Businesses that don't control their costs don't stay in business. How well are you doing? Is everyone in your organisation sufficiently aware of costs, managing them effectively and maximising opportunities to reduce them? If there is scope for improvement, this course will help get you back on track. It will demonstrate that cost reduction is so much more than cost control and cost cutting. True cost management is about being aware of costs, seeking to reduce them through good design and efficient operating practices whilst taking continuing action on overspending. This course will develop the participants' skills in: Being aware of costs at all times Seeking cost reduction from the start (including life-cycle costing) Appraising projects / production to identify and take out risk Understanding real budgeting Using techniques such as ZBB and ABC where appropriate Ensuring cost reports lead to action Managing a cost reduction process that delivers Benefits to the organisation will include: Identification of cost reduction and business improvement opportunities Better reporting and ownership of costs Greater awareness and control of everyday costs 1 Introduction - the cost management process The risks of poor cost control Capital and revenue costs The importance of cost awareness The importance of cost reduction Cost management - the key aspects How to build a cost management and control process checklist for your areas of responsibility 2 Cost removal - taking out costs Cost awareness Costs of poor design / poor processes Value engineering Removing redundant costs 3 The need for commercial, technical and financial appraisals Understand the problems before cash is committed and costs incurred Making the effort to identify commercial and technical risk The time value of money - DCF techniques for long term projects Cost models for production processes and projects Costing models - project appraisals The use of spreadsheets to identify sensitivity and risk How to focus on risk management 4 Budgeting - proper budgeting challenges costs The philosophy of the business - are costs an issue? The importance of having the right culture The need for detailed business objectives Budgetary control measures Designing budget reports - for action 5 Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) - the principles Much more than starting with a clean sheet of paper What ZBB can achieve The concept of decision packages - to challenge business methods and costs Only necessary costs should be incurred A review of an operating budget - demonstrating what ZBB challenges and the costs it may lead to being taken out 6 Awareness of overheads and other costs Definitions of cost - direct and indirect Dealing with overheads - what is meant by allocation, absorption or apportionment? The apparent and real problems with overheads Different ways of dealing with overheads Review of overhead allocation methods and accounting and reporting issues 7 Overheads and product costing Activity-based costing (ABC) - the principles Where and how the ABC approach may be helpful Know the 'true' cost of a product or a project Should you be in business? Will you stay in business? Identifying weaknesses in a traditional overhead allocation How ABC will help improve product or service costing Identifying which products and activities should be developed and which abandoned 8 Cost reduction culture The need for cost reports What measures can be used to identify over-spends as early as possible Cost control performance measures and ratios 9 Design of cost control reports Reports should lead to action and deliver Selecting cost control measures which can be acted upon Practice in designing action reports 10 Course summary - developing your own cost action plan Group and individual action plans will be prepared with a view to participants identifying their cost risks areas and the techniques which can be immediately applied to improve costing and reduce costs
Wouldn't sales be a 'walk in the park' without challenging customers? Why is it that some customers are so difficult to please, so quick to call 'foul' at the slightest blip and so mean with their gratitude after we've bent over backwards to accommodate them? Whether we are looking at prospective or existing customers, there is a toolkit for dealing with the most challenging of them. This course will help participants: Use broad open questions to give the customer a platform for their opinions or issues Improve listening skills to really understand what's behind the customer's challenging style Probe specific phrases to show listening and earn deeper disclosure Use silence to let challenging customers 'blow off steam' Understand the negative impact of certain phrases on a challenging customer Summarise effectively and reassure the customer of our understanding of their needs Recognise the 'behaviour cycle' and avoid emotional escalation Understand 'transactional analysis' and how to bring people from 'child' to 'adult' state Create loyalty in customers who are slow to give trust 1 What makes a customer 'challenging'? Why customers challenge us - understanding their drivers 'Wearing their shoes' - seeing things from their perspective Understanding our own personality style How to flex with a style that is different from our own Ways to quickly recognise a customer's style The benefits of flexing with a challenging customer's style 2 Practical exercise - forum theatre Participants take it in turns to deal with the trainer (who plays the role of the challenging customer) Observers stop the action when they hear or see something they deem wrong The participant in the seat gets a chance to use a suggested alternative line The participant who makes the suggestion has the chance to occupy the seat and deliver it themselves Frequent feedback from the trainer as to how the participant's words are making him feel Opportunities to rewind the action if an ill-advised line is suggested and delivered Flipchart for capturing what worked, what didn't work and why Mehrabian principle - the importance of body language and tone over words used 3 Questioning and listening skills How to use open questions to get the customer talking What questions to avoid and why The use of pauses and silence to reduce tension and build trust What listening is and what it isn't Question funnelling - how