Elior ~ Leading Client Relationships
What the client wanted
Elior, as one of the UK’s leading contract catering companies, has built a reputation for providing excellent client services, achieved through the considerable experience, expertise and dedication of their operations people.
As with any highly successful company, Elior are not content to rest on their laurels, and are continually striving for ways to take their offering and their client engagement to the next level. With this in mind, Impromptu, as providers of a very successful bespoke sales effectiveness programme for Elior, were approached to design and deliver an innovative solution to really stretch Elior Operations Managers’ client relationship leadership skills.
What we did
Impromptu worked closely with Chris Sprague, Client Relationship Director, and Mandie Corby, Head of Learning & Development, to identify transformational dimensions which represented critical success factors in Elior’s client relationship leadership journey. This was followed by the design of an integrated development programme, constructed to support Operations Managers in their quest to embrace these dimensions.
The programme, delivered by Impromptu facilitators, coaches and business role players, centred on an interactive workshop, built around a mix of pre-written and participant led, live scenarios, and follow-up role play coaching clinics which enabled the Operations Managers to challenge their skills in a stretching, supportive and highly contextualized environment.
Incorporated with these core elements – the workshop and coaching – each participant had an Elior mentor who, guided by Impromptu, ensured that the learning was embedded and that an ongoing internal support framework established.
The outcomes
Post-delivery responses from participants (100% of whom have said that they would recommend this programme) of the three cohorts who have come through the process to date, strongly suggests that the interventions have had a material impact on the quality of client relationships, that the participants have made real and significant changes to their client approach as a result. This is echoed in the feedback from their managers and mentors, the Regional Directors, who have unanimously commended the significant shifts they have seen in the sophistication of their Operations Managers’ relationships with clients.
Moreover, the Operations Managers have not only embraced the immediate learning opportunity but have clearly transformed into more reflective and reflexive practitioners. Beyond leading to deepened client relationships the indication is that this programme has stimulated a cultural shift that will clearly have benefits for both Elior and the businesses Elior serves.
Client Response
“Impromptu clearly listened very carefully to my needs in designing and delivering this unique and bespoke programme. I am delighted with the outcome. It has met, if not exceeded, all my expectations. Not only has the programme delivered real change in attitude and behaviour, but, significantly, has been instrumental in realising a clear business benefit.”
Chris Sprague, Client Relationship Director, Elior