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Clients
You’ll be in good company.
We are proud of our partnerships, old and new. Here are a few of them:
Accent Group Partnership since 1989
Beginning life as a housing association, this diverse group now provides a portfolio of essential housing and healthcare accommodation. For over a decade we have worked with the Accent Group, developing their leadership team and growing their managers. It has been a real pleasure to be a part of their worthwhile role in society, building communities nationwide.
Altera Europe Partnership since 2005
Although we have been involved with the IT sector since 1990 (Microsoft to Sybase), Altera Europe are recent friends. We were delighted when we were asked to add our own fusion of fun and learning to their 2005 Kick Off Conference in Opio, Southern France.
Boehringer Ingleheim Partnership since 1998
“We just want people to be happy…” was the plea of the new Manufacturing Director, after a turbulent period. We immediately drew up a plan in conjunction with the MD to ‘make this so’! It was a truly joint project with champions based both at the factory and Communicate to guide and encourage teams and individuals in new ways of working. Having helped the factory develop their ‘gung ho’ spirit, more teams followed (and we’re still helping them to develop in other skills areas).
Bosch UK Partnership since 2003
Ensuring effective communications is a challenge in any large organisation and especially in one that manages the full gambit of ‘product idea through to market’. With research and design, manufacturing, sales, logistics, field support and customer service functions all endeavouring to deliver the quality expected with Bosch’s reputation - communication needs to be spot on. Working closely with the HR Team, we have helped to fine-tune their communications strategy, team briefing and management competencies – all through activities that are reassuringly measurable.
Britannia Building Society Partnership since 2002
We are assisting the Organisational Development team at Britannia with some workshops that are a blend of team activities to stimulate ‘fresh thinking’ together with facilitated sessions to plan how to manage the change. The activities are designed to open minds and prepare people for new ways of working.
Carlsberg UK Partnership since 1996
We have run a huge variety of programmes for Carlsberg, including Team Leading, Change Management, Presentation Skills, Coaching and Influencing. Carlsberg tell us that one of the reasons they keep asking us to help is our ability to ‘pitch’ the courses at exactly the right level for the different delegates, keeping the learning both relevant and enjoyable.
Centrica (Formerly British Gas) Partnership since 1994
In every sales environment, some people perform better than others. “We just want more people like Emily and Marcus!” exclaimed the Sales Director. Imagine what it would be like if you had a guaranteed method of replicating success amongst your less skilled/motivated sales people? Using our BluePrinting approach we helped Centrica do exactly that - just one of the projects we have helped this major company with over the last decade.
Commonwealth Secretariat Partnership since 2006
As a complex organisation that, by its very nature comprises a wide mix of cultures and nationalities there can, at times, be misunderstanding and frustration. Often team members are specialists in their own field and in their drive to do an excellent job, there can be a tendency to champion their individual cause. We provide both expert facilitation and activities that act as a metaphor to accelerate the belief that sharing is beneficial to everyone. These activities encourage team building by osmosis, as delegates refresh existing relationships and foster new ones, acting as a catalyst for informal support networks that continue after the events.
This has been a fascinating experience. With its commitment to improve effectiveness, the Department is in the process of embracing project management. We are facilitating workshops to help smooth the way for people. The intention is not to focus on the minutiae of how individuals will manage projects, but rather how they will engage with the ‘new’ way of working and prepare for the challenges they may encounter along the way.
EDF Energy Partnership since 1993
A major player in the power industry, they have established an enviable record for handling customer enquiries within demanding response times. Whatever your business, setting high customer service standards is imperative. Often, however, following through and assessing how you’re maintaining such high standards is where people fall down. Our ‘Talking Quality’ programme moved their Call Centres to exemplary levels.
Experían Partnership since 2004
Offering a premier credit monitoring and data analysis service, Experían is growing rapidly. We are running a series of strategic workshops to help them develop a common approach to planning and project management, essential as they expand internationally.