to earn deeper disclosure through probing The power of summary 4 Transactional analysis explained What is transactional analysis (TA)? Exploring the TA states and why people behave in that way under pressure How to bring challenging customers to 'adult' state to reduce tension How 'parent' or 'child' behaviours can be inadvertently triggered Understanding the 'behavioural cycle' and how to break it Mini-role play 'vignettes' to demonstrate real time impact of ill-chosen words 5 How to build trust with challenging customers Techniques for placating current challenging customers Methods that the participants have already used effectively - understanding why those methods worked and how other participants can model them Participants' experiences of trust having been lost - understanding why those experiences had that negative outcome How to 'go the extra mile' with challenging customers 6 Bringing a 'real' challenging customer to life Participants give the trainer a brief profile of a specific challenging customer of theirs 5-10 minute roleplay in which the trainer brings that individual to life Observing participants - without interrupting - make notes on what is and isn't working Trainer stops the action half-way through to give feedback on how he is feeling Participant goes back into the roleplay having recalibrated their approach based on feedback Observers give feedback on what did and didn't work Trainer comes out of character to explain the impact of the participant's words and behaviours 7 Wrap-up Key learnings from each participant Individual action planning - steps that can and will be implemented in the workplace
About this Training Course Asset maintenance and equipment reliability teams play a significant role to ensure that there is no room for downtime and losses in production. They are often recognised for their contribution and ability to keep assets running productively in today's organisations. This 4 full-day Certificate in Asset Management course will provide those involved in Asset Management with a full explanation of the key processes to manage assets across their lifecycle. This course has been designed to equip participants with practical skills to take back to work. This course enables participants to ensure their organisation's assets are realising their full value in support of the organisation's objectives. Accredited by the Institute of Asset Management (IAM), this course will prepare participants to sit for the IAM Asset Management Certificate qualification. The IAM exam is offered as an option for participants of this course. Training Objectives Upon completion of this course, the participants will be able to: Understand the key principles, tools and terminology of Asset Management, and demonstrate how it will benefit their organisation Gain familiarity in the application of ISO 55000 in practice Access a range of models that will support the implementation of asset management in their organisation Have their understanding of Asset Management tools and concepts assessed Learn new Asset Management skills and models that will enhance their current performance Be better prepared for the Institute of Asset Management (IAM) Certificate Examination Target Audience This course will benefit maintenance managers, operations managers, asset managers and reliability professionals, planners and functional specialists. It will also be useful for facilities engineers, supervisors/managers and structural engineers/supervisors/ and managers. Course Level Basic or Foundation Training Methods Other than world-class visuals and slides, this course will include a high level of interaction between the facilitator and participants and group discussion among the participants themselves. There will be a number of exercises & quizzes to demonstrate key points and to give participants the chance to apply learning and appreciate key aspects of best practice. Participants will also have the chance to share examples from their own experience, discuss real problems they are facing and develop actions for improvement when they return to work. Trainer Your expert course leader is a is a highly experienced in maintenance and turnaround specialist. He is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, having spent 19 years working for BP in engineering, maintenance and turnaround management roles. During this time, he worked on plants at all ages in the lifecycle, from construction, commissioning and operating new assets to maintaining aging assets and decommissioning. He has taken roles in Projects, Human Resources and Integrity Management which give real breadth to his approach. He also specialized in Continuous Improvement, gaining the award of International Petrochemical Coach of the year. He stays up to date with the latest industrial developments through his consulting support for major clients. He is also the Asset Management lead and a VILT specialist, having delivered over 70 days of VILT training in the last year. He has an engaging style and will bring his current industrial experience, proficiency of VILT techniques and diverse content, gathered from a comprehensive training portfolio, to deliver a distinctive training experience. POST TRAINING COACHING SUPPORT (OPTIONAL) To further optimise your learning experience from our courses, we also offer individualized 'One to One' coaching support for 2 hours post training. We can help improve your competence in your chosen area of interest, based on your learning needs and available hours. This is a great opportunity to improve your capability and confidence in a particular area of expertise. It will be delivered over a secure video conference call by one of our senior trainers. They will work with you to create a tailor-made coaching program that will help you achieve your goals faster. Request for further information post training support and fees applicable Accreditions And Affliations
Explore the key concepts of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) with our expert-led course designed for professionals. Learn how to seamlessly incorporate sustainable practices into your business strategy and enhance your corporate responsibility. Gain the tools and insights necessary to effectively implement ESG initiatives within your organisation. Join now and lead the change towards a more sustainable future!
