Case study
Nationwide Crash Repair Centres
When Nationwide Crash Repair Centres needed to raise the professional standard of the managers running its sites, it turned to Troy Training and Development. Troy provided a modular Management Development Academy which was designed to target the critical business issues faced by Nationwide and enable its managers to concentrate their learning around the real life issues and leadership challenges facing them in the workplace.
The Client
Nationwide Crash Repair Centres Ltd is the UK's largest group of accident repair centres. The firm has been operating in the motor industry since 1908 when the founder Harold Perry started the Capital Screen, Hood & Motor Accessories Company. Considerable investment in staff, training, equipment and premises has allowed the company to constantly improve capabilities and capacity. With a total of 62 bodyshops, Nationwide is by far the largest group of accident repair centres in the UK and is recognised as the market leader in the UK accident repair market.
The Problem
Nationwide was faced with increasing demands and requirements on its customer service levels particularly from clients such as insurance companies. In order to maintain its reputation as the market leader, Nationwide wanted a Management Development programme that raised the standard of the managers running its sites. Its 62 sites are found across the country, therefore the training programme needed to be able to take into account a range of diverse experiences.
The Solution
Troy was carrying out customer satisfaction indices (CSI) for Nationwide when it was appointed to conduct a Management Development programme. The key driver for Nationwide and Troy was to provide a consistent and pragmatic business focussed approach. Troy spent time with both Nationwide's Regional & General Managers to determine the key skills and behaviours that needed developing. Once the situation had been assessed, it was felt by both parties that the best way forward was with the use of a Troy Management Development Academy.
The aim of the Academy was to assist individuals in further developing key personal, interpersonal and organisational skills in their role as Managers enabling them to become the Best in Europe.
To achieve this aim, Troy wrote a ten module Academy programme with each module lasting one day.
The specific objectives of the Academy were to:
- Clarify and develop the role of a Nationwide Manager
- Provide a range of people management tools and techniques to support the achievement of Nationwide's corpoarte objectives
- Enable the use of management skills and knowledge within the business environment
- Build a continual, self reflective process for professional development within a supportive, learning environment
Throughout this process Troy referenced the original results of the CSI as both a pragmatic and targeted way to move forward and as a benchmark for measuring the success of the Academy.
The Benefits
Troy's Management Development Academy enabled Nationwide's managers to concentrate their learning around the real life issues and leadership challenges facing them in the workplace. Through the Academy, Nationwide saw the following benefits:
- Managers were able to expand on their existing skills
- The Academy was designed specifically for Nationwide to meet the needs of its managers – it was not an ‘off the shelf' training programme
- The Modular approach helped identify and focus on personal development needs within their individual roles
- It was business-focused, with the Troy approach ensuring that the training was relevant and timely
This resulted in 60 managers being trained in 10 modules over a 2 year period.
Commenting on the Academy, Martin Fletcher, Regional Manager for Nationwide, said:
"The Nationwide Academy has been a real opportunity for me to hone my management skills and grow as a manager within the business. Its practical, real life approach means the modules are focused on what's really happening in our business, and not just 'management theory'. One of the advantages of the Academy was that it gave me the opportunity to take time out once every 6 - 8 weeks and really think about my approach to both my team and my customers. When I began the Academy last year I was a General Manager of a site, and have now been promoted to Regional Manager."
For the Future
As a result of its satisfaction with the Academy, Nationwide have now contracted Troy to deliver a 2 day Supervisory Skills course to 54 of its assistant managers, and a 2 day Customer Care course for 164 of its front line staff.