2117 Courses in Nottingham

Fraud should not happen, but it does. It can happen at the highest to lowest levels in an organisation. Recent surveys show that incidents of fraud are not decreasing. Fraud costs companies money and, perhaps even more importantly, reputational damage. The losers are not just the shareholders, suppliers, customers, etc, but society as a whole. This programme shows why frauds happen, how organisations put themselves at risk and what they can do to prevent it. This programme will help directors and others understand: * The motives for committing fraud * Directors' responsibilities for identifying and reporting fraud * What types of frauds there are * How frauds are perpetrated * How they can be prevented * How regulators deal with fraud Above all, the principal objective of this programme is to help make your organisation as secure as possible from the threat of fraud. 1 MOTIVES FOR COMMITTING FRAUD - DRIVERS OF FRAUD Session objective: to understand why people might commit fraud * Drivers of fraudulent behaviour * Ambition * Greed * Theft * Conceit? * And more! 2 ACCOUNTING MECHANISMS THAT ALLOW FRAUD Session objective: to review the elements of the accounting, internal control and management processes that allow creative accounting * Income or liability? * Asset or expense? * Coding errors and misclassification * Netting off and grossing up * Off-balance sheet items 3 STRUCTURES THAT ALLOW FRAUD Session objective: to consider company and trading structures that allow frauds to be perpetrated * Group structures * Trading structures * Tax havens * Importing and exporting 4 INTERPRETATIONS AND OTHER NON-COMPLIANCE THAT ALLOW FRAUD Session objective: to look at how creative interpretations of law and accounting practice may permit fraud * The place of accounting standards * Accounting policies * Trading methods * The place of auditing standards 5 MONEY LAUNDERING Session objective: to review what constitutes money laundering * Types of money laundering * Identifying laundering * Preventing laundering 6 PREVENTING FRAUD - PROPER MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES Session objective: to review the place of proper corporate governance * Corporate governance * Company management structure * Audit committees * The place of internal audit 7 PREVENTING FRAUD - PROPER ACCOUNTING Session objective: to review best accounting and auditing practice * Accounting standards * Internal accounting policies * Adequacy of internal controls * Internal audit 8 PREVENTING FRAUD - REGULATION Session objective: to look at how regulators aim to prevent fraud * The regulatory environment * Financial services regulation 9 CONCLUSION * Course review * Open forum * Close 10 COURSE SUMMARY - DEVELOPING YOUR OWN COST ACTION PLAN * Group and individual action plans will be prepared with a view to participants identifying their cost risks areas and the techniques which can be immediately applied to improve costing and reduce costs

Maximising the relationship and sales potential of each active account is key to the sustainability of any business relying on repeatable custom. In this workshop we start by looking at key techniques for analysing the profitability and development opportunities for different clients before deciding upon the strategy and skills needed for moving the relationship to that of trusted adviser and partner. By understanding and creating the need we can use our influencing skills to harness any sales development potential. By creating the habit of explaining our ideas in a way that also meets the need of the other party we help everybody make the right decisions for them. This course will help participants: * Assess the sales profitability and potential of existing key accounts * Prioritise where time and energy is directed for maximum profitability * Understand the key players in the decision making unit * Create a strategic plan for the development of each client target * Develop proactive sales consultancy skills * Learn advanced communication and influencing techniques 1 WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE ACCOUNT MANAGER? * The difference between order taking and account management * How do you define a key account in your business? * Why should existing customers remain with your company? * How do you compare to the competition? 2 HOW DO I PRIORITISE MY ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY? * Use practical tools to help you assess revenue potential * Analyse the investment required versus the return on your time * Create a SWOT analysis on your clients - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats * Appreciate how this knowledge will improve your sales development 3 PLANNING STRATEGIES FOR EACH ACCOUNT * Create a list of priority accounts and activities * Learn how to develop a long-term and sustainable relationship * Discover how they make their purchasing decisions * Research the make-up of the Decision Making Unit for each client 4 LEARNING AND UTILISING THE SIX PRINCIPLES OF INFLUENCE * Learn the secrets these principles offer sales people * Discover how these principles will work for you * Create an influencing strategy for influencers within the client * Learn new habits of influence 5 PROACTIVE SALES SKILLS * Plan proactive sales meetings for key accounts * Set primary and secondary objectives for every touch point with the customer * Structure sales meetings for maximum effectiveness * Help the customer commit and achieve their objectives 6 PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE * Discuss real scenarios to plan for putting these skills into practice * Share common issues with fellow sales people * Create a personal development plan

