Successful launch of RDR ready sales force

In 2012, with RDR looming, a large UK life and pension company were looking to ensure their Direct Sales team (who operated in a high net worth client arena) were confident and capable of operating in a post RDR fee-based environment. This growth distribution channel played a critical role in the large UK life and pension company’s strategy, so it was imperative that they be in an excellent position to operate effectively in the stricter regulated environment, come 1st January 2013.

Recognising that pension sales heavily dominated their business mix, the large UK life and pension company sought a development partner to embed a more holistic proposition, appropriate for a post RDR world. The large UK life and pension company turned to Bigrock to deliver a development programme to provide advisers with the skills, knowledge and processes to sell a range of products across investments, savings and protection, as well as pensions. It was imperative to ensure advisers were able to meet the needs of both new and existing customers, within the parameters of the RDR regulations.

Over a 6 month period, Bigrock worked with the large UK life and pension company to design and deliver:

• Consultative Sales and Sales Process training to 70 Advisers and 8 Sales Mangers, to optimise their ability to operate professionally and effectively in a post RDR world.

 

• Blended training solutions across field and remote distribution, sales management and customer service to ensure consistency in message and approach.

 

• A 3 day Sales Managers Workshop to cover the core skills vital to Sales Managers in a post RDR world. The workshop developed the abilities of successful managers so they could become skills champions and drive change throughout their teams.

 

• New induction programmes, for both advisers and customer service teams, which could be taken forward by the internal L&D team for the post RDR world.

Following implementation, all delegates’ capability was independently assessed and signed off. The sales force were confident in the required behaviours, were achieving success and were compliant in time for the launch of RDR in January 2013.