and logical abilities and gain self-confidence to deal with day to day issues. The course will illustrate how to solve problems through practical exercises and syndicate work. At the end of the event, delegates will be able to generate ideas and solutions to problems.

Who should attend? People whose work involves solving complex problems or meeting new challenges where the solutions are not always obvious

Course Objectives:

o Help delegates alter the way they approach and think about problems and challenges
o Identify and overcome the barriers to creative thinking in their own minds and in their approach
o Recognise and cope with the obstacles to creativity and change in their working environment
o Appreciate the limitations and applications of conventional problem solving (vertical, left brain thinking)
o Apply the more fluid thinking style of the right hemisphere of their brain, i.e. use lateral thinking techniques
o Apply a range of creative thinking tools to escape from the conventional barriers to analysis and idea generation
o Test ideas for practicality and relevance
Course Overview:

o Defining creativity and innovation
o How the brain works in respect of creativity and innovation
o Vertical and lateral thinking approaches
o Creative thinking tools:
o Brainstorming
o Tony Buzan's Mind mapping
o Edward do Bono's Six Thinking hats
o Metaphorical thinking
o Rule Reversal
o Blissociation
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: Modern performance management centres on 'achieving results through other people'. As such, managing people is a very important part of making any organisation work well - achieving organisational goals is only possible if the leaders' teams share their vision. The course looks in detail at specific examples from the delegates' workplace, assessing approaches to team management and examining new concepts to develop the performance of the team.

Who should attend? Managers with at least 12 months experience who wish to develop and enhance their leadership, team building and individual performance management skills.

Course Objectives:

o To fully understand the dynamics of team management from both the internal and external perspective
o Analyse the criteria for team effectiveness and how to measure team progress
o Building successful teams through participation
o Analyse their existing management style and how to develop more participative management behaviours
o Understand the difference between leadership and management and how they inter-relate
o To manage the performance of the individuals in the team and deliver effective feedback
Course Overview:

o Team Working: Developing a team through understanding the key building blocks and the components that need to be managed. Measuring team effectiveness - examining the tangible and intangible measurement tools. Understanding the individuals' priorities and motivations. A four-part model to build and develop teams more effectively.
o Manager or Leader: What is the difference between management and leadership? An introduction to the five key elements of leadership attributes. Three management styles, their uses and circumstances when they are used in developing the team. Practical session to develop management styles.
o Communication: How to handle discussions within the team and with individuals through effective facilitation. The "magnificent seven" facilitation techniques, and when these should be used. Delivering feedback. Handling difficult situations assertively.
o Managing Team and Individual Performance: Establishing role clarity and the importance of a shared understanding. Motivation - understanding the difference between motivation and reward. Delegation - empowering individuals through well planned structures. The developmental process, training, coaching, and a five point process for minimising risk.
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: The importance of risk management can hardly be overstated. Awareness of risk has increased as we currently live in a less stable economic and political environment. The purpose of this course is to provide managers with a solid understanding of business risk and how to manage it. The course looks at risk from different perspectives and analyses the possibilities for managing it in each situation. The course focuses primarily on operational, project, and reputational risk management. Case studies and role playing are used to illustrate real risk situations.

Who should attend? All managers. Any legal, compliance or audit professionals.

Course Objectives:

o The objective of this course is to provide delegates with a good understanding of business risk and how to manage it. By the end of this course, delegates will know:
o The definitions of risk and uncertainty
o How the two dimensions of risk can be measured
o How to identify and manage the most common types of risk
o How to identify hidden risks
o Ways of reducing and managing risk
o How to analyse operational procedures relative to risk
Course Overview:

o Why risk is a more important management concern
o Understanding the regulatory environment
o The role of risk management and the risk manager in the modern organisation
o Risk in business decision making
o Principal tools: self-assessment, mapping, indicators, Escalation triggers, Loss event database; enterprise risk management
o Creating a risk management framework
o Benchmarking processes
o Identifying the factors involved in environmental, reputational, project and operational risk
o How psychological, personal and ethical issues impact risk management
o Risk management and corporate governance
o Case studies in risk management
Book Now
Duration: 3 day(s)

Outline: Managers are at the centre of an organisation's success. It is through the manager that the organisation achieves results. Therefore the development of outstanding managers and leaders is fundamental to an organisation's development. In short, good managers are worth their weight in gold! As a result, management performance is very much in the spotlight and managers now have a huge range of competing priorities to deal with. Juggling all the balls can be tough. It is not unusual for new managers to therefore feel swamped by the amount of work, but also feel overcome by the weight of expectation. This course gives an intensive introduction to the world of people management and helps the manager get the best from their staff, build better teams and achieve long lasting results.

