Collaboration on pan-European e-learning projects

The global e-learning producer, Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), and the motor industry specialist channel development and training company PHM have signed a deal to collaborate on designing and developing a part of one of the most ambitious and complex e-learning programmes in the industry. This ambitious project has been commissioned by the Marketing Communications Team of Ford of Europe.

Ford has worked with PHM for a number of years and the combination of PHM's knowledge and experience about Ford coupled with the cutting edge e-learning expertise of TIS promise to deliver e-learning of the highest standards.

The programme, commissioned by Ford of Europe, will bring product knowledge-related learning materials to some 30,000 sales staff and managers in Ford dealerships throughout 21 countries and across 23 different languages across Europe.

“Apart from the technical challenges of delivering the programme in the various countries across Europe there are language and culture issues to be addressed, along with the need to make the learning materials accessible and motivating for people aged from 20 to 65 who possess a wide range and varying degrees of IT skills,” explained Peter Hookham-Miller, managing director of PHM.

Making product knowledge related materials available via e-learning on this scale is new to Ford of Europe but the benefits of this approach include having these learning materials available as and when required as both launch information for experienced staff and as introduction materials for those who are relatively new to the Ford franchise, product and brand.

Ultimately, Ford of Europe believes that making all product training available as e-learning available to staff at anytime and from anywhere, will not only be a highly cost-effective way of delivering consistent messages throughout Europe, but will also significantly shorten the time and efforts it takes to get fully trained as well as improving the quality of the learning - all helping Ford dealerships improve their customers experiences.

“Initially, TIS and PHM are working on the production of four e-learning programmes – each one relating to a Europe-wide product launch,” said Alan Samuel, head of UK operations for TIS. “Each of these four programmes is being produced in 23 different languages – and each of these will contain approaches and materials that are specific to particular cultures.”

“The project is so complex that we needed to find an e-learning producer that had experience of producing multi-cultural programmes and could demonstrate that it met exacting quality standards,” said Hookham-Miller, whose company is providing the subject matter expertise for all the programmes’ content, following its extensive regular communication and research within various divisions of Ford of Europe.

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Notes for editors

About PHM Group Limited

The PHM Group, established in 1990, is a channel development and training company which conceives and manages programmes to improve the performance of national and multi-national sales channels. Its innovative programmes improve the performance of a channel, its distributors, retailers and the people who work within them. The PHM Group specialises in markets that have complex distribution channels – notably the automotive industry - and in developing markets – such as consumer electronics.

The PHM Group provides:
• Channel development
o Performance improvement - programmes focusing on the key ‘pressure points’ within a channel or sales process and applying proven techniques to increase standards and effectiveness
o Motivation, recognition and sales incentives
o Sales process improvement
o Strategic and operational consultancy
• Training and learning
o Product launches and events
o Product training
o Competence and skills training

PHM Group clients include: Ford of Europe; Mazda Motors Europe; Mazda Motors UK; Hoover Candy; Thomson and Volkswagen.

About Tata Interactive Systems (TIS)

Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), a global leader in e-learning, is a part of the $22bn Tata Group. Truly international, TIS has a presence across the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Japan, India, and mainland Europe. TIS offers corporations, universities, schools, publishers, and government institutions a diversified and innovative bouquet of learning and training solutions including Simulation-based Learning Objects (SimBLs™), Story-based Learning Objects (StoBLs™), courseware and curriculum design, special-needs education, assessments, electronic performance support systems (EPSS), mobile learning, along with other corporate training and consultancy services. Our multi-disciplinary expertise and 16 years’ experience across domains helps us design e-learning programmes that are unique to clients’ requirements and specifically crafted to boost knowledge retention and application.

Apart from holding ISO 9001 certification, TIS is the only e-learning organisation in the world to be assessed at Level 5 in both the SEI-CMM and P-CMM frameworks. TIS’s quest for excellence is reflected in numerous prestigious industry awards, including a Silver Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Award 2005 and 2004, APEX Award of Excellence in 2005 and 2006, BETT Awards in 2004 and 2006, and two Business World–NID Design Excellence awards.

For more information log on to www.tatainteractive.com

About the Tata Group

The Tata Group, established in 1904 by the great visionary Jamsetji Tata, is one of India’s largest and most trusted business houses. The group pioneered the industrial revolution in India by founding the first steel plant, power plant and chain of luxury hotels, to name but a few.

The Group employs more than 220,000 people in 93 companies across diversified industry sectors including steel, automobiles, cement, telecom and IT. Generating revenues to the tune of $22 billion per year – some three per cent of India’s total GDP – it is recognised as a leader in several industry segments such as such as steel, power, software exports and chemicals. It is also the parent company to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Asia’s largest software producer.

For more information, log on to www.tata.com

Further information from:
Alan Samuel, Tata Interactive Systems, +44 (0)20 7905 0156, www.tatainteractive.com
Peter Hookham-Miller/ Sibylle Tretera, PHM Group, +44 (0)20 7613 6700; www.phm.co.uk
Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, +44 (0)1727 860405, www.boblittlepr.com