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In a world focused on digital media, 24-hour news channels and social channels, it’s really important to communicate with your audience – there are lots of opportunities to do this if you are interviewed by journalists. There’s the chance to deliver expert comments or take part in in-depth features or give a quote about your business or organisation. The media wants to stay relevant and engaged with its audience and you can play a part in that and talk to your audience. In our Broadcast Media Training Courses, we will teach you the best ways to share your story, how to answer those difficult questions and present yourself with confidence and style. This means you will capitalise on every opportunity. Our broadcast media and media interview training courses include: Exploiting the opportunity The world of digital media means there are lots of opportunities to appear online, on radio or on TV, as an expert or commentator and gain invaluable exposure for your business and organisation. You may meet journalists at industry events or be contacted for a comment on an issue. You may also need media training because you have to protect your business’ reputation by reacting proactively if you become involved in a news story. Media training will help you handle interviews with journalists, content creators and other media professionals. You need to communicate positively and effectively and make sure your message reaches the audience. It means speaking consistently, and with style and confidence. You’ll also need to know how to handle challenging questions and make sure you positively manage your reputation. Contemporary Media Training Our media training is interactive, engaging and importantly, carried out by experienced journalist trainers. Our team has worked at the highest levels of journalism and broadcasting and will give you an invaluable insight into how to maximise the opportunity of a media appearance. We will take you through the background of what journalists want and need, and give you a clear understanding of how to prepare and deliver your messages and ideas. We will then carry out a number of media style interviews which our technical team will record and playback so you can see and hear yourself. We will then support you with practical, inclusive and useful feedback for you to put into practice for the next interview. We provide copies of all your recordings and useful notes after the training. Locations that suit you We deliver training at our facilities in Birmingham or London or at your location, bringing our technical equipment and cameras with us. You can have a half day training session for up to 4 people or a full day training for a larger group. We also deliver training online for small groups which can be useful when teams are spread around the country. Expert Journalist Trainers We pride ourselves on two things at Coherent Comms – delivering contemporary media training and our supportive inclusive feedback. We know there are lots of media training companies out there but our clients tell us they work with us because we listen. We don’t tell you what training you need or hark back to the old days. We take on board your communication needs and deliver bespoke training. Our associates are working in digital communications, carrying out interviews for news online sites and our contacts are producing digital content for a 21st century audience. We’ll talk to you about TV and radio but we understand the wider media landscape and how to navigate it. And we’re really proud of our feedback – we want to take you from good to great and believe confidence building with tips and ideas that will work for you is the best way to develop your skills. We will help you design the course you want All our media training is bespoke and designed to exactly suit your needs. We have lots of ideas of how it might work but we want to hear from you and what you want! So get in touch with our friendly team by phone on 0754 533 4269 or fill in our contact form and we will get back to you. We’d love to hear how you hope to improve your media and communication skills.