Who should attend? Individuals recently promoted, or about to be promoted into management. Those individuals who have been in management and need a refresher on the fundamental principles and best practice of team and individual management.

Course Objectives:

o To understand the four key Ws of management - why, what, ways, and when.
o To understand management behaviours and how these are applied to various situations.
o To provide a full toolkit for managers to achieve the best results through other people
o To help managers deal with difficult situations.
o To help managers develop and motivate staff
Course Overview:

o The purpose and responsibilities of management. What your internal customer expects.
o The relationship between the task, team and individual
o How to build better teams and understand individuals.
o Management style - which behaviour works and when.
o Developing a more participative style in order to gain buy-in from your team.
o Communicating with impact.
o Facilitation techniques for managers. Developing the "pull" style to gain "buy-in" from your staff.
o Running team meetings for better results.
o Time Management - maximising your time and that of the team
o Performance management - setting SMARTER objectives and reviewing progress.
o Motivation techniques.
o Delegating for achievement - a winning 5 part structure that minimises risk.
o Delivering quality feedback, as a motivational and developmental tool.
o The difference between conduct and capability issues
o Handling difficult situations in order to improve team and individual performance.
o Assertive behaviours and the management of expectations.
o Making your case professionally and influencing your manager.
o How to run an effective appraisal session.
o An introduction to development and coaching skills.
o Action Planning
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: Negotiating skills have become more and more important as companies and governments have continued to outsource supply of products and services to a greater extent than ever before. A handshake is no longer enough as service level agreements and formal contracts are a common part of life. Against this background, advanced negotiation skills are essential - whether you are a buyer or supplier. The course is highly interactive and involves numerous exercises and role-plays. The course also involves use of videotaping the delegates negotiating in teams

Who should attend? All managers who have to negotiate at a senior level. This may include contract negotiations with clients and suppliers, service level agreements, government bodies and regulators.

Course Objectives:

o Distinguish negotiation from persuasion and other styles
o Plan negotiations using a three phase model
o Set complex negotiation objectives (types and levels)
o Assess and manage risk
o Research and prepare for negotiations at both individual and organisational levels
o Establish and maintain a positive negotiating environment
o Understand
o Handle multi-cultural negotiation
o Manage the emotional and behavioural dimension of negotiations
Course Overview:

o Research techniques for assessing position and options
o Objective setting
o Identifying the best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA)
o Bid preparation and understanding the counterpart's likely position
o Identifying and using trading currencies to advantage
o Controlling and understanding non verbal communication
o Cultural differences and their impact on the negotiating process
o Contracts and Service Level Agreements
o Identify trading currencies and how to use them
o Bid, bargain and close the deal
o Develop contracts and service level agreements
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: This is the ideal course for those who want a flying start to their sales career. Based upon competent and professional sales skills, delegates are taught how to sell without resorting to high pressure techniques. The sales process, from prospecting to after sales service, is explained and delegates are taught the importance of developing a sales plan. The importance of responding to the customer's needs is stressed. Individual sales styles are assessed and each delegate develops a personal action plan for their future sales career.

Who should attend? Those new to the sales function and those with some experience but no formal training in selling.

Course Objectives:

o This course will provide a modern consultative approach to selling as required in today's market place. On completion delegates will be able to:
o Plan every sales interview more effectively
o Secure appointments by telephone using a structured approach
o Use questioning skills to uncover requirements
o Match customer's needs and close the sale
o Apply a range of creative thinking tools to escape from the conventional barriers to analysis and idea generation
o Test ideas for practicality and relevance
Course Overview:

