....more client feedback

1. What led you to contact a training organisation in the first place?
   We recognised that our teams are highly skilled in design and architecture , but they’re not from a business development background. So we wanted to give our leadership and management team and emerging talent the understanding of this function and the skills to deliver on it. We didn’t want to rely on one or two BD people, and instead  recognise that people really buy people and with a team of 80, we needed additional skills development for BD and client engagement.
   
   
2. Why did you choose STC?
   STC differentiated themselves from the other companies we approached because of their experience working with professional service providers and their professionalism. They took a strategic, systematic approach to the research and design process. This has led to a bespoke programme for our industry, organisation and people which has been embraced by staff. Some of the other training companies we considered seemed to have a more formulaic approach, whereas with STC it was abundantly clear this programme was designed around our specific needs. 
   
   
3. What was your experience of working with STC?
   The whole program has been professionally implemented. We’ve seen an evolving strategy that continually looked at the outcomes we needed. They provide exceptional customer service – going over and above what they’d agreed to do and this was very tailored to the specifics of our situation. They have also been highly personable to deal with.
   
   
4. Which elements in particular worked well for you in the programme designed by STC?
   The research with our architects, designers and clients meant that the programme was aligned with our specific requirements and ‘landed’ with our team. We’ve seen an increased level of skill and understanding, a cultural change around responsibility and ability in business development and practical tools which have increased confidence and willingness to engage with clients and with BD. The follow up work with us as a leadership team has provided us with additional skills and tools to keep the learning alive.
    
5. What were some specific results you have obtained from the sales training programme?
   We’ve seen an immediate shift in thinking and with the way in which our team approach and manage client interactions, as well as how they deal with any challenges along the way.  We’ve already used the skills to successfully win significant new business. Beyond that the skills have seen us convert more opportunities and increase client engagement.
   
   
6. Would you recommend STC to other organisations and if so why?
   I have no hesitation in recommending STC to any organisation needing a bespoke, customised approach. I’d be happy to discuss our experience with STC in person.
    

Miriam McNicol, Brand & Relationships Manager, Context Architects

1. What led you to contact a training organisation in the first place?
   Concerned about the communication coming from our engineers; it was blunt and not overly helpful in answering client queries. Also part of the strategy to enable cultural change in CGW. We needed to change the focus of our people away from being solely technical.
   
   
2. Why did you choose STC?
   A referral from Andy; the results at Platinum Homes was a great example that he had seen working well. We also liked the customised, specific way in which they proposed going about the training. We knew that we needed to base what we did on what our clients were saying, not just choose something off the shelf.
   
   
3. What has been your experience of working with STC?
   Excellent experience; they really got involved in our business, took the time to understand it and based what they did on what we needed. They did a great job of taking some of our staff outside their comfort zones and really got to know them.
   
   
4. Which elements in particular worked well for you in the programme designed by STC?
   LCER was a particular highlight and a great strategy for dealing with difficult/upset clients. Given the pressures in the construction industry this particular tool is a good one. The verbal agenda has been really positive as has the info around the problems with email communication.
   
   
5. What were some specific results you have obtained from the training programme?
   Early indication are that the programme has helped to contribute to a reduction in time write-offs and increased success rate winning work.
   
   
6. Would you recommend STC to other organisations and if so why?
   Yes! Our staff feedback, particular from some who were very sceptical early on was that this was the best training programme they had ever done!

Chris Short - General Manager
BBS, PG Dip Man, CIMA Dip MA, MInstD
CGW Consulting Engineers

Andy Wilton - Director
BE, CMEngNZ, CPEng, IntPE, Dip MS
CGW Consulting Engineers

1. What led you to contact a sales training organisation in the first place?
   We recognised that our team had become conditioned to lead on price and our approach was one dimensional. This was counter to our most recent market research and mystery shopping. Customers want to feel comfortable and informed when making a major purchase and the relationship with the retailer was vital. We needed to find a new way to connect and sell.
   
   
2. Why did you choose STC?
   STC has a team that supports its efforts and we felt that this provided consistency, stability and service, which is not available from the one man band, so called gurus. STC also put in the yards to understand our business and its unique characteristics and were honest in their critique.
   
   
3. What was your experience of working with STC?
   STC are professional and skilled at all levels, they are a role model as well as a trainer.
   
   
4. Which elements in particular worked well for you in the sales training programme designed by STC?
   The pre-planning gave STC credibility with our staff and that was maintained through the training delivery.
   
   
5. What were some specific results you have obtained from the sales training programme?
   We have changed the language of our selling process and we can now communicate with one another using common themes and concepts.
   
   
6. Would you recommend STC to other organisations and if so why?
   I have no hesitation in recommending STC, and have done so. STC are professional, they have depth and skill that we have not experienced in other providers and we regard them as a part of our team.
   
