347 Professional Development courses in Birmingham

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

We share the secrets of how to make one of the most challenging areas of managing people into one of the simplest and most rewarding. Build motivated and effective teams through managers who are skilled in setting challenging but achievable goals, measuring performance and giving great feedback.

High Performing Teams.

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

It is essential that those charged with responsibility for credit control and debt recovery have a full appreciation of the relevant law: no-one can negotiate effectively to recover a debt if they don't understand the ultimate sanctions they can apply. This programme is designed to give them a practical, up-to-date understanding of the law as it applies to your particular organisation. This course will help ensure that participants: * Understand the relevant laws * Know how and when to invoke legal processes * Avoid legal pitfalls in debt collection negotiations Specific, practical learning points include: * Definition of 'harassment' * How to set up an in-house collection identity * Whether cheques in 'full and final settlement' are binding * The best steps to trace a 'gone away'... and many, many more. 1 DATA PROTECTION AND DEBT RECOVERY There are a whole range of things which can be checked on members of the public and which are not affected by the restraints of the Data Protection Act. These will be explained in simple, clear terms so that staff can use this information immediately. 2 COUNTY COURT SUING The expert trainer will show how to sue for money owed, obtain judgment and commence enforcement action without leaving your desk. This module is aimed at showing how to make the Courts work for you instead of the other way around! 3 ENFORCEMENT OF JUDGMENTS There are many people who have a County Court Judgment (CCJ) against their debtor but who still remain unpaid. This session explains each of the enforcement methods and how to use them to best effect. Enforcement methods covered include: * Warrant of Execution * Using the sheriff (now known as High Court Enforcement Officers) * Attachment of earnings * Third Party Debt Orders * Charging Orders (over property and goods) * Winding-up companies and making individuals bankrupt 4 OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING RULES ON DEBT RECOVERY Surprisingly few people are aware of the Office of Fair Trading rules on debt recovery and many of those that do know think they don't apply to them - but they do. Make sure you know what you need to! 5 NEW METHODS TO TRACE ELUSIVE, ABSENTEE AND 'GONE AWAY' DEBTORS Why write the money off when you can trace the debtor and collect the money you are owed? 6 CREDIT CHECKING OF NEW AND EXISTING CUSTOMERS It makes sense to credit check would-be, new and existing customers to evaluate the likelihood of payment delays or perhaps not being paid at all. This session shows a range of credit checking steps, many of which can be done completely free of charge, including a sample credit application / account opening form. 7 LATE PAYMENT OF COMMERCIAL DEBTS REGULATIONS Do your staff understand this legislation and how to use it to make people pay quicker than ever before? The trainer shows how. 8 THE ENTERPRISE ACT The Enterprise Act made some startling changes to corporate and personal insolvency. What are the implications for credit control and debt recovery within your organisation?

