23 Active Listening courses in Belfast

How to protect your cash flow In the current economic climate more and more companies are finding that their customers are taking longer to pay - or are not even paying at all. As cash flow is key to the survival of any business, effective debt collection tactics are vital for all businesses. This workshop concentrates on the telephone skills and techniques you can use to achieve the most positive outcome in any debt collection situation - payment of money owed, as soon as possible, whilst keeping the collection cost as low as possible. The course will help you: * Understand your debtors and communicate with them accordingly * Develop a strategy for more effective debt collection * Make every call count * Handle difficult calls * Reduce the amount of time you need to spend on chasing payment * Increase your collection rates 1 THE DEBT COLLECTION PROCESS * Understanding the reasons behind payment default * Looking at the debt situation from the customer's point of view * Developing a strategy for effective debt collection 2 ADVANCED TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION SKILLS * Techniques for speaking to the person responsible for paying the debt * How to gain the customer's trust when discussing debt * Telephone collection skills best practice * Key phrases that keep the conversation positive and open 3 QUESTIONING AND LISTENING SKILLS FOR GATHERING INFORMATION * Different types of question * Using high-gain questions to uncover key information * Active listening that will help you understand what customers are really saying * Leading with examples and high-impact questions * Summarising and restating 4 OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS AND EXCUSES * Identifying objections * Preparing suitable responses * Probing objections and ways to overcome them 5 GAINING COMMITMENT AND ENDING THE CALL * Learn how to negotiate an agreement to suit both parties * Summarising actions for you and the customer * Ending the call professionally 6 DEALING WITH DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING SITUATIONS * Understand different personality types * The correct way to respond to an upset customer * Ways to calm angry customers (and handle verbal attacks) 7 ACTION PLANS * Course summary and presentation of action plans

Successfully closing a sale and negotiating the best outcome for the business is a key skill for all salespeople, and often an area that is overlooked. Investing in this skill will have a positive impact on interactions with customers, both new and existing, and lead to improved sales performance. Whilst understanding how to reach a conclusion with a customer faster means increased efficiency and more time to invest in sourcing new business. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Participants will learn proven techniques for influencing, persuading and negotiating with clients, gain increased confidence and clarity when reviewing contract terms and prices, and understand how to structure and manage sales negotiation and contract review meetings. This course will help participants: * Learn a structured and proven approach to the negotiation of contract terms * Apply the key principles of negotiation, playing the person and the problem * Create a contract negotiation strategy - from opening to close * Recognize and put to use proven negotiation tactics and techniques * Learn how to embrace conflict positively - to 'say no, then negotiate' * Plan and prepare for any commercial negotiation conversations * Understand the stages of negotiation and how to move through them 1 CLOSING AND NEGOTIATING FROM A POSITION OF PERSONAL POWER * The eight steps of a sales or commercial negotiation * Ten ways to resist price pressure * How to draw on sources of power when you have less authority * The six principles of influence and persuasion and how to use them 2 EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATION - PLANNING AND THEORY * How to plan and structure your negotiation for a successful and quick conclusion * Influence: knowing how to 'push or pull' to win an argument * Achieving a BATNA - a range of practical skills and techniques * Case study: planning for a client negotiation around contract or price issues 3 EFFECTIVE CLOSING AND NEGOTIATION - PRACTICE AND REALITY * Higher-level questioning techniques to investigate and solve problems * Listening to lead - active listening and structuring your conversation * The most common 'unforced' negotiation mistakes and errors * Case study: setting objectives, sources of value, trading concessions 4 SALES NEGOTIATION TACTICS AND PLAYING THE GAME * How high - how hard - how soon; why now * How to identify hidden or perceived currencies and values * How to use these to establish a higher base price * Negotiation best-practice checklist and summary