   

Philip Ebbitt-Manson, General Manager, Beds R Us

1. What led you to contact a sales training organisation in the first place?
   We knew that in order to deliver business growth we needed to invest in our people by developing their sales and technical capability. In addition, we wanted to create a sales culture and knew that this was best led by an external sales training organisation
   
   
2. Why did you choose STC?
   Two main reasons. The first is that STC had already worked with our New Zealand business and had a sales training program already developed which was customised to insurance broking and in particular, the key interactions our insurance brokers have with clients. This program was developed by STC working hard to understand our business by interviewing brokers, leaders and even our clients. The second reason is STC’s approach to embedding their sales principles and driving a sales culture within the business post the formal training sessions. Their commitment to post training work is amongst the best I have come across in my 20 years in learning.
   
   
3. What was your experience of working with STC?
   The fact that I view STC as an extension of our own team speaks volumes about our experience and relationship. STC know their stuff and are great at what they do but they also get our business and have become partners.
   
   
4. Which elements in particular worked well for you in the sales training programme designed by STC?
   It was a sales training program but felt like a broking training program, which made it easier to win hearts and mind.
   Post course work and follow through.
   
   
5. What were some specific results you have obtained from the sales training programme?
   Approximately 50% of those who attended Aspiraction are now achieving income growth on the same period last year.
   
   
6. Would you recommend STC to other organisations and if so why?
   Absolutely – if you looking to work with a sales training company who will truly partner with you and treat your business, and your results, like their own then STC are a great organisation to partner. STC will challenge you around the key components that make up a successful sales culture and the initiatives that will drive this but that only demonstrates that they see the training delivery as just one part of the learning process.
   
   

Jason Grieve, Head of Learning and Development, Gallagher - Australia

1. What led you to contact a sales training organisation in the first place?
   We were looking for a professional sales coach for our Cellar Door staff. We conduct regular training in house but recognised we needed external input in this area to increase our sales conversion and customer experience.
   
   
2. Why did you choose STC?
   We were recommended to contact STC by a business connection. When we did some research, we were impressed with the information available on the website, in particular the testimonials online.
   
   
3. What was your experience of working with STC?
   We were immediately impressed with STC's level of service and the detail their initial proposal included. We also found it extremely impressive that they spent considerable energy and time getting to know our own business as well as the industry and our competitors. They were open about the fact they had not worked with a winery before but demonstrated that their techniques would be transferable. In addition, we were pleased to discover that STC was flexible in working out an arrangement that suited us based on timing, budget and resources available while staying focused on our key goals.
   
   
4. Which elements in particular worked well for you in the sales training programme designed by STC?
   We have noticed an immediate impact on how our team welcome guests into our Cellar Door and the difference this makes to the overall experience. We have made steps towards implementing the full STC sales technique.
   
   
5. What were some specific results you have obtained from the sales training programme?
   In the few weeks following the training we noticed impressive increases in sales and subscriptions to our database. We also received several positive online reviews that addressed aspects of our service that had been developed in the training prior.
   
   
6. Would you recommend STC to other organisations and if so why? We would recommend STC to any business who is looking for a thorough and thoughtful analysis of their business and the tools to make improvements that will change the way their team work. There is a risk that brining in the wrong person makes things worse rather than better but our staff loved their training sessions with Alf and are all eagerly anticipating our next sessions as we continue our relationship with STC.

Isabel Van Den Brink, Cellar Door Coordinator.
Dianne Coombe Finance & Business Manager
P: +61 8 8323 8689
Hugh Hamilton Wines, McLaren Vale, South Australia

1. What led you to contact a sales training organisation in the first place?
   As an organisation we were aiming to double our sales volume year on year. We needed to supply our relationship builders with the best business development tools we could.
   
   
2. Why did you choose STC?
   STC took the time and effort to really understand our organisation and market. They interviewed staff and spent time shadowing a staff member on some client visits prior to the workshop.
   
   
3. What was your experience of working with STC?
   STC are very professional and make the effort to understand their client’s environment. The workshop they delivered was well received and fit for purpose.
   
   
4. Which elements in particular worked well for you in the sales training programme designed by STC?
   The five principles of business development are easy to understand and easy to remember.  Plus – they work !
   
   
5. What were some specific results you have obtained from the sales training programme?
   Our organisation doubled in trainee numbers.  It provided some workable tools that have given us new skills and renewed confidence.  The proposition we provide our clients is greatly enhanced.
   
