business focus 17


Chartered accountants Haines Watts presents a series of articles based on its blogs. It offers analysis, reviews and comments and welcomes your feedback at www.hwca.com/blog


of the month


Clients at the core: 7 tips for getting it right writes Jane Wills, partner at Haines Watts


New technologies, increased competition, demand for better value – organisations face many challenges when it comes to cementing customer relationships. Often though, the biggest challenges are generated within our own businesses.


Many organisations are dedicating significant resource to mapping the ‘customer journey’ and developing customer experience teams. At the same time, the fundamental changes that need to be made to culture and operations are often neglected – dooming many innovative customer-relationship strategies before they reach light of day.


Drawing on lessons learnt as a business owner and from insight


into clients who have got it right, the following seven factors are vital to putting customers at the core:


1 Don’t leave your people to interpret what your strategy means. Translate your customer relationship strategy into practical deliverables for your staff.


2 Give clear guidance on what staff should prioritise and how they will be measured.


3 Ensure your front-line, finance and admin functions all understand their role in managing the customer experience and how this is connected to the rest of the business.


4 Make sure there is clear ownership and accountability. Encourage co-operation and


Thames Valley Training & Development accredited as CILEx learning centre


Thames Valley Training & Development (TVT&D) has been accredited by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) as one of the very few CILEx centres in the Thames Valley region


TVT&D, a subsidiary company of Bucks New University in High Wycombe, was established in 2012 and provides professional training and development products and services to both organisations and individuals.


CILEx is the professional body representing 20,000 trainee and practising chartered legal executives and other legal practitioners. Its role is to enhance the reputation of chartered legal executive lawyers and it has provided flexible career opportunities in law for fifty years.


Gaining CILEx accredited centre status in its first year is a great achievement for TVT&D, as David Podger, managing director, explains: “We are delighted to become a CILEx accredited centre, particularly as we will


be one of just a handful of accredited centres in the Thames Valley which makes the accolade even more significant.


“Our training provision for chartered legal executives and other practitioners has been recognised and our aim now is to fulfil the Thames Valley’s training needs right on its doorstep.”


Alison Hollyer, head of qualifications at CILEx, commented: “Accredited centres play an important role in helping CILEx learners achieve their developmental and career aims through the delivery of CILEx programmes of learning. TVT&D joins more than 70 accredited study centres which are quality assured to CILEx standards.”


TVT&D’s provision of CILEx training includes the Level 3 Certificate


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – NOVEMBER 2013


in Law and Practice, designed to provide students with a short, rounded introduction to law and legal practice, which can formalise the skills and experience of paralegal and legal support role practitioners. TVT&D has also been accredited to deliver Level 4 Apprenticeship knowledge and Level 6 qualifications, including the Graduate Fast-Track Diploma for those with a qualifying law degree.


The CILEx courses complement TVT&D’s broader portfolio of professional training in the areas of IT, business and management, sales and marketing, and accountancy, which can be delivered both in- house or at its premises at Bucks New University.


integration across your internal structure rather than competition between functions.


5 Develop and implement a consistent communications programme. If you are introducing changes to how you manage your customer relationships, communicate these repeatedly. Reinforce and be consistent.


6 Put in place appropriate and regular training so that staff have the soft skills needed. Just because your teams may support a strategy doesn’t mean they are equipped to deliver it.


7 Motivate staff to embrace


evolving customer relationship approaches by integrating measures into performance and reward reviews.


The changing nature of customer relationships will require changes across your entire organisation. It demands shifts in thinking and working methods from marketing, finance, admin and IT teams. Building customer loyalty requires collaboration and communication both internally and externally.


Details: www.hwca.com


David Podger, managing director, TVT&D


Details: David Podger 01494-605012 david.podger@tvtd.co.uk www.thamesvalleytraining.com


www.businessmag.co.uk


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