BUSINESS HELPDESK HELP DESK


GET UP TO SPEED IN THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM


During the COVID-19 crisis, the BMF has adapted its training style so builders merchants can continue to develop their staff with content designed to help them adapt to the ‘new normal’.


Needless to say, all BMF training courses have moved online and will likely stay that way for the forseeable future, unless the course can be held in-house with appropriate safety measures in place. While some courses have been adapted for the new virtual format, others have been specifically developed to fulfil changing needs.


The latest one-day courses include the BMF’s new Virtual Classroom series, which focus on developing sales in the new environment by helping merchants align their skills to different ways of selling and managing accounts.


As John Allison, one of BMF’s learning and development professionals says: “Everyone has had to use Zoom and Teams for meetings in recent months but developing a rapport with customers is a very different experience to meeting them in person. The courses we have developed are designed to open your eyes both to the challenges and opportunities presented, and to show you how to make the most of those opportunities.” The courses are highly practical – which will reassure anyone who has experienced a death by powerpoint training session elsewhere – with the day divided into three distinct two-hour elements. While they are delivered online, Virtual Classroom courses give delegates a very similar learning experience to face to face classroom style training with plenty of participation using break-out sessions, white board activities and group discussions to ensure all learners interact and are fully engaged.


Courses in this series include, 10


Max Your Post-Covid-19 bounce back, Make Reactive Sales Calls and Selling Virtually. The content will enable those used to operating in the field to successfully plan, facilitate and close virtual calls, and encourage a proactive approach to internal sales. All three are running as open courses during July, and will be scheduled again in the Autumn, but they can also be customised as in-house training. The BMF is also running a host of half day webinars for those involved with marketing, e-marketing and social media throughout July, August and September.


To find out more about the BMF’s 1 day Virtual Classroom courses and half- day Webinars, check out the Training section of the BMF website at www.bmf.org.uk or email paige.godsell@bmf. org.uk


Online Forums


While social distancing measures are in place, the BMF will continue to hold sector and job-specific Forums on-line as we have done with great success in April, May and June. With ongoing changes to the Government’s furlough system, apprenticeships and schemes for talent retention within the industry, we increased the frequency of our Finance and HR Forums to disseminate the latest information and enable feedback from members.


The final HR Forum before the summer break will be held on 24 July., with the Kitchen and Bathroom Sector Forum scheduled for 6 August. The


Updated Operating Guidelines


Following changes to lockdown measures in England from 4 July, the BMF updated its Branch Operating Guidelines, one of the many benefits of membership. Since their original publication, the Guidelines have helped merchant businesses to remain operational or re-open and safely provide customers with a full or partial service.


The latest revisions have been made in tandem with the Construction Leadership Council’s Site Operating Procedures (version 5). Both documents make it clear that the two-metre principal


regular programme will then resume in September, when the new Tools, Fixings and Workwear/ PPE Forum will meet for the first time.


To find out more and book your Forum place visit the Events section at www.bmf. org.uk


should be maintained wherever possible but where it is not viable for workers to do so, “one- metre plus” may be used in conjunction with additional mitigating factors. This should now enable operations in smaller premises to resume.


Throughout the Covid-19 crisis the BMF has been doing everything possible to ensure that its members can trade safely. We will continue to maintain a proactive role to represent our sector’s interests with government and to provide the advice and information you need to make the right decisions for your business as lockdown restrictions are gradually unwound and we move into construction’s recovery phase.


To find out more about the BMF’s full range of services and the benefits of membership email Richard. Ellithorne@bmf.org.uk


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net July 2020


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