Any successful business manager will tell you that you never get the deal you deserve - you always get the deal you negotiate! This two-day workshop includes recent research and practical techniques from the Harvard Business School Negotiation Project and provides a unique opportunity to learn and practice these skills in a safe environment using up to date materials and life-like practice negotiation case studies. This course will help participants to: * Understand the basics of negotiation * Develop negotiating skills * Increase their business acumen * Develop their communication skills * Learn the models, techniques and tools for an effective negotiation * Identify the barriers to agreements * Close the deal 1 WHAT IS NEGOTIATION? * Key skills for negotiation * Types of negotiation * Win-lose negotiations versus Win-win negotiations * Wise agreements and Principled Negotiation 2 FOUR KEY NEGOTIATING CONCEPTS * BATNA - Best alternative to negotiated agreement * Setting your reservation price * ZOPA - Zone of possible agreement * Creating and trading value 3 BUSINESS ACUMEN * Understanding pricing, gross margins and profit * Knowing the key points on which to negotiate 4 A FOUR PHASE MODEL FOR NEGOTIATION * Nine steps to successful planning * Discussing a deal - creating and claiming value * Making and framing proposals * Bargaining for the winning deal 5 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION * Effective questioning * Active listening skills * Understanding and interpreting body language * Barriers to effective communication 6 UNDERSTANDING INFLUENCE AND PERSUASION * Influencing strategies * Ten proven ways to influence people * Six universal methods of persuasion * Understanding why people do business with other people 7 NEGOTIATING TACTICS * Tactics for win-lose negotiations * Tactics for win-win negotiations * Effective team negotiating * Understanding and using powerv * What do you do when the other side has more power? 8 BARRIERS TO AGREEMENT * Common barriers to agreement * The Negotiators Dilemma * Dealing with die-hard negotiators * Dealing with lack of trust 9 POTENTIAL BARRIERS TO CROSS-BORDER AGREEMENTS * Understanding business methods and practice in other cultures * Figuring out who has the power and who makes decisions * Recognising and dealing with cultural differences * What's OK here might not be OK there 10 CLOSING THE DEAL * Four steps to closing the winning deal

Developing the high performing team takes time and effort. But above all, it requires an understanding of the dynamics of high performing teams. This programme helps managers and leaders understand what high performing teams do and how they do it. It focuses on enabling managers to see their teams from different perspectives, allowing them to adapt their styles to maximise team outputs. A core theme is the need for managers of teams to 'hold up the mirror' to themselves and to see themselves as a leader of people, to reflect on how others see them and to modify their style accordingly. This programme will help managers / team leaders: * Analyse the constituents of a 'high performing' team * Apply essential influencing techniques * Use a range of communication techniques to support effective teamwork * Create and articulate team vision * Generate common values * Assess team effectiveness and take/recommend the appropriate actions * Make more efficient use of team time * Understand and agree on techniques to manage conflict * Define and implement team meeting protocols that will facilitate team effectiveness * Use the Prime Focus model to create the environment and framework for a high performing team * Draft your team strategy to take them to the next level DAY 1 1 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION * Participants are welcomed to the programme and invited to share their personal objectives and people challenges * Participants are given an action plan template to complete throughout the workshop 2 YOUR TEAM * The concept of 'positive intention' * The difference between a team and a high performing team * Assess your team effectiveness * What is your 'interference'? 3 THE TEAM ENVIRONMENT * Setting the scene * Building rapport * Active listening * Team goals and role profiling 4 YOUR STYLE * Tuckman model of team stages - how do you manage each stage? * Team standards and goals * Your team vision 5 EFFECTIVE TEAM MEETINGS * Influencing in team meetings * How to make them interesting and relevant * The pure role of the chair DAY 2 1 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES * Giving and receiving feedback * Your communication style * How to adapt, pace and lead to build rapport * The Mehrabian theory of communication 2 HOW TO MANAGE CONFLICT * What is conflict? * What is your default conflict approach? * Tools and tips for managing conflict * Practice sessions 3 TEAM SKILLS * Undertake a team skills analysis * Types of team member * Motivating team members * Reframing situations 4 SETTING YOUR STRATEGY * Seeing the bigger picture * The Prime Focus Model * Your strategy for success * Articulating your strategy * Action plans revisited

