PERFORMANCE IN PEOPLE CONTINUE TO ACT AS A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND CUSTOMER SERVICE AT VOLVO

Performance in People (www.performanceinpeople.co.uk), one of the UK’s leading specialists at measuring and improving customer service and sales performance skills, is announcing today a programme with Volvo Car UK Ltd.

2006 has proved an exciting year for Volvo, with the company introducing three new models, C70, S80 & C30. Performance in People was hired by the car manufacturer to undertake an extensive mystery shopping and dealer coaching programme.

Performance in People embarked on a range of mystery shopping programmes across Volvo’s UK dealer network to measure and develop the behaviour required to deliver an outstanding customer experience. The addition of Performance in People’s bespoke coaching programme alongside the mystery shopping activity has enabled Volvo to equip their sales managers with the necessary skills to continuously develop and coach their own teams in delivering an enhanced customer experience. The coaching programme reinforces the positive aspects of staff behaviour, focusing on what an individual has done well and how they can further improve to make the customer experience even more positive. This approach gives a more enthusiastic element to the programme and has seen 97% of attendees recommending the course to colleagues.

“This has been a very exciting programme. Volvo weren’t just interested in measuring performance standards, they were committed to achieving sustainable changes in behaviours. To achieve this we had to go to the heart of all dealerships and transfer coaching capabilities in how to recognise, encourage and develop all levels of sales and service performance. Combining a mystery shopping programme with coaching for Volvo’s managers has meant translating the company’s highly successful P.R.I.D.E. service standards into measurable structured reporting, so delivering a robust, credible programme that provides high quality and accurate material for the newly empowered coaches to work with.”

Mike Dalloz, Managing Director, Performance in People

Performance in People implemented their full suite of mystery shopping activities including Video Mystery Shopping. This pioneering service allows an assessor to visit the retailer posing as a customer. Their experiences are captured via state of the art hidden video cameras and provided back to each dealer to improve sales and service standards.

The mystery shopping programme is now into its second wave of activity and the success of the coaching sessions for sales managers, has led to Volvo extending their coaching programme to include Aftersales Managers in 2007.

The company is now looking ahead to 2007 and to their customers receiving the best service available.

Performance in People are also working with many other leading global manufacturers and dealership groups including the likes of Honda, Ford, BMW, Vauxhall and Mitsubishi.