This five-day programme empowers participants with the skills and knowledge to understand and effectively apply best practice commercial and contracting principles and techniques, ensuring better contractor performance and greater value add. This is an assessed programme, leading to the International Association for Contracts & Commercial Management (IACCM)'s coveted Contract and Commercial Management Practitioner (CCMP) qualification. By the end of this comprehensive programme the participants will be able to: * Develop robust contracting plans, including scopes of work and award strategies * Undertake early market engagements to maximise competition * Conduct effective contracting and commercial management activities, including ITT, RFP, negotiated outcomes * Understand the legalities of contract and commercial management * Negotiate effectively with key stakeholders and clients, making use of the key skills of persuading and influencing to optimise outcomes * Undertake effective Supplier Relationship Management * Appreciate the implications of national and organisational culture on contracting and commercial activities * Appreciate professional contract management standards * Set up and maintain contract and commercial management governance systems * Take a proactive, collaborative, and agile approach to managing commercial contracts * Develop and monitor appropriate and robust KPIs and SLAs to manage the contractor and facilitate improved contractor performance * Appreciate the cross-functional nature of contract management * Collaborate with clients to deliver sustainable performance and to manage and exceed client expectations * Understand the roles and responsibilities of contract and commercial managers * Use effective contractor selection and award methods and models (including the 10Cs model) and use these models to prepare robust propositions to clients * Make effective use of lessons learned to promote improvements from less than optimal outcomes, using appropriate templates * Effectively manage the process of change, claims, variations, and dispute resolution * Develop and present robust propositions * Make appropriate use of best practice contract and commercial management tools, techniques, and templates DAY ONE 1 INTRODUCTION * Aims * Objectives * KPIs * Learning strategies * Plan for the programme 2 THE CONTRACTING CONTEXT * Key objectives of contract management * Importance and impact on the business 3 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS * Essential features of professional commercial and contract management and administration * The 6-step model 4 PUTTING THE 'MANAGEMENT' INTO COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT * Traditional v 'new age' models * The need for a commercial approach * The added value generated 5 DEFINITIONS * 'Commercial management' * 'Contract management' * 'Contracting' * ... and why have formal contracts? 6 STAKEHOLDERS * Stakeholder mapping and analysis * The 'shared vision' concept * Engaging with key functions, eg, HSE, finance, operations 7 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES * Contract administrators * Stakeholders 8 STRATEGY AND PLANNING * Developing effective contracting plans and strategies DAY TWO 1 CONTRACT CONTROL * Tools and techniques, including CPA and Gantt charts * A project management approach * Developing effective contract programmes 2 THE CONTRACTING CONTEXT * Key objectives of contract management * Importance and impact on the business 3 TENDERING * Overview of the contracting cycle * Requirement to tender * Methods * Rationale * Exceptions * Steps * Gateways * Controls * One and two package bids 4 TENDER ASSESSMENT AND CONTRACT AWARD I - FRAMEWORK * Tender board procedures * Role of the tender board (including minor and major tender boards) * Membership * Administration * Developing robust contract award strategies and presentations DAY THREE 1 TENDER ASSESSMENT AND CONTRACT AWARD II - PROCESSES * Pre-qualification processes * CRS * Vendor registration rules and processes * Creating bidder lists * Disqualification criteria * Short-listing * Using the 10Cs model * Contract award and contract execution processes 2 MINOR WORKS ORDERS * Process * Need for competition * Role and purpose * Controls * Risks 3 CONTRACT STRATEGY * Types of contract * Call-offs * Framework agreements * Price