o The vital role of the sales person
o Research and setting objectives - making the most of your time
o Identifying decision makers and the correct use of questions to identify sales opportunities
o How best to present your case using benefits not features and how best to quote your price
o Buying signals and closing the sale
o Developing a range of closing techniques to meet individual sales situations
o Video -'The Unorganised Sales Person'
o Understanding why objections occur, the need to look for the hidden reasons
o Handling and overcoming objections
o Customer behaviour patterns and their effects on the buying and selling process
o Making successful cold call appointments
o Individual role-play and syndicate exercises delegates have the opportunity to plan and carry out a real situation of their choice
o Body language in business
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: The Account Manager not only has to manage the sale, but the strategy to optimise client spend and loyalty. As the relationship between provider and client evolves, the expectations of service and product supply continue to increase. The need to develop long-term relationships at all levels with the client's purchasing and user teams, through communication, together with the ability to understand the client's business and objectives, is no longer desirable, but is now essential. This course examines all these issues, and looks at the implementation of account management strategy, delivery and measurement.

Who should attend? New managers who want to learn more about how to manage and develop their chosen/target accounts. This course is also for existing sales people involved in Key Accounts who want to step back from their daily workload and explore different approaches or examine their accounts against a different set of objectives or criteria

Course Objectives:

o How to gain entry into the organisation and implement your account strategy
o How to build successful relationships within the organisation
o How to manage multiple relationships
o Negotiating by influence and integrity
o How to network and grow an existing client base
o Measuring and monitoring your service for success
Course Overview:

o Your role as an Account Manager - assessing, goal-setting, benchmarking, bridging
o What makes the top Account Manager successful
o How to engage with the buyer's point of view
o Researching and analysing your competitors
o When to run and manage campaigns
o Understanding the buying cycle
o Identifying the Decision Making Unit (DMU)
o Identifying client expectations
o Identifying and negotiating mutual goals implementation procedures
o Implementation procedures
o Managing change with your client
o Communication and managing relationships
o Influencing styles
o Database and report management
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: This workshop concentrates on enhancing the success of your sales team through the application of sound managerial practice. It has been devised for sales managers who currently have or expect to have ownership of sales performance through others. Delegates will obtain a practical toolkit of ideas and techniques to optimise the sales success of other people. They will understand the role of the sales manager and therefore be able to generate an environment for success.

Who should attend? Sales Managers, who are either largely untrained as managers, or who aspire to be more effective in their management role.

Course Objectives:

o Lead rather than merely manage the sales team
o Identify the essential skills of leading the sales team
o Empower the team so that it achieves more
o Build a cohesive sales team
Course Overview:

o Leading a sales team, rather than merely managing it:
o The 3 great sins
o Handling mavericks
o Being firm without causing upset
o Developing individuals in the sales team:
o The 4 styles of sales management
o "Trotters Independent Traders"
o How coaching and facilitating fits into the process
o Empowering the sales team:
o KIASU
o How delegating fits into the process
o Motivation theory
o Developing a sales team
o Generating synergy so that the team achieves more than the sums of its parts
o Classic team roles of a sales team
o The mastery ladder
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: This two-day course has been designed to provide an overview of the basics of payroll and equip those attending with relevant, useful knowledge of operating payroll on a day to day basis. General payroll obligations and requirements will be identified and relevant legislation introduced. The course will include training and practical elements with the objective of enabling each delegate to undertake calculations and exercises that will give them the core skills necessary for the preparation of manual payments.

Who should attend? Who should attend? · Employees new to payroll · Those who are required to cover for absences and only have experience of running a computerised payroll · Those who require an understanding of payroll legislation and procedures · Those already working in payroll who want to understand how a computer payroll calculates employees pay · Those in accounts, personnel or overall management who need to understand what payroll involves

Course Objectives:

o Obligations and legislation that affect payroll
o Procedures, checks and controls to put in place
o How to calculate manual payments
o Deductions and attachments relating to payroll processing
Course Overview:

o Payroll obligations and requirements
o Payroll cycle
o Data collection
o Record updating
o Calculation and reconciliation
o Reporting and record keeping
o PAYE
o Tax codes and tables
o Percentages and rates
o Calculating PAYE
o Using NIC tables and calculating National Insurance
o Percentages and rates
o Statutory Sick Pay
o Statutory Maternity Pay
o Starters and Leavers
o Deductions/attachments
o Court orders
o Pensions
o Student loans
o Voluntary (union etc)
o Tax credits
o Data Protection and Disaster Recovery
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: Many organisations could improve cash flow by reducing the risks of providing credit to late or non-paying customers and by using established routines and Small Claims procedures to obtain payment. This one-day workshop identifies ways of minimising credit and associated risks. It also identifies procedures and controls to monitor and improve credit control together with an introduction to the use of Small Claims procedures.