   
6. Would you recommend STC to other organisations and if so why?
   Absolutely.  For all the reasons above.
    
   

Andrew Saunders, Client Engagement and Services Manager, Careerforce

03 374 1309  -  027 658 8008  -  0800 277 486
354 Armagh St, PO Box 25255, Christchurch 8144
www.careerforce.org.nz

Crombie Lockwood engaged the services of STC on the recommendation of one of our corporate partners in 2010. During that time we have worked with them on a number of different initiatives including:

• Executive sales management coaching
• Performance leadership training for branch managers
• One on one mentoring of various sales managers
• Strategic sales planning sessions for specialist teams

A number of the above intiatives are ongoing and we intend continuing our excellent working relationship with them as we grow and move forward.

STC are different from other organisations we have used in these areas in the past. Their real point of difference is that they follow through "post training" to ensure that participants in their programmes are doing what they promised they would do. Their feedback from this follow up is extremely valuable as a performance management tool.

I would recommend STC to other organisations that are passionate about creating an effective sales management culture

Ross Williams, Head of Business Development, Crombie Lockwood

1. Why did you choose to work with STC?
   We were referred by a supplier who spoke very highly of the STC team and initial research into how they operated seemed to match what we required.
   
   
2. What has been your experience of working with STC and which elements of the training programmes have worked well for Platinum?
   Our experience has been fantastic, the team are attentive and took the time to understand our business, the current issues and what our strategic goals are. The training has helped bring our team together, show them that they are all experiencing the same issues and provide practical skills to be more successful. The live recordings of current clients discussing the issues in our current process was extremely powerful.
   
   
3. What were some specific results you have obtained from the training /consulting work provided?
   To date we have seen an immediate impact in terms of professionalism and motivation, with some sales directly linked to the use of new skills learnt at STC training sessions.
   
   
4. Would you recommend STC to other organisations and if so why?
   Absolutely, as the team are dynamic and professional and the results are starting to show – (but we won’t be recommending to another housing Company as we want to keep this to ourselves!).
   
   

Shaun Riley CEO Platinum Homes (NZ) Ltd

We chose to deal with STC because they took a real interest in understanding our business and offered a tailored approach based on our needs. We engaged STC to provide a bespoke course that covered all aspects of the sales process. STC spent time in the field with our Account Managers and interviewed our customers, this gave us some fantastic insight into our business – what we were doing well, what we could do better. We thought the programme was very well prepared, very engaging, great use of case studies and role plays. STC developed a good relationship with the group which helped with everyone’s engagement and learning’s from the course. We now have a changed sales team, highly motivated who have enhanced their skill sets around different aspects of the sales process. They gained a real understanding of how to apply different techniques to enhance their own performance.

I would certainly recommend STC and we will be continuing to work with them in the  future.

Johnny Wiggins, Auckland Manager, Wiggins New Zealand

I have been working with Julia for the past 15 months in my position of Head of Sales Force Effectiveness at Yellow®. Its important to note that Yellow® is in the midst of significant cultural change, and building the capability of our sales force is a key building block in this transformation. Julia has been an integral part in helping me lead the changes that are needed, and its because of the quality outcomes we have achieved with the first phase of change, that we are then able to work on taking the changes further and continue evolving the sales force through improved learning and development opportunities.

During our time of working together I have found her to be a highly competent, professional, industrious and insightful supplier. There are many companies out there who will pitch an average solution, but working with Julia, the standard is excellence or nothing. I have been fortunate in my past career both here and in the UK to have been exposed to a variety of industries ranging from pharmaceuticals, FMCG and media and have also worked with suppliers to these industries. It is because of this breadth of experience that I confidently rate her amongst the very best I have ever worked with, below are just a couple of examples where she demonstrates her calibre.

Julia continues to exceed my expectations, whether this is coming to me with new ideas or ways of approaching a challenge, going above and beyond what would be expected from a contractual perspective or just pushing me out of my comfort zone to consider different perspectives. She is constantly researching new ideas, pushing boundaries and working to current best practice to ensure that her approach is evidence based, yet innovative at the same time.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Julia’s work and we will be continuing the relationship with Julia as Yellow® continues with its business transformation.

Lynne Miller, Head of Sales Force Effectiveness, Yellow

“Julia, thank you for the wonderful sales training you have developed for us. Following your training our Sales Specialists are confident and eager to put their new skills into action.”

Dee Richardson, Sales Manager, AA Insurance

When faced with unprecedented industry change driven by government policy changes, Julia was instrumental in guiding our team of clinicians through the sales change programme. Moving from a largely government funded industry to one far more reliant on the private purse, required transformational change. Julia supported this change through the Sales Training Programme. The programme delivered new and innovative ways of approaching the sale of hearing devices.  It also delivered heightened confidence in all aspects of the sales process. Participant feedback was particularly strong regarding Julia's 1-1 follow up activity, building on the skills learnt in the classroom.

I would not hesitate in recommending STC. Julia and her team added long lasting benefit to the National Hearing Care organisation.