This workshop will provide participants with the insight and skills to be more effective business networkers, face-to-face and online. The approach taken is to build on the strengths people already have and their successes. It is easier to develop what you already have than to try and develop skills that do not come easily. Being yourself is the most effective tool for business networking and building relationships. This course will help those attending: * Appreciate the importance of networking, and different forms of networking * Understand the dynamics of communication that are specific to networking * Become more confident and assured when 'working' a room * Improve their influencing skills, especially with people who are experts and in positions of authority * 'Sell' themselves and promote their company * Identify and manage their profiles using online social networking sites * Use effective follow-up to maintain active contacts and connections * Select the correct networking groups, clubs and events * Create their own personal network 1 THE IMPORTANCE, AND DIFFERENT TYPES, OF NETWORKING * Personal objectives and introductions * Test networking session * Examples of the importance, purpose and format of various types of networking, and benefits you can expect 2 HOW TO WORK A ROOM - PREPARATION AND STRATEGY * Three things to know before you attend any event * Non-verbal communication and art of rapport * Breaking the ice - worked examples with practical demonstration 3 COMMUNICATION DYNAMICS IN NETWORKING - THE POWER OF THE LISTENING NETWORKER * Why it is better to listen than talk * Effective questioning and active listening * Creating a natural and engaging conversation, 1-2-1 and in a larger group 4 ASSUMPTIONS WHEN NETWORKING * How to use the 'instant judgement' of others to your advantage * What assumptions are you making? * How to keep an open mind 5 BUSINESS NETWORKING ETIQUETTE * Meeting and greeting at a business networking event - approaching complete strangers and introducing yourself * Socialising: joining and leaving groups easily * Making a good first impression in 30 seconds * The use of status when networking 6 MAKING CONNECTIONS * Asking for cards, contact details and referrals * Gaining a follow-up commitment * Some tips and tricks 7 BUSINESS NETWORKING REHEARSALS * Practice sessions 8 PERSONAL BUSINESS NETWORKING ONLINE * Overview of different types of networking sites - there is a lot more out there than just Facebook! * Examples of creating an effective profile * Using social networking effectively - case studies and application * 'Advanced' applications - blogs, articles, twitter, feeds, etc. * Online demonstration and examples 9 BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS - FOLLOW-UP AND FOLLOW-THROUGH * Maintaining a good database * Developing a contact strategy with different types and levels of contact * How to analyse your contact base

In today's fast-moving competitive environment, sales are often made or lost on the strength of a telephone conversation or a brief email. This means that not only is customer service everyone's responsibility - so is sales. Customer service staff are failing the customer if they don't think about sales. And sales staff are failing customers if they don't think about service. And anyone failing a customer is failing both themselves and their employer. Too often, customer service staff feel neither capable nor empowered to recognise or capitalise upon a sales opportunity. Too often, sales people pursue the short-term opportunity at the expense of the bigger picture. The good news is - it doesn't have to be this way! Sales and customer service skills can be acquired, developed and polished just like any other skill. This tried-and-tested programme shows you how to do it. As a result of this course, participants will be able to: * Take control of a customer conversation, with confidence * Refresh and polish their customer service and sales performance * Recognise and develop a sales opportunity * Engage the customer and build rapport * Identify a customer's needs * Match the customer's needs to the organisation's products or services * Handle objections confidently * Ask for the order At the end of the workshop each participant will have developed their own action plan for developing and using their skills in the workplace. 1 INTRODUCTION * Course overview, objectives and introductions 2 SERVING OR SELLING? * Feelings and attitudes - How we can affect the outcome by our feelings and behaviour * What is selling? - Selling is helping people to buy, identifying the opportunities that exist within the conversation to develop the customer's interest in our products or services 3 DEVELOPING THE RIGHT SKILLS * Communication- The impact of body language, voice tone and words- How to make the best impression on the customer and create a 'buying environment' * Rapport-building- What makes a good working relationship?- What do customers look for when they call us?- How can we match their expectations in terms of our own interpersonal skills? * Relating to different types of people by identifying and matching their communication style on the telephone 4 MAKING IT EASY FOR THE CUSTOMER * Starting it right- Opening the conversation positively- Building rapport- How to develop interest in our products or services * Gaining and clarifying information- Questioning skills and questioning style- What do we need to know from the customer?- How can we use that information in the conversation? * Active listening- The most under-rated skill of all- Picking up on the 'Golden Moments' when a customer shows they may be interested * Presenting information confidently- Knowing the benefits of our products or services- How to tell the customer what they need to know in order to enable them to buy * Closing on a positive note- When and how to ask for commitment * Dealing with the customer's objections and concerns in a positive manner * 5 COURSE SUMMARY AND ACTION PLANS * Review of main learning points * Presentation of personal action plans