agreements * Supply agreements 4 CONTRACT TERMS I: PRICING STRUCTURES * Lump sum * Unit price * Cost plus * Time and materials * Alternative methods * Target cost * Gain share contracts * Advance payments * Price escalation clauses 5 CONTRACT TERMS II: OTHER FINANCIAL CLAUSES * Insurance * Currencies * Parent body guarantees * Tender bonds * Performance bonds * Retentions * Sub-contracting * Termination * Invoicing 6 CONTRACT TERMS III: RISK AND REWARD * Incentive contracts * Management and mitigation of contractual risk DAY FOUR 1 CONTRACT TERMS IV: JURISDICTION AND RELATED MATTERS * Applicable laws and regulations * Registration * Commercial registry * Commercial agencies 2 MANAGING THE CLIENT-CONTRACTOR RELATIONSHIP * Types of relationship * Driving forces * Link between type of contract and style of relationships * Motivation - use of incentives and remedies 3 DISPUTES * Types of dispute * Conflict resolution strategies * Negotiation * Mediation * Arbitration DAY FIVE 1 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT * KPIs * Benchmarking * Cost controls * Validity of savings * Balanced scorecards * Using the KPI template 2 PERSONAL QUALITIES OF THE CONTRACT MANAGER * Negotiation * Communication * Persuasion and influencing * Working in a matrix environment 3 CONTRACT TERMS V: DRAFTING SKILLS * Drafting special terms 4 VARIATIONS * Contract and works variation orders * Causes of variations * Risk management * Controls * Prevention * Negotiation with contractors 5 CLAIMS * Claims management processes * Controls * Risk mitigation * Schedules of rates 6 CLOSE-OUT * Contract close-out and acceptance / completion * HSE * Final payments * Performance evaluation * Capturing the learning 7 CLOSE * Review * Final assessment * Next steps

This is an essential programme for all Council Members, particularly those who are newly elected, who need to review their personal safety and lone working arrangements. 1 WHAT'S HAPPENING? * Issues around us * Risks in context 2 SAFETY FUNDAMENTALS * Identifying and minimising risks * Sensible precautions * Use of technology and personal safety * Lone working and the Council's policy 3 HARASSMENT AND STALKING * What constitutes harassment and definition of stalking * Early warning signals 4 REPORTING PRINCIPLES * Importance of incidence reporting * Council procedure * What next?

This course aims to provide managers and supervisors with a thorough understanding of the different aspects of health and safety in the workplace. With a focus on the role of supervision, learners on this course will develop the essential knowledge and understanding to enable them to discharge their health and safety responsibilities and ensure the safety of their workplace colleagues. The programme has a particular focus on:

The market for professional services is becoming increasingly competitive, with some firms and individuals becoming very effective at winning new work, leaving others lagging way behind. Given the choice between spending time on client work and business development work, we all tend to choose that which we feel to be easier, more attractive and more aligned with our image of ourselves. We stay within our comfort zones, we focus on client work, and we only resort to business development work when we have to, which can also lead to 'feast or famine' syndrome. The programme will help participants: * Understand the professional business development approach and the style that is appropriate for their business and their clients * Follow a process to guide their conversations and business development meetings * Prepare thoroughly for a business development meeting/contact with a client to ensure they use their time efficiently and maximise results * Create a great first impression and professional opening to a conversation * Ask open questions and listen effectively in order to spot opportunities, understand needs and progress the opportunity * Identify and understand buying and decision-making processes and criteria * Skilfully and confidently handle questions and objections * Sell the benefits of their services and approach over those of their competitors * Progress the sale by agreeing next steps and gaining commitment appropriately 1 INTRODUCTION * Aims and objectives of the programme * Personal introductions and objectives * Workshop overview 2 AN INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SELLING FOR PROFESSIONALS * What is selling? * Who are you selling to? * The buying experience * What clients want * The four-step business development process * The business development cycle and pipeline management * Upselling and cross-selling as well as winning new clients 3 NETWORKING AND GENERATING LEADS * What is networking? * Networking objectives * It's not what you know but who you know * Asking for referrals and introductions * Making appointments from networking activity 4 OPENING THE SALES RELATIONSHIP/SALES MEETING * What potential customers are thinking * Judging first impressions * Creating positive first impressions * Building