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Case Studies

In this section you will find articles and case studies about programmes we have worked on recently.

Training Improves Customer Retention

When DaimlerChrysler Services Fleet Management relocated to Milton Keynes the company decided to invest in a company wide training scheme for both new recruits and existing staff.

The re-location to Milton Keynes meant many new staff joining the company. DaimlerChrysler Services Fleet Management decided to embark on a comprehensive series of induction modules including company orientation, a customer service workshop and a three-day industry awareness programme. “One of the key objectives was to ensure that customers received a high level of service throughout the re-location and on an ongoing basis,” said Rael Winetroube, Sales Director.

Grosvenor Training, an accredited BVRLA provider, designed the industry awareness programme on behalf of DaimlerChrysler Services Fleet Management with senior management, concentrating on technical knowledge about the fleet management industry, business and customer retention strategies and tactics. Peter Elsom and Rodney Hunt from Grosvenor Training ran a series of workshops over a 1-year period.

Workshops were designed to engender customer trust. The tailored training was delivered at DaimlerChrysler over 3 days split over a month period. The workshops included learning on company orientation, products, selling proposition methods, processes and procedures. Training was delivered over a 3-month period with time between each workshop to embed learning in the workplace.

New and existing staff at all levels of the company up to the Managing Director jointly attended the programme and this worked well to integrate staff together, improving teamwork, communication and generating an improved customer service focus throughout the business. Andrew Hobden, an Account Executive said “although I have been in the industry for almost 10 years now I still found the training extremely beneficial and often refer to my BVRLA guide for assistance.”

Judith Howard, HR Manager, said “getting people to understand the business and the industry in which we operate has been critical in retaining and developing our relationships with customers. In addition, staff learnt from each other’s experiences which has improved the consistency of knowledge in the business as well as developing internal networks thus helping to improve our business and create a competitive differentiation”.

Staff were enthusiastic about the fact that the training was tailored to the industry needs. Mark Stubbs, a Fleet Maintenance Controller said ‘ "I feel that the BVRLA gave me an invaluable insight into the Fleet World. Without this knowledge, I would have just been carrying out a role within the industry without an insight into the 'bigger picture'. VAT, taxation, rental construction, underwriting, etc. There is only one way to gain an overview of these subjects in such a short time, and this is it. The training was put across with such a modern approach, that even those with little interest in the subject could not help but learn from the Instructor."

Staff received BVRLA certificates at the end of the programme. BVRLA supports quality training as part of their drive to improve standards across the industry sector.

Taking Responsibility for Customer Service

ING Car Lease has just completed an extensive internal industry knowledge training programme. The main objective for the training was to equip staff at all levels with industry understanding about customer needs for contract hire, leasing and rental. At the same time the company also received the IiP (Investors in People) award last year and Nikki Bradshaw, HR Manager says, “The achievement of the standard demonstrates our commitment to our staff, their development and our future growth."

Grosvenor Training, accredited by BVRLA, provided a six-month technical training programme. There were three specific levels of training to cover all levels of staff. The programme included information about the various financial products, and tax/VAT implications.

Working together with senior management the company specified and developed the training with Grosvenor. The programme was provided in response to a need identified through an internal Training needs analysis, which highlighted a need for improved industry awareness.

The training was measured through feedback questionnaires, Personal Development plans (PDP’s) and the ongoing appraisal process. ING Car Lease has implemented PDPs across all of the company, which enables individuals to agree their personal development objectives with their managers. The programme has been followed up through the PDP process and the feedback received so far indicates that individuals feel more confident to problem solve and are able to give more detailed support to customers as a result of their improved industry knowledge. ‘Staff feel more able to take responsibility and ownership of customer interaction giving the opportunity to further improve service levels’. Says Nikki Bradshaw .