This five-day programme empowers participants with the skills and knowledge to understand and effectively apply best practice commercial and contracting principles and techniques, ensuring better contractor performance and greater value add. This is an assessed programme, leading to the International Association for Contracts & Commercial Management (IACCM)'s coveted Contract and Commercial Management Practitioner (CCMP) qualification. By the end of this comprehensive programme the participants will be able to: Develop robust contracting plans, including scopes of work and award strategies Undertake early market engagements to maximise competition Conduct effective contracting and commercial management activities, including ITT, RFP, negotiated outcomes Understand the legalities of contract and commercial management Negotiate effectively with key stakeholders and clients, making use of the key skills of persuading and influencing to optimise outcomes Undertake effective Supplier Relationship Management Appreciate the implications of national and organisational culture on contracting and commercial activities Appreciate professional contract management standards Set up and maintain contract and commercial management governance systems Take a proactive, collaborative, and agile approach to managing commercial contracts Develop and monitor appropriate and robust KPIs and SLAs to manage the contractor and facilitate improved contractor performance Appreciate the cross-functional nature of contract management Collaborate with clients to deliver sustainable performance and to manage and exceed client expectations Understand the roles and responsibilities of contract and commercial managers Use effective contractor selection and award methods and models (including the 10Cs model) and use these models to prepare robust propositions to clients Make effective use of lessons learned to promote improvements from less than optimal outcomes, using appropriate templates Effectively manage the process of change, claims, variations, and dispute resolution Develop and present robust propositions Make appropriate use of best practice contract and commercial management tools, techniques, and templates DAY ONE 1 Introduction Aims Objectives KPIs Learning strategies Plan for the programme 2 The contracting context Key objectives of contract management Importance and impact on the business 3 Critical success factors Essential features of professional commercial and contract management and administration The 6-step model 4 Putting the 'management' into commercial and contract management Traditional v 'new age' models The need for a commercial approach The added value generated 5 Definitions 'Commercial management' 'Contract management' 'Contracting' ... and why have formal contracts? 6 Stakeholders Stakeholder mapping and analysis The 'shared vision' concept Engaging with key functions, eg, HSE, finance, operations 7 Roles and responsibilities Contract administrators Stakeholders 8 Strategy and planning Developing effective contracting plans and strategies DAY TWO 1 Contract control Tools and techniques, including CPA and Gantt charts A project management approach Developing effective contract programmes 2 The contracting context Key objectives of contract management Importance and impact on the business 3 Tendering Overview of the contracting cycle Requirement to tender Methods Rationale Exceptions Steps Gateways Controls One and two package bids 4 Tender assessment and contract award I - framework Tender board procedures Role of the tender board (including minor and major tender boards) Membership Administration Developing robust contract award strategies and presentations DAY THREE 1 Tender assessment and contract award II - processes Pre-qualification processes CRS Vendor registration rules and processes Creating bidder lists Disqualification criteria Short-listing Using the 10Cs model Contract award and contract execution processes 2 Minor works orders Process Need for competition Role and purpose Controls Risks 3 Contract strategy Types of contract Call-offs Framework agreements Price agreements Supply agreements 4 Contract terms I: Pricing structures Lump sum Unit price Cost plus Time and materials Alternative methods Target cost Gain share contracts Advance payments Price escalation clauses 5 Contract terms II: Other financial clauses Insurance Currencies Parent body guarantees Tender bonds Performance bonds Retentions Sub-contracting Termination Invoicing 6 Contract terms III: Risk and reward Incentive contracts Management and mitigation of contractual risk DAY FOUR 1 Contract terms IV: Jurisdiction and related matters Applicable laws and regulations Registration Commercial registry Commercial agencies 2 Managing the client-contractor relationship Types of relationship Driving forces Link between type of contract and style of relationships Motivation - use of incentives and remedies 3 Disputes Types of dispute Conflict resolution strategies Negotiation Mediation Arbitration DAY FIVE 1 Performance measurement KPIs Benchmarking Cost controls Validity of savings Balanced scorecards Using the KPI template 2 Personal qualities of the contract manager Negotiation Communication Persuasion and influencing Working in a matrix environment 3 Contract terms V: Drafting skills Drafting special terms 4 Variations Contract and works variation orders Causes of variations Risk management Controls Prevention Negotiation with contractors 5 Claims Claims management processes Controls Risk mitigation Schedules of rates 6 Close-out Contract close-out and acceptance / completion HSE Final payments Performance evaluation Capturing the learning 7 Close Review Final assessment Next steps