This is not a single course but a set of menu options from which you can 'pick and mix' to create a draft programme yourself, as a discussion document which we can then fine-tune with you. For a day's training course, simply consider your objectives, select six hours' worth of modules and let us do the fine-tuning so that you get the best possible training result. Consider your objectives carefully for maximum benefit from the course. Is the training for new or experienced credit control staff? Are there specific issues to be addressed within your particular sector (eg, housing, education, utilities, etc)? Do your staff need to know more about the legal issues? Or would a practical demonstration of effective telephone tactics be more useful to them? MENU Rather than a generic course outline, the expert trainer has prepared a training 'menu' from which you can select those topics of most relevance to your organisation. We can then work with you to tailor a programme that will meet your specific objectives. * Advanced credit control skills for supervisors - 1⁄2 day * Basic legal overview: do's and don'ts of debt recovery - 2 hours * Body language in the credit and debt sphere - 1⁄2 day * County Court suing and enforcement - 1⁄2 day * Credit checking and assessment - 1 hour * Customer visits and 'face to face' debt recovery skills - 1⁄2 day * Data Protection Act explained - 1⁄2 day * Dealing with 'Caring Agencies' and third parties - 1 hour * Debt counselling skills - 2 hours * Elementary credit control skills for new staff - 1⁄2 day * Granting credit and collecting debt in Europe - 1⁄2 day * Identifying debtors by 'type' to handle them accurately - 1 hour * Insolvency: Understanding bankruptcy / receivership / administration / winding-up / liquidation / CVAs and IVAs - 2 hours * Late Payment of Commercial Debts Interest Act explained - 2 hours * Liaison with sales and other departments for maximum credit effectiveness - 1 hour * Suing in Scottish Courts (Small Claims and Summary Cause) - 1⁄2 day * Telephone techniques for successful debt collection - 11⁄2 hours * Terms and conditions of business with regard to credit and debt - 2 hours * Tracing 'gone away' debtors (both corporate and individual) - 11⁄2 hours * What to do if you/your organisation are sued - 1⁄2 day Other topics you might wish to consider could include: * Assessment of new customers as debtor risks * Attachment of Earnings Orders * Bailiffs and how to make them work for you * Benefit overpayments and how to recover them * Cash flow problems (business) * Charging Orders over property/assets * Credit policy: how to write one * Council and Local Authority debt recovery * Consumer Credit Act debt issues * Using debt collection agencies * Director's or personal guarantees * Domestic debt collection by telephone * Exports (world-wide) and payment for * Emergency debt recovery measures * Education Sector debt recovery * Forms used in credit control * Factoring of sales invoices * Finance Sector debt recovery needs * Third Party Debt Orders (Enforcement) * Government departments (collection from) * Harassment (what it is - and what it is not) * Health sector debt recovery skills * Hardship (members of the public) * Insolvency and the Insolvency Act * In-house collection agency (how to set up) * Instalments: getting offers which are kept * Judgment (explanation of types) * Keeping customers while collecting the debt * Late payment penalties and sanctions * Letter writing for debt recovery * Major companies as debtors * Members of the public as debtors * Monitoring of major debtors and risks * Negotiation skills for debt recovery * Old debts and how to collect them * Out of hours telephone calls and visits * Office of Fair Trading and collections * Oral Examination (Enforcement) * Pro-active telephone collection * Parents of young debtors * Partnerships as debtors * Positive language in debt recovery * Pre-litigation checking skills * Power listening skills * Questions to solicit information * Retention of title and 'Romalpa' clauses * Sale of Goods Act explained * Salesmen and debt recovery * Sheriffs to enforce your judgment * Students as debtors * Statutory demands for payment * Small companies (collection from) * Sundry debts (collection of) * Terms and Conditions of Contract * Tracing 'gone away' debtors * The telephone bureau and credit control * Taking away reasons not to pay * Train the trainer skills * Utility collection needs * Visits for collection and recovery * Warrant of execution (enforcement)

This course is designed specifically to help improve your collection rates. The UK's leading trainer in the subject uses practical examples and case studies to show how to use debt collection techniques that really work. This programme will help participants to: * Understand debtors and communicate with them effectively * Improve their telephone and writing skills * Appreciate the key legal issues * Track down 'gone-aways' * Improve their collection rates 1 GIVING CREDIT AND COLLECTING DEBTS * The benefits when you get it right * The cost of getting it wrong 2 ANALYSING YOURSELF * The importance of making the right 'first impression' * Assessing your own personal communication style and how this affects your results * How do you (or might you) look in the debtor's eyes? What would you like to change? 3 ANALYSING YOUR DEBTORS * Types of debtor * The delaying debtor * The genuine debtor * The cashflow or hardship problem debtor * The ones who never intended to pay * Spot the most common reasons and excuses for non-payment - and learn how to deal with them 4 UNDERSTANDING DEBT RECOVERY AND THE LAW * Data protection issues * County Court suing enforcement methods * Human rights and debt recovery * Retention of title matters 5 TELEPHONE SKILLS FOR DEBT RECOVERY * A 7-point plan which works every time * Learning by example: listening to and analysing some pre-recorded (or live) collection calls * What was done well? * What should have been done differently? * Did the collector recognise opportunities? * Did the collector create opportunities where seemingly none existed? * Did the collector negotiate well or not at all? 6 WRITING SKILLS FOR DEBT RECOVERY * Key phrases to avoid * What to include * A sample letter which gets results in over 90% of cases 7 TRACKING DOWN THE 'GONE AWAYS' * A unique debtor-tracing plan * Why spend money on external tracers when you can find those 'gone away' debtors for yourself? 8 COURSE REVIEW * The traps to avoid * Key personal learning points

The fundamental tool to identify waste, create effective process flow, reduce process cycle times, and implement process improvement.

OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internal auditing is an independent and objective activity to evaluate an organisation's internal operations. You'll learn how to initiate an audit, prepare and conduct audit activities, compile and distribute audit reports and complete follow-up activities. It is very important for the organisation to have a smooth flow of accounting as it plays a very important role in the development of the organisation. Financial Managers or any person who deals with Accounts need to see that the company accounts are very updated and are free from any risks that can become a problem during the time of Auditing.  Objectives   By the end of the course, participants will be able to: * Efficiently dealing with senior leaders with confidence  * Effective Contribution and Strategically Analysing and Auditing towards business success * Analysing and Evaluating as an effective internal audit leader * How to manage key relationships with the audit committee * Practical methods for managing the audit committee and senior management * Describing the significance to help maximize the contribution to their organization

This programme has a simple objective: to help a sales team create and implementa comprehensive account development plan. If you want to earn strategic partner or preferred supplier status with your clients and customers then you need to add value to their business, consistently, and you can only do this if you have a plan - a key account management plan. This programme will help participants: * Discover opportunities - through a deeper understanding of the customer's business * Develop partnership - through a better 'value proposition' for the customer * Increase repeat business - based on higher customer satisfaction * Improve synergy - by getting everyone to 'sing from the same hymn sheet' * Develop a collaborative account plan - validated by the customer and their own management * Secure resources - management will align resources to execute soundly based account plans * Win an increased share of 'customer wallet' - through systematic account development 1 THE SIX PRINCIPLES OF STRATEGIC ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT * Introduction to the PROFIT account development model: * - Performance * - Relationships * - Objectives and goals * - Feedback * - Integration * - Teamwork * Practical account development strategies: overview and case studies 2 PERFORMANCE * Use practical tools to help you manage and measure account performance and success * Design and build a monthly account dashboard for all sizes of account * Prioritise and manage accounts and customers pro-actively and successfully, using proven planning tools * Develop a cross-selling strategy to integrate products or solutions into the customer's business as closely as possible 3 RELATIONSHIPS * How to build and manage key relationships within an account * Qualifying and managing key influencers accurately * Producing a 'relationship matrix' for each account quickly and easily * Approaching and developing new contacts strategically * Tools and techniques for successful tracking of contacts and call-backs * Developing a coach or advocate in every customer organisation pro-actively 4 OBJECTIVES AND GOALS * Where are you now? - how to establish your competitive position within an account * Know how to set, monitor and track key objectives for accounts over the short, medium and long term * Selling against the competition - developing both long- and short-term sales strategies 5 FEEDBACK - BUILDING LOYAL AND SATISFIED CUSTOMERS * The correct way to manage customer expectations and create listening loops within an account * How to monitor and track your customer's perception and satisfaction with your organisation * Building a personalised satisfaction matrix for each account * Customer review meetings - best practice in building loyalty by regular joint planning events * Understanding the concept of long-term customer value and the importance of adapting a customer-focused attitude 6 INTEGRATION * How to integrate your products or solutions with the customer's business needs and processes * Spot and react to early warning signals that may cause an account's loyalty to fade, reduce revenue or switch to a competitor * Developing a loyalty strategy for key accounts or groups of smaller accounts * Getting your message and strategy across to C-level contacts 7 TEAMWORK * Working with others to achieve your account goals * Gaining internal commitment from your organisation * Managing and working with a virtual team * Creating cross-departmental communication loops 8 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER * Personal account reviews * Personal learning summary and action plans