The client
The UK commercial banking arm of a global bank offering a full range of banking services.
The challenge
The bank launched a couple of strategic initiatives to enhance customer relationships and income growth. This stemmed from a need to differentiate from competitors and satisfy shareholders. Benchmarking research placed the bank behind its competitors in key areas of cross selling and attracting switchers so new stretch income targets were set requiring a focus on winning more business. The bank aimed to make £10+ million from one of the initiatives. To deliver this sum a heavy emphasis was placed on the intervention designed by Speak First.
The solution
The reasons for the inferior benchmark results were due to poor consultative skills and a mindset that was focused on completing a process rather than being customer-centric. Part of the initiative involved the creation of a development path for Relationship Managers, a review of current training provision and the launch of an attitude change programme.
Speak First was invited to design the programme and train internal staff to deliver it. To ensure a bespoke programme, based on internal best practice, we conducted in-depth meetings, using a unique modelling process with nominated Relationship Managers, who excelled at the relationship aspect of their role. We determined the vision, values, beliefs and strategies that were the difference that made the difference in this group.
The design was based on the benchmarking information and involved consultation with a range of stakeholders to ensure business buy-in. We ran four separate Train the Trainer events for Area Commercial Managers and internal Trainers in response to different levels of experience with the concepts and with facilitation. The roll-out deadline was extremely ambitious, requiring a speedy response, flexibility, openness to change, high standards and the need to challenge expectations so as not to compromise professionalism.
The focus of the programme was to develop awareness of what constraints Relationship Managers’ success, challenge and reframe their mindsets, and develop successful strategies and skills in the areas where the bank was lagging behind. The goal was to develop excellent relationships with customers and to exceed targets.
The outcomes
The client indicated that we had exceeded expectations in terms of the design, materials and support given to those trained to deliver the programme. Since the stakes were high we were invited to co-run the pilot so that this spotlight programme resulted in success. Every Area Commercial Manager attended the Train the Trainer. 90% were not only wholly committed to the programme, they also commented that the design and support more than met their needs. Few programmes prior to this had attempted to achieve an attitude change resulting in clear and measurable increase in activity and income levels.
Once the Train the Trainer courses were complete, the attendees delivered the programme for 2,200 Relationships Managers over two months. The stretching targets set were all met, and changed behaviours monitored by self reports and customer feedback. The bi-product of achieving financial targets was that customers felt they were being listened to and that their Relationship Managers were now more like trusted advisors. |