Focus Partnership since 2002
Visibility is important, for whatever your technical competence, it is mostly through personal contact that reputations are formed and confidence and trust developed. We were requested to create a range of programmes for this nationwide DIY retailer. These include the traditional ‘Presentation Skills’ as well as the more subtle, but often overlooked, ‘Influencing Skills’ for everyday situations - such as the impromptu presentation. We also deliver facilitation skills and training/executive coaching for their annual conferences.
GRS Partnership since 2001
GRS is a young, fast-moving, entrepreneurial company that is becoming increasingly influential in the car re-marketing business. This success generated an expansion of the Senior Team and the introduction of new line managers throughout the business. We provided a structured coaching programme to fast-track their capability to lead their teams. The six-month programme left the managers with increased confidence and impact.
Local Government Association Partnership since 1991
Developing skills has been an important role for us at the LGA: Time Management, Speed Reading, Leadership, Motivating Others and Coaching are just some of the areas where we have helped. Over the last couple of years, our brief has included the human face of change with a theme of ‘Learn from the Past & The Past is not the Future’. Thus our task was to design events that encourage a voluntary shift to new ways of working whilst respecting the achievements of the past. The outcome was to generate tangible changes in behaviour to support the new culture.
LSC Greater Manchester Partnership since 2004
The Learning and Skills Council is responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16 year olds in the Greater Manchester region. They asked us to come up with a programme to encourage the sharing of ideas and to develop networking skills. We began the journey with a highly engaging simulation that mirrored their day-to-day work. After this ‘aha!’ moment the team were ready to look at fresh ways to influence their future.
Marks and Spencer Partnership since 2002
A business is an integrated organism and, when facing big challenges, change needs to be holistic. We are helping teams from right across the supply chain ramp up their performance. From massive savings in logistics, through revitalising central design and technology, to improved marketing and merchandising, we have enjoyed working alongside such dedicated professionals.
Great things can happen when one famous name meets another and this was certainly the case when Mercedes-Benz decided to renovate the historical racing circuit at Brooklands. In ‘Mercedes-Benz World’ they created a whole new concept in the consumer motoring experience as well as offering a top-flight corporate venue. Our contribution was to ensure that the brand qualities came alive in visitors’ face-to-face experiences. We gelled the various functional teams, inspired them to a collective goal and honed customer service skills. We are now invited back to work with other teams in the retail division.
Mercer Consulting Partnership since 1997
In a business where ‘time is money’ we are running a ‘Time Management’ programme to improve personal productivity. In this intensive consultancy and project-based environment, the delegates must not only be effective managers of their own time and work streams, but often need to organise and plan for the needs of their manager and team.
Severn Trent Water Partnership since 1998
As a service provider, it is critical that Severn Trent Water maintains a rolling programme of investments in plant and equipment. As might be expected, there will always be those who are unhappy with some of these development plans, either because of the temporary inconvenience caused, or because of the 'nimby' effect ('not in my backyard'). The Director of Engineering was concerned that his engineers were often required to attend public meetings and were unprepared for managing what could be potentially difficult and volatile situations. We prepared an intensive ‘Managing Public Meetings’ course, based upon case studies, to build confidence and meeting management techniques.
South Northamptonshire Council Partnership since 2004
The major issues faced by the Council involve constant change, communication and managing work-life balance. Hefty challenges for a relatively small Council with limited resources. Helping them to maintain their focus on what really matters to their customers and ensure that their communication processes work in support has produced great results. Monthly meetings continue to produce innovative ideas that are easier to implement since the improved processes now exist.
Sybase Europe Partnership since 1998
It’s been fun being part of the Sybase team. We have travelled throughout Europe with this leading software developer, delivering: team building, leadership development, sales training, customer service skills, energising conferences and rolling out ‘vision and values’ workshops. They tell us that their people receive maximum learning in minimum time, thanks to our use of theming, powerful experiences and relevant links to their business environment.
University of Birmingham Partnership since 2001
Birmingham is one of the major research universities in the UK, yet without the recognition it deserves, so the mission of the Communications and PR Team is really important. We are helping this young and enthusiastic team forge links between the academics and the media to put Birmingham on the map. This requires exceptional communication skills and we devised an impact and influencing programme to help develop the kind of gravitas that is needed to win commitment with both professors and hardened ‘hacks’.