About this Virtual Instructor Led Certificate Training Course (VILT) Asset maintenance and equipment reliability teams play a significant role to ensure that there is no room for downtime and losses in production. They are often recognised for their contribution and ability to keep assets running productively in today's organisations. The Certificate in Asset Management Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT) course will provide those involved in Asset Management with a full explanation of the key processes to manage assets across their lifecycle. This recognised VILT course has been designed to equip participants with practical skills to take back to work. This VILT course enables participants to ensure their organisation's assets are realising their full value in support of the organisation's objectives. Accredited by the Institute of Asset Management (IAM), this VILT course will prepare participants to sit for the IAM Asset Management Certificate qualification. The IAM exam is offered as an option for participants of this VILT course. Training Objectives By the end of this VILT course, participants will be able to: Understand the key principles, tools and terminology of Asset Management, and demonstrate how it will benefit your organisation Gain familiarity in the application of ISO 55000 in practice Access a range of models that will support the implementation of asset management in your organisation Assess your understanding of the current tools and concepts applied in Asset Management Capture new ideas and skills that will enhance performance and be better prepared for the Institute of Asset Management (IAM) Certificate Examination Target Audience This VILT course will benefit maintenance managers, operations managers, asset managers and reliability professionals, planners and functional specialists. It will also be useful for facilities engineers, supervisors/managers and structural engineers/supervisors/ and managers. IAM Qualifications Syllabi This document details the scope of the individual topics which comprise the examination modules, and how the exams are assessed. It is important that prospective candidates understand the scope of the modules to determine the preparation required. Download here IAM Qualifications Candidate Handbook This handbook provides more detailed information on registering as a candidate, learning resources, training courses, booking an exam, exam regulations and what happens after an exam - whether you are successful or unsuccessful. Download here Course Level Basic or Foundation Training Methods The VILT course will be delivered online in 5 half-day sessions comprising 4 hours per day, with 2 breaks of 15 minutes per day. Course Duration: 5 half-day sessions, 4 hours per session (20 hours in total) Other than world-class visuals and slides, this VILT course will include a high level of interaction between the facilitator and participants and group discussion among the participants themselves. There will be a number of exercises & quizzes to demonstrate key points and to give participants the chance to apply learning and appreciate key aspects of best practice. Participants will also have the chance to share examples from their own experience, discuss real problems they are facing and develop actions for improvement when they return to work. Examples of the exercises that are used in this VILT course are as follows: Exercises: Aligning Assets to Business Objectives, Planning for Contingencies, Understanding Function and Failure. Group exercises: Asset Management Decision Making, Incident Review & Operations Optimisation. The workshop content will be adjusted based on the discussions, interests and needs of the participants on the course. Trainer Your expert course leader is a is a highly experienced in maintenance and turnaround specialist. He is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, having spent 19 years working for BP in engineering, maintenance and turnaround management roles. During this time, he worked on plants at all ages in the lifecycle, from construction, commissioning and operating new assets to maintaining aging assets and decommissioning. He has taken roles in Projects, Human Resources and Integrity Management which give real breadth to his approach. He also specialized in Continuous Improvement, gaining the award of International Petrochemical Coach of the year. He stays up to date with the latest industrial developments through his consulting support for major clients. He is also the Asset Management lead and a VILT specialist, having delivered over 70 days of VILT training in the last year. He has an engaging style and will bring his current industrial experience, proficiency of VILT techniques and diverse content, gathered from a comprehensive training portfolio, to deliver a distinctive training experience. POST TRAINING COACHING SUPPORT (OPTIONAL) To further optimise your learning experience from our courses, we also offer individualized 'One to One' coaching support for 2 hours post training. We can help improve your competence in your chosen area of interest, based on your learning needs and available hours. This is a great opportunity to improve your capability and confidence in a particular area of expertise. It will be delivered over a secure video conference call by one of our senior trainers. They will work with you to create a tailor-made coaching program that will help you achieve your goals faster. Request for further information about post training coaching support and fees applicable for this. Accreditions And Affliations