rapport and creating interest and impact * Earning the right 5 CORE COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR PROFESSIONAL SELLING * Overcoming barriers to listening * The art of listening * Questioning refresher * Types of questions * Questioning funnel 6 UNDERSTANDING AND IDENTIFYING NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES * Identifying the questions to ask to identify needs and opportunities * Questions to move us through the buying and selling process * Understanding their buying processes * Asking questions that position you as a 'trusted adviser' * The questions that give you a competitive advantage * Knowing when you have asked enough questions 7 INTRODUCING SOLUTIONS * Tailoring your 'pitch' to the client * Speaking the client's language * Using features and benefits * Applying the benefit cycle 8 HANDLING OBJECTIONS AND CONCERNS * Identifying the typical objections and concerns * Understanding why clients raise objections and concerns * Following a structure for handling objections * Handling the price objection 9 GAINING COMMITMENT * Knowing when to close * The art of checking * Recognising buying signals * Small c and big C 10 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER * Personal learning summary and action plans

Successful account management requires time and investment to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction and develop new business opportunities. Ensuring you are equipped with the right tools to approach every customer interaction in a structured way will help you have productive relationships with your clients. Whether you're new to account management or experienced in business development and looking to expand your skillset, understanding how you can maximise customer relationships will be key to your success. We have developed this programme to be practical, fun and interactive. Participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice a number of key skills that will see successful results, and are encouraged to bring real life examples to the course so that learning can be translated to real world scenarios. This course will help participants: * Learn how to plan growth and increase revenue from existing accounts * Develop skills to build and develop essential relationships to increase value and visibility * Learn how best to create loyalty and customer satisfaction * Identify how to set account targets and development plan for building contacts and cross-selling * Develop persuasion and influencing skills to better define needs and develop opportunities * Learn how to add value at all stages; plus gaining competitive advantage * Develop an up-selling, cross-selling strategy 1 PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT * Introduction to the PROFIT account management model * Using practical tools to measure account performance and success * Planning your account strategy - red flags and green lights 2 RELATIONSHIPS FOR ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT * How to build and manage key relationships * Producing a 'relationship matrix' * Developing a coach or advocate 3 SETTING OBJECTIVES FOR YOUR ACCOUNT * Developing an upselling cross-selling strategy * Setting jointly agreed goals, objectives and business plans * Planning session 4 FEEDBACK AND RETENTION - BUILDING LOYAL AND SATISFIED CUSTOMERS * How to monitor and track your customer's satisfaction * Building a personalised satisfaction matrix * Customer service review meetings 5 INFLUENCE * Getting your message and strategy across to C-level contacts * Being able to better develop a business partnership within an accountes 6 TEAMWORK AND TIME MANAGEMENT * Working with others to achieve your account goals * Managing and working with a virtual team * Managing your time and accounts effectively 7 GAINING COMMITMENT AND CLOSING THE SALE * Knowing when to close for commitment * How to ask for commitment professionally and effectively * Key negotiation skills around the closing process - getting to 'yes' * Checklist of closing and negotiation skills * Practice session

This is an essential programme for managers or members of staff (or students) who need to be able to read and summarise information on screen faster and more effectively. The session focuses on the different types of reading style and encourages better retention of written material through the use of specific speed-reading techniques. By the end of this programme participants will be able to: * Explain the principles of speed reading * Understand the barriers to reading * Use different reading styles according to the information being read * Read more effectively from tablet and computer screens * Co-ordinate eye movements better * Minimise any poor reading habits * Increase reading speed by over 50%, without losing comprehension * Improve retention of information using specific techniques The programme focuses on how to maximise reading from electronic devices by exploring techniques which will reduce eyestrain and improve reading effectiveness. The session also explains different types of reading styles and how to learn new, positive reading habits. 