Who should attend? All personnel involved in the assessment of credit or actively involved in the credit control function.

Course Objectives:

o Ways of reducing credit and risk
o Assessing customer's credit worthiness
o Alternatives to legal action
o The legal process
o Ways of enforcing judgment
Course Overview:

o Defining credit
o Ways of minimising credit risk
o Terms and conditions
o Assessing credit worthiness
o Setting and using credit limits
o Debt collection procedures
o Alternatives to legal action
o Introducing small claims
o Enforcing judgment
o Action Planning
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: It has become increasingly apparent that the financial responsibility of the board no longer rests only with the Finance Director. Increasingly all board members need to have an understanding, and the ability to interpret and use financial accounts and forecasts. This two day course provides the vital knowledge of the financial terms and concepts needed by all directors in today's increasingly complex business environment.

Who should attend? Executives, non-executive directors, aspiring directors and director designates who feel the need to improve their understanding of financial matters in order to make a greater financial contribution to the financial well-being of their organisation.

Course Objectives:

o To understand role and the terminology used by finance directors
o How to take a more active role in board discussions revolving around finance or accountancy issues
o The knowledge and skills in assessing the financial health of a business
o How to understand and use accepted financial ratios
o Project appraisal skills using discounted cash flow and payback methods of evaluation
o How to interpret profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and cash flow statements.
o The difference between Management Accounts and Statutory Accounts
Course Overview:

o How to put your ideas across in a manner and language that the Chief Executive and finance director will understand
o Calculate and interpret financial data
o The Profit and Loss Account
o The Balance Sheet
o Asset Management
o Cash Flow forecast
o Budgeting with Accuracy
o Contribution
o Break-even analysis
o Assessment of financial health
o Financial ratios
o Financial terminology
o Calculate and interpret key performance ratios
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: Do you want the fear taken out of Finance? Do you want to feel confident in your understanding of financial matters as they relate to your business? Do you want to improve the profitability of your business? This course is specifically written for managers who need a better understanding of business or organisational finance. It is a very practical course that will build from little or no financial knowledge. The content will be immediately applicable in your business. Additionally, you will learn many techniques to enhance the profitability of your business overnight!

Who should attend? Managers who need to gain a better understanding of the financial implications of their day-to-day business decisions.

Course Objectives:

o How a business or organisation operates from a financial perspective
o The key financial statements and how to interpret them
o The key questions and areas you should be addressing as a manager
o The key indicators in business
o How to spot the warning signals
o How to significantly improve the profitability of your business
o How to appraise capital projects
Course Overview:

o A Disaster and the business analogies!
o The Business Cycle and how money flows in a business
o Business objectives
o The Profit and Loss Statement
o The Balance Sheet
o The Cash Flow Statement
o Accounting policies (and abuses!)
o The key financial ratios and their interpretation
o Profit Vs Cash
o Working Capital management
o Cash Flow management
o Cost control and reduction
o Improving margins and sales in your business
o Relevant costs and their use
o Break even analysis
o Capital investment techniques
o Risk analysis
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: This one-day course has been designed to provide project managers with an understanding of the financial implications of their decisions and so enable them to improve the financial control and outturn of their projects.

Who should attend? Managers and staff involved in the preparation and monitoring of projects where there are financial issues and considerations.

Course Objectives:

o The terminology explained
o Key aspects of financial control
o Financial budgeting for projects
o Evaluation and interpretation of financial data
Course Overview:

o The need for financial planning
o Basic concepts
o Prudence & Consistency
o Revenue v Capital
o Cost and Revenue
o Depreciation
o Value Added Tax - an introduction
o Cost factors - the common pitfalls
o Discounts - assessing the impact
o Compiling the Project Cost Budget
o Compiling the Cash Flow Forecast
o Comparing Actual with Budget
o Costs to complete
o Controlling project changes
o Updating the Financial Plan
o Financial Controls - purchases and income
o Contractual terms - the financial issues
o Summary - avoiding the common pitfalls
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: Now more than ever, clients judge organisations on the standard of personal service as much as raw product performance. This is particularly true for non-tangible service products. Staff who have direct contact with clients (either business or consumers) need to have a strong understanding of what distinguishes exceptional service. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is regarded as an important new weapon in the battle to retain customers and deepen the relationship through cross-selling other products. This course has two purposes - first to help staff and management involved in client contact to sharpen their skills, and secondly to give them tools for improving customer service.