ING Car Lease provides customised packages for each customer, who can encompass a full range of services, from intrinsic funding and fleet management to fully outsourced driver contact arrangements including vehicle insurance, risk management and rental services. Since it was established in the 1970’s ING Car Lease has become one of the leading full service vehicle leasing companies in Europe. Ian Tilbrook, Managing Director says ‘ING Car Lease in the UK runs a fleet of around 12,000 vehicles, the vast majority of which are supplied to major blue chip companies under a variety of lease and management structures. Outstanding customer service is crucial to retention and loyalty and ING Car Lease are committed to developing long term and transparent business relationships with all our customers. Our internal staff’s industry knowledge and self confidence is essential in achieving this’.

Grosvenor Training, accredited by BVRLA, provided a six-month technical training programme. There were three specific levels of training to cover all levels of staff. The programme included information about the various financial products, and tax/VAT implications.Working together with senior management the company specified and developed the training with Grosvenor. The programme was provided in response to a need identified through an internal Training needs analysis, which highlighted a need for improved industry awareness. The training was measured through feedback questionnaires, Personal Development plans (PDP’s) and the ongoing appraisal process. ING Car Lease has implemented PDPs across all of the company, which enables individuals to agree their personal development objectives with their managers. The programme has been followed up through the PDP process and the feedback received so far indicates that individuals feel more confident to problem solve and are able to give more detailed support to customers as a result of their improved industry knowledge. ‘Staff feel more able to take responsibility and ownership of customer interaction giving the opportunity to further improve service levels’. Says Nikki Bradshaw .

Leading Serviced Office Provider teams up with Grosvenor Training

One of the UK's leading serviced business provider to SMEs, IMEX Spaces has launched its first internal training programme with the coorporation of Grosvenor Training, the bca approved training company. IMEX Spaces , a division of Europes leading space management company, Mentmore Abbey plc, has over 160 business centres around the country offering flexible, serviced and affordable offices and industrial units to a wide variety of business.

Being aware that people are a key to the company's success, IMEX Spaces has commited itself to improving the skills of its employees. Together with Grosvenor Training they have created an internal training programme. Key aspects include the importance of customer care, product training to ensure that every employee within the organisation knows the company's products, and management training to improve the sales skills of centre managers and administration staff.

Bob Chapman, IMEX Spaces Managing Director says "Training will play an important role over the next year to help all IMEX Spaces employees to achieve their professional objectives and develop their skills. The business centre industry is growing very quickly and we need to ensure that our managers are professional trained and fully aware of the needs of our customers"

An offical partner of the bca, Grosvenor Training specialise in the business centre industry. The company has been tasked to learn about the IMEX Spaces culture and to create a training programme suit to its needs. This will involved visiting the company's centres to learn about local issues and creating a time plan for the training programme.

Bob Chapman explains "Being in the business centre industry is no longer about just providing space. Small companies want much more than just a simple office or unit, they want value-added services that will provide them with a secure and safe working environment and allow them to grow and develop their businesses"

"As a result IMEX Spaces is changing its face from a space supplier into a total business support provider where the customers needs become our promise. We are committing ourselves to be more focused on our customers by listening to them and learning about their requirements. The new training programme will help us to achieve this goal."

The programme is schedule to start in June and has been divided into 2 parts. The first will cover every aspect of customer care and will be aimed at all IMEX Spaces centre and regional managers as well as the support staff who deal with the customers on a daily basis. The second will be aimed at improving centre and sales management skills, with emphasis on how to maximise business opportunitites.

Bob Bloomfield, IMEX Spaces Head of Personnel & Training, comments "Investing in our people is one of our primary objectives and we are really pleased to be working with Grosvenor Training. We were looking for a company that has experience and understanding of serviced office provision and has resources to deliver professional courses in a short period of time"

"Grosvenor Training has considerable knowledge of the issues that are cruical to us, those being the understanding of how to manage business centres with an emphasis on customer care. We are now looking forward to the start of the programme and pass this knowledge onto our employees."