This highly practical one-day workshop has been designed specifically to help maximise sales where customers make contact by telephone. When customers contact us direct they have clearly already considered the possibility that they might buy from us, but we're still only half-way to making a sale. Unless we fully understand their needs and make it easy for them to buy, we may not secure the business. This workshop concentrates on the telephone skills and techniques needed to achieve the most positive outcome in any inbound customer call. A combination of excellent customer service skills and savvy sales awareness techniques will increase our chances of a successful outcome for both parties. The programme features the unique INBOUND model, to help remember the key principles for effective inbound telephone sales: Initial impressions Needs of the customer Bring them with you Open up the conversation Understand the triggers Narrow down the solutions Decision time! The programme also covers how to deal with difficult calls and challenging people - after all, every complaint is a sales opportunity! This programme will help participants: * Create the perfect interaction with any customer making contact by telephone * Make every call count * Build rapport quickly in any situation * Handle difficult calls and challenging people * Create sustainable and profitable relationships * Increase your sales conversions 1 THE INBOUND SALES PROCESS * Each customer who contacts us will be at a different stage of the sales process. Some might be making general enquiries whilst others will be ready to commit, having made most of their decisions already. Sales and customer service people need to be ready to find out the stage the customer has reached before helping them to make the right decision for them 2 ENGAGING WITH THE CUSTOMER * Having clarified where the customer is on their journey to making a purchasing decision, our next responsibility is to create and build a trusting relationship on both sides. This involves establishing rapport quickly to ease the communication process, thus enabling smooth transactions, both now and in the future 3 QUESTIONING AND LISTENING SKILLS FOR GATHERING INFORMATION * Developing these skills requires practice so that the communication becomes natural for the customer. This helps the customer to feel comfortable with us and work with us towards an effective solution. We discuss different types of question and how to use high-gain questions to uncover key information. Active listening will ensure that we can really help customers get what they need 4 OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS AND EXCUSES * If we have followed the process properly and really understood the customer, then there should no further objections or barriers to completing the transaction. The reality is that there will still be the occasional issue that needs clarifying, so we need to prepare for possible objections and questions that customers might have. This includes probing objections so that we fully understand the customer's perspective before constructing suitable responses or solutions 5 GAINING COMMITMENT AND ENDING THE CALL * Customers want to gain a solution to the issue they are facing and the sooner we can help them achieve that the better. Guiding the customer and helping them to believe in their own decision is part of our role. This section is dedicated to getting commitment all the way along the process, not just at the close 6 DEALING WITH DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING SITUATIONS * The realisation that everybody is different, with different personality types, different ways of looking at the world and different goals, is key to understanding sales. With this is mind we discuss these differences and how we adapt our approach to ease communication and maintain trust and understanding 7 ACTION PLANS * Course summary and presentation of action plans

At times, everyone involved with a business will find themselves in a position where they are faced with difficult decisions. Being able to deal with these situations effectively and confidently is an important interpersonal skill. This is especially true for managers who will be forced to make tough decisions on a regular basis, but need to ensure that the business continues to perform both during and after the difficult decisions have been made. The manner in which they approach and implement these decisions can sometimes be the difference between success and failure. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE SYLLABUS THE SYLLABUS OF THE DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS WITH CONFIDENCE COURSE IS COMPRISED OF FOUR MODULES, COVERING THE FOLLOWING: MODULE ONE SELF AWARENESS * Attitude towards challenges - self-resilience * Going into a challenging scenario - how to prepare * Recognising the signs of contention * Giving feedback constructively MODULE TWO HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH CONFIDENCE * Behaviour labelling - preparing the approach * Assertiveness techniques * Dealing with a difficult issue focussing on behaviour & consequences * Keeping objective and professional throughout MODULE THREE EXAMINING YOUR PREFERRED COMMUNICATION STYLE * Recognising the different communication styles * Analysing your preferred style - Paradigm FitIn Profiler review * Identifying the most appropriate situations for each style MODULE FOUR HELPFUL INTERPERSONAL SKILLS * Effective questioning techniques * Active listening * Body language * Recognising and dealing with behaviours * Displaying and creating positive attitudes * Remaining Assertive and in control