Who should attend? Managers, supervisors and staff involved in client service.

Course Objectives:

o Improve the way that clients, internal or external, perceive the service they receive
o Measure the importance of CRM to business success
o Segment your customer base to identify you most important customers and how to manage the relationship with them
o Identify how CRM does, or could, give their business a competitive advantage
o Identify the moments of truth in service delivery, as they are perceived by clients
o Benchmark your own organistation against the leaders in CRM
Course Overview:

o Defining customer relationship management
o The role of Information Systems for CRM
o CRM and client segmentation
o The role of service elements as part of the product and brand
o Empowering and motivating customer service
o How to handle complaints and problems using a model for service recovery
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: The success and reputation of an organisation can be strongly influenced by the way it treats its customers at every point of contact. Building customers' trust and goodwill through the way you treat them is as vital as what you provide in products and services.

Who should attend? Front line and support staff who have regular contact with customers and need to recognise the significance of their actions on the company's reputation and success.

Course Objectives:

o Provides a foundation for understanding the principles, attitudes and skills essential for a quality service experience
o Describe ways to create a positively memorable service experience
o Identify opportunities to excel and build customer loyalty
o Recognise the importance of treating colleagues as customers
o Project the right image face-to-face and on the phone
o Turn around customers' dissatisfaction and complaints
o Say "no" constructively, and give bad news
Course Overview:

o Customer care - nicety or necessity?:
o A service area - meeting and exceeding customers' expectations
o The service complement - competence and care
o Creating loyalty and goodwill
o The key impression points:
o Projecting a professional image
o Face-to-face, on the phone and e-mail
o Dealing positively with more difficult situations:
o Customer service styles and their consequences
o The 8 A's remedy for complaints
o Saying "no" constructively
o Giving bad news
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: Providing customer service today is not always easy - it can certainly be challenging! Customers often have heightened and (seemingly) unreasonable expectations of service levels. And, given that both customers and service providers are experiencing higher levels of pressure from work and life in general, we have a potentially explosive cocktail. This course helps staff to manage difficult people with greater skill and confidence, recognising that transforming a difficult situation can result in a lifelong ally.

Who should attend?All Staff who have to manage difficult customer situations face-to-face or on the telephone. Note: This course does not deal with physical aggression or violence

Course Objectives:

o To identify what causes customers to be demanding or difficult and the consequences
o The benefits to you and your company of turning around a difficult customer situation
o How to stop ourselves taking things personally and becoming embroiled in an argument
o To recognise and manage your own responses, engaging "The Professional Brain"
o To develop strategies for handling different types of difficult customers
o To handle verbal aggression and "put downs"
o To know when and how to deal with unacceptable behaviour
Course Overview:

o Causes of difficult: What makes customers difficult; what makes us difficult
o The Behaviour Iceberg: What's happening above and below the surface.
o Different communication channels and their effect: Face-to-Face, on the phone, written: electronic/ letters.
o Managing our own responses: Keeping ourselves in peak condition, emotionally and professionally.
o Communicating confidently and calmly under pressure and saying things in the right way.
o Strategies for handling dissatisfaction and turning around a tricky situation.
o Handling different types of difficult customers: e.g. arrogant, patronising, persistent.
o How to say: 'No' when you can't say 'yes'.
o Managing the extremes: When and how to address what is unacceptable.
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: Call centres now employ more than coal, motor and steel industries combined in developed countries. Providing a "customer focused" delivery whilst managing the relationship between people, processes and technology is an increasing challenge. This course looks at how managing a call centre environment differs from other business areas and how we compensate for these differences.

Who should attend? Newly promoted or soon to be promoted call centre supervisor, team leaders and managers or those who wish to benchmark what they are doing well.