1 AN INTRODUCTION TO SPEED READING * The history of speed reading * Assumptions about reading * The process of reading * Schema and its influence on interpretation * Eye/brain relationship * How our brain processes written information 2 MINIMISING BARRIERS TO READING * Understanding eye tics * Mouthing * The influence of different light sources * Body clocks and making use of natural patterns 3 READING STYLES * Importance of choosing the right reading style * Speeds and their influence on retention * Reading for pleasure * Proof reading * Scanning * Skimming * Reading for retention * SQRW principles 4 READING FROM ELECTRONIC DEVICES * The challenge of reading from screens * Importance of breaks and proper display screen evaluation * Calibrating screens and background colours * Formatting documents * Using eye guides

Telephone selling can be a challenge. It can be a pressured environment and sales professionals need to be able to maintain peak performance in order to meet - and preferably exceed - their targets. This programme will help make it easier for them. The expert trainer covers the whole process, to help participants see it from their customer's perspective. The focus is on how to use a practical understanding of sales psychology, and of the nature of the telephone sales conversation, to help make it easier for customers to buy. This programme will give your team the skills to: This course will help participants: * Understand why people buy - and how that makes it easier to sell * Manage the sales process better * Steer their sales calls to a more positive outcome * Recognise - and respond to - customer buying signals * Meet and overcome objections * Choose the most appropriate techniques for closing with confidence * Enhance their resilience * Improve their communication skills on the telephone 1 INTRODUCTION * Aims and objectives * Overview * Self-appraisal of current skills and development areas 2 THE SALES APPROACH * What selling means * Why selling is like nature 3 THE TELEPHONE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF COMMUNICATION * Qualities of the telephone * How telephone communication differs from face-to-face * Advantages and drawbacks of the telephone * How to optimise selling over the telephone * Communication techniques to help you stand out from the crowd 4 CREATING A RELATIONSHIP * Professional telephone etiquette * Building a rapport * Connecting with the customer so that they feel you are on the same wavelength 5 THE STRUCTURE OF A SALES CALL * Opening the call - creating a positive first impression * Effective questioning to gather information and establish need * Identifying and presenting the features and benefits of the product or service * Matching the benefits to customers' needs * Recognising and responding to buying signals * Anticipating, meeting and overcoming objections * Closing the sale and asking for the order - different closing techniques * The importance of testimonials - how to obtain them and when to use them 6 LISTENING SKILLS * The challenges of accurate listening * How to enhance listening skills * Ensuring the customer feels heard and understood through empathetic listening 7 SHAPING AND USING A SCRIPT * Developing a script to increase levels of confidence * Leaving the door open 8 MANAGING THE CAMPAIGN * Organisation and call planning * Identifying your target market group * Planning who and when to call * Logging constructive information 9 PERSONAL MANAGEMENT * The importance of persistence * Is there a time to back off? * Stamina - optimising energy levels * Bouncing back 10 PRACTISING THE NEW INFORMATION * Pulling the details together * Practising in a supportive environment 11 ACTION PLANNING * Personal learning summary and action plan

Generating new leads and new business can be both time-consuming and frustrating. It's not easy - it takes skill, careful preparation and the creation of effective models and methods, even perhaps using formal approaches and scripts. Once generated, a new lead or enquiry must also be carefully managed to maximise the potential revenue it can generate. But it's crucial to get it right. If your company can afford not to worry about getting new business - congratulations! If your company is completely confident that it is performing at peak potential in generating new leads - again, congratulations! But if your company is working in the real world, couldn't your team do with some help, to become even just that little bit more effective, to make the process just that little less painful? This highly practical, intensive workshop gives sales teams the proven strategies and tactics they need to build a sustainable new business pipeline. This course will help participants: * Develop a clear and consistent process for new business development and lead-generation * Master the secret of effective new business development and lead-generation - 'only sell the appointment or