In order to be an effective manager, it is extremely important to have good communication skills so that you can get your instructions across clearly and in a manner which will get you the results you desire from your employees. Our 2-day Effective Communication and Influencing course aims to provide attendees with a range of skills and behaviours which will allow them to communication clearly and effectively. Course syllabus modules include explaining the communication process, the different styles of influencing, the importance of body language and tone of voice, non-verbal communication and more. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Course Syllabus The syllabus of the Effective Communication and Influencing course is comprised of seven modules, covering the following: Module One The Communication Process * Identifying, what is effective communication? * Recognising the different ways in which we communicate * The barriers to effective communication * Looking at Johari's™ Window, to better understand how communication flows Module Two Effective Communication Skills * Demonstrating a positive mental attitude * Establishing active listening * Developing your questioning skills * Using positive language Module Three Different Types of Influencing * Looking at influencing versus manipulation * Developing your own preferred influencing style * Understanding the different influencing styles and their uses * adopting a flexible style for the desired outcome Module Four Behaviour Breeds Bahaviour (Transactional Analysis) * Looking at the history of hidden transactions in communications * The hidden meaning in what we say and what we receive * How to recognise if what you're saying is calm, rational, logical and professional Module Five Body Language * Understanding the impact of body language in effective communication * Noticing how your own body language influences others positively and negatively * Analysing and practicing the techniques of successful body language Module Six It's All in the Voice * Learning the importance of tone of voice in effective communication * Realising how your tone of voice influences others Module Seven Written Communication * Understanding the pitfalls of opening a discussion * Identifying the different types of written communication * Recognising the importance of preparation and planning * Looking at different structures and layouts of written communication * Using the correct words and phrases -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCHEDULED COURSES Unfortunately this course is not one that is currently scheduled as an open course, and is only available on an in-house basis. Please contact us for more information.

This course is aimed at management and those with responsibility for recruiting and selecting employees internally or externally for their organisation. Since the economic downturn, job seeker numbers have increased. This has resulted in additional costs for businesses as they have had to assess more and more candidates. A lot of businesses have responded by inputting additional layers in their recruitment and selection process. With rumoured costs of between £7,000 and £35,000 for employing staff depending on level, it's essential that this process is robust. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Course Syllabus The syllabus of the Recruitment and Selection course is comprised of eight modules, covering the following: Module One Impacting Legislation * What is discrimination and what impact does it have on employment? * The importance of a Contract of Employment * Understanding employee rights and Working Time Directive * Data Protection Module Two The Recruitment Process/Defining the Requirements * A generic overview of the recruitment process * Looking into key aspects on the recruitment process, including; * Job assessment * Job descriptions * Job profiling Module Three Advertising the Job * Using recruitment agencies and specialists * Designing the advertisement to attract the right candidates * Where to place the advertisement to get maximum results Module Four Responding to Applications and Shortlisting * Acknowledging applications and sending holding letters * Reading and matching CVs/letters/application forms to the job specification * Planning the interview schedule * Preparing and sending interviewee packs * Preparing and sending rejection letters Module Five Preparing to Interview * Organising the logistics behind an interview * Using tests and psychometrics to whittle down the candidates * Effectively preparing generic/first and second generation questions * Single interviews Vs. panel interviews Module Six The Interview * How to correctly greet candidates * Administrating tests and psychometrics * The successful use of questioning techniques * The role of active listening * Interpreting body language - theirs and yours * How to assess the candidate throughout the interview * How to properly close the interview Module Seven The Selection Decision * Making an objective selection * Following up on references and using these to make an informed decision * Presenting the job offer to the successful candidate * Sending rejection letters in a sensitive and tactful manner * How and when to provide constructive feedback Module Eight Theory Into Practice All participants will get a chance to practice what they have learned. They will plan and conduct an interview and receive constructive feedback. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE OBJECTIVES By the end of the course participants will be able to: * State the key pieces of legislation impacting on the recruitment and selection * Prepare a relevant job and personnel specification for a vacancy * Design an effective job advertisement * Identify best practices and protocols in responding to, and short-listing, applicants * Prepare effectively for a recruitment interview * Carry out an objective and professional recruitment interview * Make an objective and balanced recruitment decision * Complete the recruitment process to best practice standards SCHEDULED COURSES Unfortunately this course is not one that is currently scheduled as an open course, and is only available on an in-house basis. Please contact us for more information.