Course Objectives:

o What is the role of the Manager?
o How to identify the 'people' issues and offer solutions
o Gain an understanding of: Caller expectations, CRM philosophy, Current tele-technology, Call centre strategies
o Measuring , motivating and rewarding staff in a call centre environment
Course Overview:

o People:
o Differing personalities and how understanding them can help you manage you staff and your customer relationships
o Factors to consider when recruiting staff for your call centre
o Understanding assertiveness and the benefits it can bring to your interactions with staff
o How to get the very best from people through understanding motivation theories
o Giving motivational and developmental feedback
o Business:
o Benchmarking your call centre using key performance indicators
o Understanding how to identify a strategy and set objectives for your call centre by looking at 6 particular call centre strategies
o Service:
o Managing and measuring the calls you receive to ensure high service standards
o Managing customer expectations by understanding the importance of Customer Relationship Management
o Current contact centre technology - what's out there and what does it do?
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: The telephone is, for most organisations today, your key mode of communication with your customers and suppliers. Customers often form an impression of the whole organisation based on the quality of one call. This course is designed to help staff, in any role or department, to handle a call professionally. The use of telephone coaching equipment during the day helps facilitate learning through putting principle into practice.

Who should attend? All staff who want to improve their telephone communication skills, especially front line staff

Course Objectives:

o Create a confident, personalised service on the phone
o Describe best practice at key stages of a call
o Sound confident and generate confidence
o Control and guide the call
o Handle difficult situations on the telephone
Course Overview:

o ⦁ Creating a professional image on the telephone:
o ⦁ The advantages and limitations of phone communication
o ⦁ Key stages of a call (answering, handovers, concluding)
o ⦁ Sounding professional in your voice and words
o ⦁ Controlling a call and gaining information:
o ⦁ Questioning and listening effectively
o ⦁ The importance of check back
o ⦁ Shortening a lengthy call
o ⦁ Managing difficult situations:
o ⦁ Customer service styles and their consequences
o ⦁ Handling dissatisfaction with EASE
o ⦁ Screening calls
Book Now
Duration: 1 day(s)

Outline: Credit control is a vital element for any organisation in controlling their cash flow and reducing the risks of providing credit to late paying or non-paying customers. This course has been designed specifically for those working in a credit control role who wish to improve their ability and effectiveness when making the all important customer contacts which are such a vital part of credit control.

Who should attend? Anyone who handles credit control issues with customers.

Course Objectives:

o Why Exceptional Customer Service is important
o Being assertive and still giving good service
o Controlling the call
o Disagreeing agreeably
Course Overview:

o What is Exceptional Service and how can we achieve it?
o The 6 essential rules of customer care
o Behaviours we must avoid: list of attacking and defensive behaviours
o Using clear, positive communication when addressing customers
o Creating rapport: responding to different personality types
o Listening skills
o Controlling the call
o The differences between assertion, aggression, and submissiveness
o How assertive are you?
o The benefits of using assertive behaviour
o How to react to aggressive behaviour and take control of difficult situations
o Being assertive and still delivering Exceptional Customer Service
o Knowing your rights
o Saying "No" when you have to
o Handling common credit control excuses
o Maintaining the customer relationship
o Disagreeing agreeably
o Reaching an agreeable solution
Book Now
Duration: 2 day(s)

Outline: The key message on this residential course is "customer satisfaction is not enough - we must delight." It combines two of our top courses - "Handling Customers Professionally" and "Professional Telephone Techniques" - into a 2 day residential course focusing on service excellence.

Who should attend? Anyone who manages customer service and individuals with a customer-facing role - whether on the phone or in person.

Course Objectives:

o Identifying opportunities to excel
o The significance of actions upon a company's reputation and success
o How to manage the customer's heightened expectations and demands
o Working positively with dissatisfaction
o Maintaining professionalism under pressure
Course Overview:

o Customer care: nice or necessity?
o Consequences of good/bad service experiences
o The key impression points
o Really listening gaining understanding, showing empathy and building rapport
o Body language
o Inspiring confidence
o Dealing positively with challenging situations
o Managing complaints, the 8A s formula
o The assertive approach to win-win outcomes
o Maintaining professionalism
o Creating a professional image over the telephone
o What not to say - image wreckers
o Personal Action Planning
Book Now