next stage of the sales process, not your product or service' * Set and achieve the right level of new business development and lead-generation activity to achieve your personal and organisational sales goals * Apply the key principles of effective prospecting and pipeline management using a proven toolkit and approach * Overcome the most common 'put-offs' when conducting telephone or face-to-face business-development and lead-generation activities * Develop an engaging telephone voice and manner - and a 'networking personality' * Qualify potential opportunities with more accuracy on a consistent basis * Prioritise opportunities and manage their time when sourcing new business * Discover online sources of leads, contacts and referrals * Overcome psychological blocks to cold or warm calling - theirs and the client's * Identify potential prospects - and decision-makers and influencers within target prospects - with greater accuracy * Make outbound sales or appointment calls with improved confidence, control and results * Improve the conversion of calls to appointments by using more effective questions and sales messages * Get past gatekeepers and assistants more effectively * Make the most of your CRM software and systems 1 ONLINE MARKETING - WHAT WORKS! * Workshop overview and learning objectives * Choosing your social media channels * LinkedIn for sales and marketing * Designing and implementing an effective new business email campaign online * Creating a lead-generation strategy online - with case studies * Avoiding common mistakes in social media marketing * Case study: 'Best practice in social media sales and marketing' * Using blogs and video-based marketing (eg, YouTube) * New trends and how to keep your finger on the 'social media' pulse * Twenty essential websites and online marketing tools 2 MAKING APPOINTMENTS BY TELEPHONE * Planning the call, telephone techniques, integrating with email and online marketing * Developing a clear and consistent process to appointment-making * Setting and achieving the right level of telephone activity to achieve your appointment goals * Applying the key principles of effective prospecting and pipeline management generation, using a proven toolkit and approach * Overcoming the most common 'put-offs' to seeing or engaging with you * Overcoming psychological blocks to cold or warm calling - yours and the client's * Identifying potential prospects - and decision-makers and influencers within target prospects - with greater accuracy * Making outbound sales or appointment calls with improved confidence, control and results * Improving conversion of calls to appointments by using more effective questions and sales messages * The five keys to developing an engaging telephone voice and approaching manner 3 POWER NETWORKING * Strategies for networking and B2B referral-based marketing * The importance, and different types, of networking * How to work a room - preparation and strategy * Communication dynamics in networking - the power of the listening networker * Assumptions when networking * Business networking etiquette * Making connections, asking for cards, contact details and referrals, gaining follow-up commitments * Building relationships - follow-up and follow-through 4 DEVELOPING NEW LEADS * Strategies for first-time sales calls * Gaining rapport and opening first-time and new business sales calls effectively * Advanced consultative selling - questioning techniques to quickly and efficiently uncover opportunities, need areas and preferences * Presenting your solution to a new or first-time customer - creating an enthusiastic and compelling personalised and persuasive summary of your proposal * Value message - differentiate your solutions clearly and accurately, with tailored value statements * Presenting the right initial USPs, features and benefits and making them relevant and real to the customer * Smart ways to position price, emphasise value and be a strong player without being the cheapest or leading on price * Learn and use advanced techniques to determine customer needs, value and decision-making criteria in depth on a first-time call 5 ORGANISED PERSISTENCE - CRM AND PROSPECT-TRACKING * Organised persistence - sales tracking, following up on 'sleeping' customers, gaining referrals, time and territory management * Maintaining a good database for maximising new business ROI * Developing a contact strategy with different types and levels of contact * Analysing your contact base using state-of-the-art software and tools * Making the most of your CRM systems and solutions * Understanding that your attitude makes a difference when sourcing new business * Setting SMART objectives for new business development and lead-generation * Practical exercise - setting personal development and business goals * Time management tips to improve daily productivity * New business pipeline management strategies for peak sales performance 6 WORKSHOP SUMMARY AND CLOSE * Practical exercise - developing your new business action plan * Review and feedback