Tata Steel forges partnership to create sales academy

Citation

(2012), "Tata Steel forges partnership to create sales academy", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 44 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2012.03744aaa.006

Tata Steel forges partnership to create sales academy

Article Type: Notes and news From: Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 44, Issue 1

Global steel giant Tata Steel is working with the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM) to create an academy for the company’s sales force.

Andrew Barker, head of sales and marketing learning and development at Tata Steel, said: “We are delighted to be partnering the ISMM to develop and recognize the contribution that our talented sales force already makes to the business. Looking forward, we believe the academy structure will help to benchmark our business and prove its reputation of having truly excellent sales people.”

Ben Turner, the ISMM’s head of sales, commented: “The challenges that Tata Steel faces are not unique but the way in which the business is looking to address this area of learning and development is industry-leading.”

“The company has already set up fantastic training and development facilities, so it will be our job to work within the existing structure and add value to the process. This new relationship recognizes the contribution of the Tata Steel sales force and we look forward to providing our educational support to help to further its success.”

Tata Steel is one of the world’s top ten steel producers. It has an aggregate crude-steel capacity of more than 28 million tonnes and employs some 80,000 people across four continents.

Meanwhile, BT Global Services has teamed up with sales-training specialist Sterling Chase and the ISMM to implement the new ISMM level 5 diploma in sales and account management.

Paul Coles, head of sales programs for BT Global Services, said: “We are delighted to be rolling out such an exciting program. This initiative will raise the bar in terms of sales-training programs in BT and across all industries.”

“Our sales teams will receive world-class training that will enable them to develop their selling skills and accelerate their professional development. The model, which allows our sales people to gain externally recognized qualifications with the ISMM, represents a major investment in our professional sales community and will be fantastic for our people in terms of personal development.”

Steve Eungblut, managing director of Sterling Chase, commented: “We are proud to be working with BT Global Services and the ISMM to implement a program that will directly benefit BT Global Services as a business unit. It is a genuine win-win where the sales people will experience an applied learning and development program that directly contributes to their own success as well as to the success of BT.”

Stephen Wright, commercial director at the ISMM, added: “This exciting initiative demonstrates BT Global Services’ commitment to sales excellence and will lead the way for other blue-chip organizations by implementing an internationally recognized professional standard for the sales force. The initiative helps to benchmark BT as a one of the most forward thinking UK businesses and is a model that shows BT’s commitment to its sales personnel as well as their customers.”

The ISMM the UK’s largest association for sales people, responsible for establishing benchmarks of professionalism in sales.