James Whittaker, Managing Director, Amplifon New Zealand

Active Physio is a franchised group of health professionals committed to delivering ultimate health solutions to New Zealanders. But as health professionals we realised we were completely untrained in communicating what we could do for our clients. Then along came STC!

We choose STC over other similar companies we interviewed because Julia has a direct and practical approach to solving our problems. She is an engaging presenter with great humour and ability to gain interaction within the group. Her communication and follow up is excellent and her manner with my franchise managers is supportive and encouraging. Training with the associates in the group has always been reflected on very positively. No high tech business talk for us, thank goodness – but great examples of how professionals unskilled in sales and marketing can learn very valuable tools to grow our company successfully.

After 3 years of interaction with STC I can say Active Physio has capitalised on its investment. Julia is not a consultant we call on occasionally – she is part of our team and we look forward to her involvement in the on-going development of our business.

Gill Webb, Franchise Director, Active Physio Ltd

"Julia was able to make sure we were clear on objectives. We present a lot but the training allowed us to hone our skills and focus better. “I thought she was excellent. It was a rare opportunity to work with the other partners on negotiation exercises, and for the whole company to get together to work as a team.” The techniques Julia conveyed have already paid dividends. Sue relates how one week after the training session, the consultancy  incorporated several of the ideas outlined in the training session during an 11th hour opportunity to pitch for an important new client. The tactics resulted in Senate Communications getting onto the pitch list and ultimately winning the business.  

Senate Communications, Partner, Sue Milne

1. What led you to contact a sales training organisation in the first place?
   PBT has a large sales team nationwide but it was clear that each sales person had different ideas about The PBT Sales process and how to approach new business as well as how to effectively manage existing accounts.  We felt we had left a lot to chance, our people were left to find their own feet and not necessarily armed with the right tools to provide value add solutions to our clients.  We wanted to provide them with a strong freight sales consultancy process that meant that our sales people had all the tools they needed, clarity on expectations and were also delivering a consistent professional message when approaching and dealing with customers. We were seeking for our Sales people to be viewed as the best in the industry offering real value add solutions to our clients and to not be viewed as just another “transport rep”.
   
   
2. Why did you choose STC?
   I certainly did my due diligence when it came to selecting the right training consultants to work with.  I had been burnt in the past by investing in external trainers who delivered an off the shelf training module that was not very suitable for our people.  I wanted to know that the company I was going to work with would co design, co create and coach us to co facilitate a Sales development programme that was tailor made to suit our business alongside the proven methods they had collected through psychological experience and relevant research. STC came out on top because they were all of what I was looking for and more.  STC programme incorporated a true needs analysis period that included time on the road with our Sales people, customer interviews and time with senior management to confirm company objectives.  The programme was then developed with these findings in mind and in line with The PBT Group business objectives.
   
   
3. What was your experience of working with STC?
   Julia & Mary were so thorough throughout the entire process. They are very professional and diligent in their approach but were also able to put everyone they were working with at ease providing an open and supportive learning environment. The follow up on each of the modules they assisted us with including assignments and on road coaching really increased accountability across the board and ensured that the learning stuck. Mary & Julia weren’t afraid to make the hard calls and let people know what counts when it came to making people accountable and this really assisted with gaining buy in from all senior managers.
   
   
4. Which elements in particular worked well for you in the sales training programme designed by STC?
   Breaking down each part of the process into its own module.  This meant the sales people had time to practice the stages in their real world situations before moving on to the next learning.  With each module the assignments really helped to reinforce the learning but also gave us clear ROI when we were able to hear all the positive ways that the Sales people were using the training to bring in more business and look after their clients.
   
   The fact that Mary and Julia basically spoke “PBT” with our various terms and acronyms from the start just goes to show how much they invested their time in learning about our business.  This certainly increased their credibility and the programmes credibility that it was in fact specific to PBTs real world.
   
   
5. What were some specific results you have obtained from the sales training programme?
   75% of our sales team members new business results increased dramatically over the 6 months following the programme.  We can contribute specific large account gains to the Sales Development programme as most of them were used in the assignment case studies where they had to describe how they were using the training and define the revenue it generated.  We were also able to utilise the Sales training and on road coaching aspects to identify some sales people that were perhaps not as committed as we had hoped and allowed us to performance manage where necessary. On another positive note some of the sales people who were our worst performers turned around swiftly following the sale development training.
   
   
6. Would you recommend STC to other organisations and if so why?
   ABSOLUTELY!  If you want to work with a company who actually care about your business and seeing sales results then STC are the only option.  I had been told by many training organisations prior to STC that they would build tailor made programmes for us only to be left with an off the shelf irrelevant training programme. STC really do tailor make programmes to meet your business objectives and truly generate more revenue.  The results speak for themselves.

Monique Satherley, National Training Manager, PBT

Call us now on 021 736 462 for a chat about your organisational objectives, so we can discuss how we can help.