Branch managers 

The single most critical aspect of any retail bank’s sales performance is the branch manager.  We assess and improve the skills of branch managers or sales team leaders in driving sales and managing sales performance – including how to build a high performing team, how to improve sales force productivity, and how to move from product-led to solutions-led selling. 

We also train branch managers to be managers – an essential skill often forgotten in the focus on the sales process.  We train managers to lead their teams, to manage people issues, to manage talent, and to act as a suitable role model for the next generation of sales leaders. 

Sales skills training 

We work with groups of staff in customer-facing positions, to improve their ability to open dialogue with customers, to understand the product set and discuss it correctly, and to identify opportunities for sales arising from everyday customer service activities.    

We have a range of motivational training programmes based around role plays and individual activity, and focus on establishing and maintaining high levels of enthusiasm and energy within the group.  Our courses include exceeding customer expectations, understanding customer service principles in retail banking, effective selling techniques and how to exceed your personal performance objectives. 

Training of telephone staff 

We are also experts on behavioural psychology and the way in which telephone conversations function most effectively; we carry out substantial consulting activity in this area.  Using these expert skills we carry out assessments of call centre activity, and train staff and managers in best practice in telephone sales and service skills. 

Behavioural competencies 

Training often focuses only on technical skills, and recruitment of staff often focuses simply on the ability of staff to understand and carry out processes.  We are experts in behavioural competencies – the means by which staff can achieve a more effective outcome by adopting certain conversational styles, and being better attuned to the other person’s preferred conversational style and personality.  We train these behavioural skills.    

We can deliver these competencies based on our own methodology, or we can work within a competency framework already designed by your HR department.  We can also lead the design and implementation of a tailored competency framework for the bank, and help the bank to use this for talent management and succession planning. 

Training the trainers 

We train banks’ own trainers in all of the above techniques, to allow the bank to deliver our training programmes after our engagement has finished. 

Recruitment of sales staff 

We profile the most effective performers in your own bank, or bring a profile of the most effective type of performer from other bank engagements.  This allows banks to seek new sales staff on the basis of precise skills and characteristics, so making successful recruitment much more likely.